Protecting The Trails

Tips to minimize springtime damage

With warming spring temperatures right around the corner for much of the state, it’s a good time to remind everyone to help protect trails. Using muddy trails can leave ruts, uneven tire tracks and footprints, contribute to erosion and inadvertently widen trails.

It’s best to avoid muddy trails altogether; however, if you do encounter muddy sections, please keep the following tips in mind to avoid widening the trails:

• When bike riding: Dismount and tiptoe down the center – not the sides – of the trail.
• When hiking: Go right through the center of the trail, rather than traveling around the mud.
• When horseback riding: Carefully travel with your horse through the center of the trail.

​“Following these tips may mean a little more cleanup for shoes, tires and hooves after an outing, but I think most trail users would agree it’s worth it to ensure our trails stay in the best possible condition during this seasonal transition,” said Kristen Bennett, acting state trails coordinator for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “Plus, when trails do start to widen, it can pose safety risks to users and cause damage to surrounding wildlife habitat.”

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