Ah, mud season: it must be spring on the East Coast. All the snow has melted away, the ground is wet and soggy, but the fresh plant growth has yet to emerge. It’s a difficult time to be outdoors: no snow for winter sports, the temperatures still feel chilly, and there’s frozen or wet mud pretty much everywhere. Mud season requires its own etiquette, which sometimes means not hiking at all. What’s an adventurer to do?
As an outdoors organization, AMC aims to provide great recreation experiences year-round. Finding a mud season activity you love is more important than ever as we see shorter winters and longer wet, semi-frozen periods due to climate change. Read on for seven outdoor activities you can tackle even during the season of mud.
Birding
Mud season is a great time for birding. The lack of foliage on trees means clear sight lines to better observation spots. Take a walk in the woods or set up a feeder in your backyard. Make sure to squirrel-proof!
A black-capped chickadee in New Hampshire. Nicholas Gagnon, AMC Photo Contest.
Beach
While you may not want to go swimming, you can still enjoy the atmosphere and views of the beach. Beaches are less crowded outside of summer, so you can easily snag a spot to sit, read, or have a picnic.
Fire Pit
Spend time outdoors with friends and family by gathering to enjoy a fire. You won’t have to go far from home, and you can avoid the sogginess and mud of the season while chatting with friends and roasting marshmallows!
iNaturalist Bingo
Plants begin to peek their heads out of winter dormancy in early spring. Keep an eye out for any new growth or buds and work on identifying them with our iNaturalist Bingo card. Our research team uses the data collected by community scientists in the iNaturalist app to inform their work on changing flowering times, rare plants, and climate change.
Hiking / Walking
Yes, you can hike during mud season! That said, hikes should be planned carefully and with flexibility. Go hiking on dry days, not when the trails are wet and muddy — which leads to erosion. AMC Trail Crews are updating many trails to better withstand erosion and water damage. Another option is exploring your local paved or gravel walking paths.
Fat Tire Biking
A “fat bike” has extremely wide tires — four to five inches wide, compared to a mountain bike’s two inches. These tires provide extra traction and stability, allowing for all-season riding on snowy or muddy trails. Just like with hiking, there’s some additional planning required this time of year. Don’t bike in wet conditions, when tires could leave ruts in the trail. Instead, opt for a local paved path.
Fat tire biking near AMC Medawisla Lodge and Cabins, Maine.
Visit a Sugar House
Mud season coincides with maple sugar season, which runs from late February to early April. Visit a local maple sugar house to see how maple trees are tapped, watch tree sap get turned into syrup, and purchase some delicious maple products.
Not sure where to get started? Check out our activities page to see what adventures are happening near you. If you’re going to get muddy, may as well have company!