It’s been a long winter. While some of us have capitalized on all of this snow with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat tire riding, others have been longing for sunny days and clear trails. Those days are almost here. As temperatures rise and the mountains of snow begin to shrink, it’s tempting to hit the trails as soon as possible. However, PLEASE remember that we are now entering the dreaded mud season. With the slow melting of this immense snow pack, trails are going to be muddy for several weeks. The footing is going to be terrible. Most trails will be muddy and boggy. Many areas will have standing water. Pick your trails very carefully. Try to find areas that have firm ground or have been improved with stone dust surfacing. Look down – if you are leaving hoof prints, tire marks or foot prints more than an inch deep, you should NOT be on that trail. As always, follow along the edge of athletic or agricultural fields – soft footing can cause serious damage to these areas and landowners will not hesitate to cut off access. If you do come across a closed trail, please respect our landowner’s request. Keep in mind that many seasonal trails do not open until May 1st (and that may be even later this year, depending on conditions).
Also remember that on days with colder temperatures trails will be icy, so use caution!