If winter kept you indoors, spring will nudge you outside. It\u2019s tempting to get back to the trails and trailheads even when they\u2019re muddy. The resulting ruts would be a problem down the line, though, so a little patience is in order while the mud recedes. Even the paved trails can be reluctant to give up their icy patches. Again, patience. Spring will win out.<\/span><\/p>\n It takes hold a bit at a time, beginning at the Seacoast before sweeping inland and up to the North Country. Biking through a wetland, you might see skunk cabbages showing off their vivid green leaves while everything around them is still in winter drab. A couple of weeks later, you\u2019ll find shrubs and trees in flower. Keep an eye out for ladyslippers and trillium blooming trailside.<\/span><\/p>\n Londonderry Rail Trail<\/p><\/div>\n Not all of New Hampshire\u2019s rail trails are in rural areas. Urban trails like Rochester\u2019s Lilac City Greenway reflect the season, too. Enjoy a cool walk past forsythia and specimen trees whose leaves are just starting to appear. By summertime, the path will be shady on the hottest days.<\/span><\/p>\n Spring is an important time for trail maintenance. Rail trail organizations around the Granite State offer volunteers a chance to help prepare the trails for the season. (An online search for the name of your favorite trail is one way to turn up contact information for your local trail association.) Essential tasks include clearing away trash and blown-down trees, trimming back encroaching brush, and checking the condition of trail bridges and boardwalks. Work done this season will benefit trail users all year.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nhrtc.org\/nhrtc-core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/spring-on-Londonderry-rail-trail-225x300.jpeg\")