Trail Etiquette: Avoid Wet Trails

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As with other trails systems in New England, SVT does not recommend you hike, run or ride bikes on trails until trails are dry.  This is especially important after rain events, during winter freeze and thaw cycles, and during the spring "Mud Season".

As a non-profit trail stewardship organization that relies upon volunteers for annual and emergency trail maintenance we ask that you abide by the following when using our trails:

1) Know before you go! Check the Trail Conditions page. Be prepared to change your plans.  
2) Avoid trails after rain. Trails will need to dry out.
3) During freeze/thaw cycles, go earlier or later in the day as trails are more likely to still be frozen. 

4) If you are leaving ruts & footprints, the trails are too wet. 

5) If there is surface frost on the tread or below the snow (you will leave ruts and hear it crunch) please find a more compact trail. 

6) Avoid going around puddles & ice. This widens trails. 

7) Please seek drier alternatives when trails are fragile! It is costly to fix trails once they are damaged, and the damage caused could be permanent.

LEARN MORE

• Read more about the what the Freeze/Thaw Cycle is HERE.  
• NEMBA Mud Season Reminder and Suggestions HERE
• Another explanation we like HERE.
• If you are unfamiliar with Mud Season protocol. we recommend reading this blog post by the Green Mountain Club.  
• Watch this video by Leave No Trace Centers for Outdoor Ethics about Durable Surfaces.

DO YOUR PART

Just because you can go out and hit the trails, doesn't mean you should. Patience and common sense can really go a long way. If you really love Slate Valley Trails, consider volunteering, especially in the spring, to help prepare and open our trails for the summer/fall season. If we all do our part, our trails will be here for a long time. 

Thank you ! We hope to see you at a Spring trail clean up or trail work day in the future!