Down in the Dirt
Spring road running close to home.
It’s a familiar scene—an overzealous runner heads for the hills in April, only to be turned around by impassable puddles and forced to dig the hose out of winter storage to spray the now-cemented sludge off his shoes. There’s a reason they call it mud season.
Even so, most of us are itching for some form of dry-land movement once it warms up. But take a few steps up one of the mountain trails in the Bridgers or Gallatins and you’ll quickly be reminded of the need to be patient. Even the Painted Hills and hospital trails sometimes don’t fully dry out until May.
In the meantime, though, you don’t have to sit on the couch. There are still plenty of ways to get out, shake the rust off, and start striding this spring. Just as the mountains begin to shed their winter coats of snow, many of the valley’s dirt roads are drying out—and not a moment too soon.
Though the sweatpants-and-trash-bags runners of the ’90s and early 2000s have largely been replaced by the Lycra and drop-bar crowd of the gravel-biking scene, hardcore runners maintain a stronghold on this terrain. While biking is certainly an enjoyable way to experience the valley’s lowland roads, they’re even better witnessed on your own two feet—especially this time of year. Not to mention, you’re probably out of shape.
As such, flat, forgiving roads are a great place to start the season. A few Ridge hikes at Bridger Bowl over the winter can only do so much for staying fit, and your distance work has certainly suffered. Your joints probably aren’t ready for steep, technical ups and downs anyway. Best to start on something soft, mellow, and forgiving.
Come spring, the road surfaces are buttery and tacky to perfection, which means less impact and no dust kicked up when the occasional car passes by. Group runs are also more possible than ever out here, since you’re not forced into single-file on a narrow trail. And at this pace, the scenery can be soaked up like never before—long views of the Bridgers up Springhill, or river bottoms and open pastureland out around Axtell.
So this spring, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. There’s no need to rush out or travel long distances to trailheads that likely aren’t even dry yet. Everything you need is right here in the valley. It doesn’t take much to drive a few minutes, find a dry road, and run as far as your heart desires—or as far as your legs can handle.
