Some geniuses way back in time (1930s?) decided to drive a bulldozer from Moss Springs up to Young Ridge to terrace the hill to undo what some previous geniuses did by taking big herds of sheep there to annually ravage the hillside. Despite these events being close to a century ago, the scars still exist and are used today by hikers and horseback riders to access Young Ridge. The Mud Springs Cut-off is where the cat operator decided to drive up the steep hill from the Little Minam. You will find this unofficial trail marked by an interesting wall cairn on the left of the trail 1.5 miles after you cross the Little Minam on the Lakey's Hole Trail. It is easy to miss so keep an eye out for the rock pile.
The trail powers up the ridge in true machine style, at times becoming more trail like and other times more cat like. Eventually you top out and the trail flows more gently through the woods, at one point crossing a small stream with a camp spot. Then you come to the junction with the Salt Trail, although if you don't know what you're looking for you'll never know you joined the Salt Trail because the Salt Trail is disappearing. Mud Spring is not on this cut-off trail, it is farther up on Young Ridge on the Salt Trail. For a description on where the trail continues from that junction, see the Salt Trail description.
