Songs of Shoulder Season
By Lulu Herrera, GVLT Trails Project Manager
Ah, shoulder season—Montana’s unofficial “what-the-heck-is-happening” time of year. It’s that awkward stretch between winter and spring when the trails are caught in limbo. Snow’s melting, ice is clinging on for dear life, and everything turns into a muddy, slippery mess. Bikers dream of dry trails while hikers try to guess whether they’ll need microspikes, mud boots, or both on the same day, and trail crews brace for the worst. Recreating in shoulder season weather can be confusing for everyone. Before you hit the trail, there are a few things you should know to keep both yourself and the trails in good shape:
It Might as Well be Spring??
Blame Montana’s long, frigid, powdery winters for less-than-ideal trail conditions. Wavering spring temps cause a freeze-thaw cycle, making for unexpected conditions. But not all snow melts at the same rate. The fluffy snow outside the trail corridor disappears quickly, while the packed down snow and ice from months of boots, paws, and bike tires melts much slower. That’s why you’ll often find a mix of slush, mud puddles, and ice all fighting for space on the trail.
Slip Sliding Away
Sure, you can hike during shoulder season, but should you? It’s not just about getting your boots and paws dirty. As the snow melts unevenly, the trail becomes a cocktail of loose soil (aka mud), ample puddles, and slushy ice. This makes it easy to lose your footing and even easier to damage the trail. And that’s where things go sideways—literally.
It’s easy to think, “I’ll just walk on the edge to avoid the mud and puddles.” Don’t do it! That tempting patch of dry trail-side vegetation isn’t your personal traction zone. Playing “Lava” by hopping from one dry trail-side island to the next not only widens the trail, but you’ll crush delicate plants trying to make a spring comeback. Plus, trampling vegetation encourages more erosion and invites—you guessed it—even more weeds.
And if you’ve got your faithful pooch in tow, understand that those paws can do more harm than you’d think. We know your pup’s excited to explore off trail, but multiply that by all the other trail-loving dogs, and the damage adds up “ruff”-ly fast.
Mud on the Soles of Her Shoes
When the ground is wet, the soil is delicate, and every step you take compacts the soil, pressing the particles closer together and squeezing out the air pockets. Without these air pockets:
Native plants struggle because their roots can’t push through the dense soil. They lose access to nutrients, leaving them weak.
Water has a hard time draining, which leads to more erosion.
Damaged soil allows weeds to establish and proliferate.
If the thought of walking through mud makes you squirm, the thought of more invasive weeds and erosion on our trail should concern you even more.
These Boots are Made for Walking: Stay the Course
Shoulder season might feel like nature’s version of an obstacle course, but a little patience goes a long way in protecting Montana’s trails.
Remember, your boots will dry, but plants take years to grow. So go through the mud and puddles. Channel that inner child and stomp right through. And if it’s so slippery you’re tempted to use that trail edge, for the love of plants, turn around and try another day.
Become a Rockstar Trail Ambassador
GVLT Trail Ambassadors are our volunteer rockstars who help cultivate a culture of stewardship and kindness on our community trails by providing a friendly face on the trail, picking up litter, reporting trail user data, and gently reminding people how to practice trail etiquette. If you see them on the trail, give them a wave (or even an encore for their performance). Want to join the band? Learn how you, too, can become a Trail Ambassador.
Lulu Herrera, GVLT Trails Project Manager, has been building and stewarding trails for 14 years.