Spring comes slowly to the high country of the Rockies and other mountain ranges in the western United States. As the days get longer and temperatures rise, summer backpacking season seems tantalizingly close. But between the snow melting and the summer wildflowers blooming is a period of time colloquially referred to as "mud season". Depending on elevation and latitude, mud season might last from mid-March to late May, give or take a few weeks. With snow melting and spring rains mixed in, many trails turn to muddy messes or even small-scale streams if the drainage isn't designed properly or the water bars (structures built across the trail to divert water) aren't cleaned out.

Tips for Hiking During Mud Season

Not only is hiking in these conditions unpleasant, it can also damage the trails. Fortunately, many trails in the Southwest are in excellent condition during late spring and make great destinations. February through May is a great time to plan a trip to national parks, wilderness areas, and other public lands in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, for example. If you're not able to get to the Southwest, there are still ways to make the most of mud season. Giving your gear a good cleaning and condition check is always something worth making time for, but can be easier said than done on nice sunny weekends.

If travel to other regions is not on the agenda, exploring other outdoor activities, like road bicycling or running, can be great ways to get in shape for when hiking season truly arrives. And by becoming familiar with your local trails you can gain a good intuition and understanding for which ones will be quagmires at certain times of the year and which ones might be passable. Sandy soils or trails with good drainage, or those in the rain shadow of a mountain range, are good places to target. For example, when many of the trails in the mountains are muddy other destinations at lower elevations often offer some good hiking or vice-versa. Each region has its own nuances, and figuring those out is half the fun – it’s all about knowing your region and your opportunities!

Other ways to deal with mud season is to hit the trail for dayhikes as early in the morning as possible, as often times during this time of the year overnight temperatures are still in the freezing range (subsequently freezing any muddy trail solid, saving both the trail as well as your gear from mud). By hiking early, you can often get a hike in and be heading out just as things start to warm up and thaw for the day. Waterproof footwear combined with hiking gaiters is also helpful at this time of the year – this will help keep not only water, but the mud out of your shoes or boots.

Editor's Note: This Jargon installment originally appeared in Issue 45 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.