The “el Niño” weather pattern is being talked about more and more on the news. In Southern California, we’ve had a few days of not particularly heavy rains. This can lead to closure of our national, state, and local parks and recreation areas for a few days after a rain to allow the lands to dry out and become accessible to the public. This isn’t a bad thing; walking on muddy trails can cause damage that can last well for weeks or months afterwards.

Generally, public lands will open up after three days to hikers. Mountain bikers and equestrian trails may stay closed longer. Check at your local park entrance to see what is closed and what is open. From the Irvine Ranch Conservancy page:

“…The expected rain is a welcome change for flora and fauna, but California’s recent drought has left many trail surfaces so dry that even those constructed to direct runoff into surrounding habitat could be overwhelmed by an abundance of rain. Landowners and managers are prepared to evaluate potential storm damage and reduce long-term effects, but you too can minimize rain damage by understanding wet trail conditions and abiding by closures to the trail system.

Continue reading →