Mud Season In Vermont

Steve Borchetta
photo

Spring = Mud Season in Vermont. Most people think of spring as a time where things come to life, the birds start chirping, and the flowers begin to bloom. Well in New England, and Vermont in particular, it is more of that awkward period of time between winter and summer. As the snow melts and the rains start to fall, dirt roads and trails turn into muddy passages, and grassy fields begin resembling marshes. All kidding aside, mud season in Vermont kind of sucks. It prevents us from getting out to hike and mountain bike on our favorite trails. When you hike or bike through muddy and saturated trails you are doing more damage to the surrounding environment than you are to your new boots. Trudging through muddy trails causes irreversible erosion to the trail and damage to the surrounding vegetation. It is part of our mission to be environmental stewards and do our part to protect the environment for generations to come. As such, we must advocate responsible use of Vermont's hiking trails and reiterate the statement issued by the Green Mountain Club regarding mud season. The state of Vermont closes all trails at high elevations from Mid-April (now) until Memorial Day Weekend (May 24th)! Please respect these closures and follow the guidelines below.

Date Ranges and Elevations Usually Suitable For Hiking:

  • April 15th Trails below 1000 feet in elevation
  • May 1st Trails below 2000 feet in elevation
  • May 15th Trails below 3000 feet in elevation
  • Memorial Day ALL TRAILS Open

Mud Season in Vermont Hiking Guidelines

  • Walk through the mud, not around it, don't be afraid to get those boots dirty! If a trail is too muddy to pass through that you need to walk on the vegetation off trail, you must turn back and seek an alternate hike.
  • Trails at higher elevation take longer to dry out - hike in the lower-elevation hardwood forests (unless those are too muddy as well) with southern facing exposure, as they will dry out first.
  • Avoid spruce-fir (conifer) forests at higher elevations.
  • The State of Vermont closes al trails on state land including those on Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield - also avoid Stratton Mountain, Killington Peak, Lincoln Ridge (Mount Ellen to Appalachian Gap), and Jay Peak.

muddy trail
Suggested Lower Elevation Hikes During Mud Season

Norther Vermont:
  • Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, St. Albans to Richford
  • Stowe Recreation Path
  • Cotton Brook Area, Moscow/Stowe
  • Alburg Recreation Trail
  • Cambridge Greenway Recreation Path
  • Mount Philo State Park, Charlotte
  • Burlington Bike Path
Northeast Kingdom:
  • Bluff Mountain Community Trail, Island Pond
  • Mt. Hor via CCC Roads, Westmore
  • Split Rock via Gore Mountain Trail, Avery's Gore
  • Perry Holbrook Memorial State Park, Sheffield
  • Nulhegan River Trail, Brunswick
  • Beebe Spur Rail Trail, Newport
  • The Hurricane, Holland
  • Westmore Town Forest, Westmore
Central Vermont:
  • The Austin Brook Trail, Warren/Granville
  • Thresher Hill & Pine Brook Trails, Rochester
  • The Cross VT Trail - runs west to east across VT
  • Liberty Hill, Contest Trail Loop, Pittsfield
  • Stage Road in Jonesville to Duck Brook shelter via the Long Trail
  • Lefferts Pond, Chittenden
  • Robert Frost Interpretive Trail, Ripton
  • Travel Around Middlebury Trail
  • Mad River Path
Southern Vermont:
  • Emerald Lake State Park Trail
  • Herriman Trail
  • Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail
  • Woodford State Park Trails
  • West River Trail
  • Jamaica State Park Trails
  • Equinox Preservation Trust - Manchester Village
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