Hiking Vermont by season
Two times of year change how you should hike here: spring mud season and the fall hunting seasons. This page sums up what the state and the Green Mountain Club say, with links to check before you go.
Mud season (spring)
When the snow melts and the ground thaws, trails turn to mud and are easily
damaged: hiking around wet spots widens the trail and tramples the plants at its
edges. Vermont's Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation says mud season
can run until Memorial Day in upper elevations
, and the Green Mountain Club
says it typically ends on Memorial Day weekend
(May 25, 2026, May 31, 2027).
Many trails are formally closed in this period, and high, alpine areas such as
Mount Mansfield and Camel's Hump are the most fragile.
What to do
- Check whether a trail is open on TrailFinder before you go, and obey closure signs at the trailhead.
- Choose low, durable routes: gravel roads, rail trails and lower-elevation paths.
- If a trail is muddy, turn around rather than walking around the mud.
- The Green Mountain Club's visitor center in Waterbury Center can suggest open hikes: (802) 244-7037.
Sources: Vermont FPR, March 2025; Green Mountain Club, April 2025. Closure dates change with the weather every year.
Hunting seasons (fall)
Hikers share much of Vermont's woods with hunters in the fall. The deer seasons, especially the November rifle season, are when you are most likely to meet them. Wear something blaze orange, keep dogs close and visible, and stay on the trail.
Deer seasons, 2026
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery deer season (bows only) | Oct 1 – Dec 15 |
| October muzzleloader deer season | Oct 29 – Nov 1 |
| Youth and novice deer weekend | Nov 7 – Nov 8 |
| Regular (rifle) deer season | Nov 14 – Nov 29 |
| December muzzleloader deer season | Nov 30 – Dec 13 |
Deer seasons, 2027
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery deer season (bows only) | Oct 1 – Dec 15 |
| October muzzleloader deer season | Oct 28 – Oct 31 |
| Youth and novice deer weekend | Nov 6 – Nov 7 |
| Regular (rifle) deer season | Nov 13 – Nov 28 |
| December muzzleloader deer season | Nov 29 – Dec 12 |
Dates are worked out from the formulas in Vermont's deer rule (10 V.S.A. Appendix § 37). Other species have their own seasons. Check Vermont Fish & Wildlife for the current year's official dates and any changes.
Winter
Days are short: trail, trailhead and peak pages on this site show today's sunrise, sunset and how much daylight is left. Some trailheads sit on roads that are not plowed in winter, so parking that is easy in summer may not be there. Where we have confirmed seasonal rules for a lot, they are on its trailhead page.