Wet Weather Etiquette

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Wet Weather Trail Etiquette

Rain is good for our landscape, but wet trails need a little extra care.

Using saturated trails can leave ruts, widen the trail, damage drainage, and create repair work that can last long after the ground dries.

• Check Trailforks before you go for current conditions, closures, and trail reports.
• If you’re leaving tracks, turn back. Footprints, tire ruts, or visible deformation mean the trail is too wet.
• Go through isolated puddles, not around them. Riding or walking around mud widens the trail and damages surrounding vegetation.
• Respect trail closures and barriers.
• Give trails time to dry. Sunshine and wind can dry the surface while the soil underneath remains soft.
• Report changing conditions or damage on Trailforks so other trail users know what to expect.

Know Before You Go

Trail conditions can vary considerably after rain, snowmelt, or spring thaw.

Before heading out, check the latest reports on Trailforks. Conditions can differ significantly between trails depending on soil, slope, drainage, shade, and exposure.

Lethbridge’s dry climate can also be deceptive. Exposed sections may dry quickly in the sun and wind while low areas, north-facing slopes, and fine-textured soils remain soft underneath.

When in doubt, give the trail more time to dry.

Why Our Local Trails Are Vulnerable

Lethbridge trails cross coulee slopes, river valley terraces, grasslands, and developed trail corridors, and these areas respond differently to moisture.

Gravelly and sandy sections may recover quickly, while silts, clays, and compacted soils can hold water and become soft or sticky. When used while saturated, these soils can rut easily and lose their shape.

Ruts then collect and channel water, causing additional erosion and making the damage worse over time.

Spring freeze-thaw cycles are especially tricky. A trail may feel firm early in the day and soften considerably as temperatures rise.

If You’re Leaving Tracks, Turn Back

If you are leaving footprints, tire ruts, or visible damage behind you, the trail is too wet.

A damp or tacky trail is usually fine. A trail that deforms under your tires or feet is not.

Turning around may shorten your ride, run, or walk, but it can prevent damage that takes weeks to recover from.

If you find a damaged section, avoid trying to reshape it while the soil is wet. Report the location through Trailforks so it can be assessed when conditions are suitable.

Go Through Puddles, Not Around Them

If you encounter an isolated puddle on an otherwise usable trail, travel through the middle when it is safe to do so.

Going around puddles gradually widens narrow singletrack and damages surrounding vegetation. It can also create new channels for runoff and erosion.

If the trail is consistently muddy or saturated rather than just wet in one spot, turn around.

Respect Trail Closures

Temporary closures protect vulnerable trails and areas undergoing maintenance or repair.

Please respect closure signs, barriers, and Trailforks notices even if the section in front of you appears dry. Conditions farther along the trail may be very different.

Do not move barriers, bypass closures, or create unofficial detours.

Give Trails Time to Recover

Sunshine does not always mean a trail is ready to use.

Drying time depends on rainfall, soil type, temperature, wind, shade, slope, and drainage. During spring thaw or extended wet periods, some trails may need several dry days before they can handle regular traffic again.

Repeated use while a trail is recovering can extend that recovery considerably.

Help Us Protect the Trails

Pay attention to the trail beneath you, check Trailforks before heading out, respect closures, and turn around when conditions are causing damage.

When you can, submit Trailforks reports for mud, standing water, damage, or changing conditions. Good reports help everyone make better decisions.

Our trails are shared by riders, runners, hikers, dog walkers, naturalists, and the volunteers who maintain them. Taking a little extra care when trails are vulnerable helps keep them narrow, sustainable, and enjoyable for everyone.