Muddy Boots, Mindful Steps: Mud Season 101

Spring is here! As birds return, early flowers bloom, and the peepers sing, many of us are eager to get back outside. But between winter and summer lies Mud Season—a time when trail use requires extra care.

Mud season can seriously impact local trails due to wet, fragile conditions. Without thoughtful use and occasional closures, this season can lead to significant damage and costly maintenance. At BTLT, we rely on member support, volunteers, and respectful trail users to keep trails sustainable—especially now.

While all trails require special care during mud season, the following properties may be closed and/or can be expected to have flooded areas of the trail after heavy rain events – head to our trails page for more information and to check for seasonal trail closures.

• Androscoggin Woods – temporarily closed during winter through early spring
• Chase Reserve – temporarily closed in spring/fall due to standing water

What you can do to help:

• Best practice is to limit trail hiking activities during the worst part of mud-season and pursue other activities on more durable surfaces, like road biking or walks on solid gravel or pavement roads, such as along the Androscoggin River Path.
• If you do decide to hike but discover the trail is wetter than you expected, consider turning around and finding a drier hike.
• If you find yourself on a muddy trail, walk through the mud to avoid widening trails or trampling plants. Plan ahead and wear appropriate footwear!
• Keep in mind that you are one among a herd. Your impacts alone may not seem significant, but the collective impacts of ‘the herd’ do generate significant impacts.
• Mountain biking friendly trails and properties, such as Neptune Woods, are particularly susceptible to the higher ground pressure this time of year. Stick to properties with sandy soils that drain well or hard surfaces, including local paved bike paths.
• Some trails will be worse than others. Try to plan ahead and seek upland trails of moderate grade and with southern exposure. Avoid steep trails and low wet trails.

The What and Why of Mud Season 

Mud season is the result of the combination of snow melting due to warming temperatures and spring rains, freeze-thaw cycles as nights remain cold, the lack of ground cover as many plants have yet to emerge, and already saturated soils which leave excess water with nowhere to go.  The addition of feet to these wet areas creates mud puddles, mixing water and soil.  Trails that are oversaturated are vulnerable to damage from soil compaction and erosion with every footstep. Soil compaction reduces the ability to absorb water, causing increased flooding later and making it harder for vegetation to grow. Erosion then carries the soil away, leaving rocks and roots exposed within trails, further compounding the problem.  

While it may be tempting to walk around muddy areas of trail, plan ahead this time of year by wearing appropriate footwear and be prepared to walk through existing muddy areas to prevent widening the trail or trampling vegetation growing outside the trail corridor while limiting your footprint’s soil compaction. If you arrive at a trail head without proper footwear and realize the trail is wet and muddy, find an alternative destination instead by utilizing great local resources that provide a variety of different experiences such as the Get Active Guide or Brunswick Outdoors. 

Thanks for doing your part to protect the resiliency of our trails and the surrounding area!