Warm winter forces early Run-A-Muk closures, muddy trail warning from Basin Recreation

Trails at lower elevations in Park City often become muddy by midday. Photo: Basin Rec

PARK CITY, Utah — Basin Recreation is closing Run-A-Muk daily at 11 a.m. until further notice because of extremely muddy conditions, and is urging residents to stay off soft-surface trails as an unusually warm winter continues to affect local trail systems.

In a recent notice, Basin Recreation asked visitors to “help us protect our beloved off-leash area” by observing posted signage and avoiding muddy terrain.

Officials said walking on muddy trails can damage both the trails and the surrounding land. Instead, Basin Recreation is encouraging residents to use paved sidewalks and asphalt trails until conditions improve.

Rob Parish, executive director of Basin Recreation, said muddy trails are vulnerable not only to surface damage from foot traffic, but also to wider environmental impacts when users walk around wet sections, creating informal side paths and expanding the trail footprint into surrounding open space.

“When the trail is muddy, what ends up happening is people tend to divert around the muddy areas, which creates social trails, or expands the trail footprint into areas of open space,” Parish said. “By not using the trails when they’re overly muddy, it helps protect the natural environment the trail goes through.”

Parish said muddy trail use can also contribute to erosion, runoff and added maintenance issues, especially when mud is tracked into parking lots and storm systems or when dried, damaged trail surfaces are exposed to rain.

The muddy conditions are also affecting broader trail access across the system.

In its latest Basin Trails Report, Basin Recreation said it had about 45 kilometers of Nordic terrain open for roughly a week before warmer temperatures again reduced coverage.

“Temps are warm again, and the mornings are barely touching freezing, so any single track use goes early,” the post said.

The agency also reiterated that Run-A-Muk is closing daily at 11 a.m.

Parish said trail closures are based on conditions evaluated by Basin Recreation’s trails crew and are intended to protect the resource during vulnerable periods.

“So while it may be inconvenient, what I encourage all of our residents and visitors to do is just check the website,” Parish said. “We have over 150 miles of trails and lots of areas, particularly where we do allow dogs. So if an area is closed, take the opportunity to explore something new.”