DEC Recommends Avoiding Hiking In The Adirondacks; Here’s Why…

When you're told not to go enjoy the great outdoors, there has to be a reason for it... Right?

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has issued a Muddy Trails Advisory for the Adirondack trail system. The advisory was announced Thursday, April 7th and is in effect until further notice.

Where exactly is this Muddy Trail Advisory in effect for?

High Elevation Trails

The DEC urges all hikers to postpone hikes planned on Adirondack trails above 2,500 feet until they have dried and hardened once again. Though the weather has been warm lately, higher elevations are still slowly melting.

The steep trails will have a mixture of thin soils, ice and mud as the snow begins to melt. This creates "rotten snow" that is slippery and wont properly support a persons weight. "Monorails", the narrow strips of ice at the center of trails, also make it more difficult when hiking at higher elevations.

The main reason for avoiding these trails includes:

• Sliding boots are hazardous
  • They destroy trail tread, vegetation, and cause erosion
• Rotten snow and monorails are a safety hazard
• Alpine vegetation is extremely fragile during the spring

What About The Other Trails?

You will encounter muddy conditions on the trails all throughout the Adirondacks. The DEC advises you WALK THROUGH mud, slush, and water on the trails and not around it. This will help avoid future erosion around the trails and protect surrounding vegetation.

The Muddy Trail Advisory could potentially last long into June. The DEC has a list of other trail alternatives to consider, opposed to taking the high elevation trails.