It is mud season in the Northeast Kingdom and NorthWoods is discouraging hikers from damaging local trail during this transitional time of year. In northern Vermont mud season comes early and ends late, often extending into June—much later than other parts of the state. The impacts of hiking during mud season are significant and they should be minimized during any wet spell, not just in the spring. Fragile soils, plants, loose slopes, access roads and parking areas are all more susceptible to rutting, compaction and erosion at this time of year.
To reduce impacts to fragile environments, hikers should avoid mountain trails during mud season. If possible, limit activities to low elevation trails or woods roads with well-drained soils and south-facing slopes. If you encounter muddy conditions, please turn around. Walking around muddy areas only increases the impact to surrounding vegetation and leads to trail widening, soil compaction and erosion. In general, higher elevation trails take longer to dry out than lower routes and it is common for hikers to encounter dry conditions near the trailhead and increasingly wet conditions higher up. It is these higher elevation environments that are particularly vulnerable to foot traffic.
While conditions will vary greatly throughout the region, it is common for hiking clubs to discourage trail use until Memorial Day Weekend—the unofficial start to the summer hiking season. Alternative activities include road walks, bicycling and paddling. The Green Mountain Club posts trail condition updates on its website and offers a variety of alternative outings for those who feel the need to get out during spring/fall mud seasons. For more information, visit www.greenmountainclub.org or contact NorthWoods at trails@northwoodscenter.org for suggested outings in the Northeast Kingdom region.