The Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation, along with hiking organizations, are asking outdoor enthusiasts to protect the trails as the snow melt turns to mud.
The department says mud season is one of the most fragile times for Vermont’s outdoor environment because the combined effects of snow melt, thawing ground and seasonal rain leave trails vulnerable to erosion and lasting damage. Alpine vegetation is particularly at risk because foot traffic could keep those plants from taking root and surviving. People should stay off soft and muddy trails and vehicles should avoid rural dirt roads that become a muddy quagmire in the spring.
According to data from the Vermont Agency of Transportation, there are more than 8,500 miles of dirt roads and about 7,100 miles of paved roads in the state.
