Vermont’s Mud Season Hikes
Mud Season-Safe Hikes Statewide
Bright sunshine and warmer days beckon as spring brings birdsong and buds on trees. When snow melts, trails get muddy, and hiking through or around wet areas can damage the land and the ecosystem. Protecting Vermont’s trails and fragile alpine areas is everyone’s responsibility, so when you’re tempted to hit the trails, keep trail stewardship in mind. Low-elevation trails dry out sooner, so they’re better options in early spring, as are Vermont’s paved paths and rail trails. As spring progresses and more trails open, hikers can venture higher. Remember that conditions can change with elevation, and a warm day near the base of the trail can turn cold and even snowy or icy near the top, so waterproof footwear and gators can be helpful as you get out there.
SOUTHEAST VERMONT
- Mt. Ascutney State Park Parkway (PDF) (after mid April, when the ice has melted); Windsor
- Myron Dutton Memorial Loop Trail (PDF) Dutton Pines State Park; Dummerston
- Pinnacle Trail (PDF) Wilgus State Park; Springfield
- Sunrise and Sunset Trails (PDF) Fort Dummer State Park; Guilford
- West River Trail (PDF); South Londonderry
SOUTHWEST VERMONT
- Emerald Lake State Park roads (PDF); East Dorset
- Button Bay State Park roads; Ferrisburgh
- Kingsland Bay State Park Roads; Ferrisburgh
- Bomoseen State Park Roads; Bomoseen
NORTHWEST VERMONT
- The Austin Brook Trail; Warren/Granville
- Trail Around Middlebury (TAM); Middlebury
- Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail; St. Albans
- Cotton Brook Road; Moscow/Stowe
- Alburgh Recreation Trail; Alburgh
- Mallets Bay Causeway; Colchester
- Cambridge Greenway Recreation Path; Jeffersonville
- Mt. Philo State Park roads to summit; Charlotte
NORTHEAST VERMONT
- CCC Road in Willoughby State Forest; Sutton
- Burke Fire Road (CCC Road); Burke
- Burke Toll Road; Burke
- Lyndon State Forest trails; Lyndonville
- The Cross VT Trail; runs west to east across VT
- Thresher Hill Pine Brook Trails (PDF); Rochester
- Liberty Hill Contest Trails; Pittsfield
- Robert Frost Interpretive Trail; Ripton
- Stowe Recreation Path; Stowe
CENTRAL VERMONT
- Universally Accessible Peninsula Trail; Mount Mansfield State Forest
- Universally Accessible Camp Smith Loop Trail; Waterbury
- Dalley Loop Trail; Waterbury
- Elmore Fire Tower Trail (Forestry Road section); Elmore
- Pinnacle Meadow Trail (up to the Pinnacle Meadow Vista); Worcester
Check trail status as you plan your hike, and obey all signage.