It's an art and a science!

Where I grew up, near Saratoga, NY, the far end of my road was a dirt road, and it continued on the other side of the semi-major road crossing through it.  It was the only dirt road I knew of in my area.  So moving to Vermont on my 18th birthday, way back in 1990 (do the math :), it was a different story, and still is - 55% of Vermont's roads are dirt!  And, there are different classes of dirt roads - from relatively well-maintained (Class 3) to rarely maintained (Class 4).

Right in our back yard there are a few Class 4 roads that I strongly warn folks against driving on.  In the summer one of them becomes a swamp and the other is usually passable, but only with vehicles that have some clearance because of ruts and large rocks in the road. In the winter, these roads become VAST snowmobile trails, and when people choose to drive on them, generally they get stuck and need a tractor to come get them out.  GPS can bring people through some of these routes, so I always suggest to do some research before heading out.  For our guests, I warn, "***IMPORTANT!!!*** If your GPS takes you up Coits Pond Rd., Corner Rd, Township Highway 45, or Dusty Swamp Rd, make sure to find another route. These are class four roads that are pretty rough to get over - impassable in the winter (no joke - they become snowmobile trails)."

Driving the back roads during mud season - when the ground is starting to defrost and the roads become muddy - can be quite an adventure!  I have a vivid memory of driving along a dirt road  in the mid-90's and up ahead we see a car stuck right in the middle of the road.  We didn't have many options, and when things are really muddy, you need to keep moving or you'll get stuck!  So, on this narrow back road we stepped on the gas and squeezed between the stuck car and a drop down to a ravine!  Luckily, we made it just fine - I have to say, that was some skilled driving and really got the adrenaline moving!

What I typically recommend to our guests when coming during mud season is to drive slowly and pick your way through the potholes, because potholes are pretty much guaranteed and they shake you to your bones!  If the mud looks deep, look for an alternative route, or if you decide to go for it, get some speed, pick the tops of the ruts, and realize there's no turning back, unless you want to get stuck, so don't stop or even slow down

The other thing to consider whether you're driving on the dirt roads or paved, are frost heaves.  I don't remember seeing a sign for frost heaves before moving to Vermont, but basically a big dip can form across the road and if you're going too fast, you can bottom out.  So, pay attention to those signs and keep an eye out for them, because the signs aren't always there.

Oddly, every year the severity of mud season is different and I haven't figured out how to anticipate how it will play out, or where the bad sections will be.  I'm not sure anyone has!  If you know how to predict this, let me know!  It can also happen any time between January (rare and limited) through April, with March and April being the worst. 

So bring your vehicle with the highest clearance, ideally with 4WD, and experience the adventure of mud season in Vermont!

Do you have any recommendations for driving the back roads during mud season?