GET PROPER MUDDY! 6 Tips for Smart Spring Trail Running

April showers might bring May flowers, but in New Hampshire’s White Mountains they bring high spirits and muddy calves to the region’s trail runners. Affectionately referred to as “Mud Season”, this glorious time of year treats you to a beautiful range of pearly white snow, speckled granite, deep dark mud, heart warming green shoots, and a rainbow of buds and flowers. While you’re joyfully jumping in puddles and cruising down trails long concealed by snow it can be easy to overlook how fragile the trails are in this wet season. Fret not! There’s no need to forego your muddy stomping. By following a few simple guidelines you can minimize your impact on the trails and ensure they remain safe and enjoyable.

6 Tips for Smart Spring Trail Running

1. Get proper muddy! If you MUST hit the wet trails, stick to the treadway whether it’s a muddy puddle or a sheet of ice. Getting your feet wet is a reality of New England trail running and hiking. Enjoy it and get used to it.
2. Stick to hardened paths: rail trails, bike paths, forest roads, and paved roads. These are often wider and less susceptible to runoff as well as a great option to build base mileage and explore new spaces.
3. ​Don’t be afraid to turn back. If a trail is extremely wet and sloppy, the damage you’ll cause to the trail is not worth getting in your miles or reaching that peak.
4. Keep to the high points. Stones and logs are often laid in persistent wet spots. When used, they go a long way to preserving the trail around them.
5. Avoid steep terrain! Though a fun challenge, steep pitches are particularly sensitive when wet. Please do your part to preserve them for enjoyment at a drier time by stopping before digging into their soft surface.
6. Add rubber tips to trekking poles to prevent them from sinking in and scraping away the trail.

Though you may leave more of a mark than in other seasons, you don’t have to give up trail running in Mud Season. Take these steps to reduce your impact on the wet trails and you’ll have your muddy cake and get to eat it too.

​Happy Trails!