Thanksgiving is shrinking in Central Oregon’s collective rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with mashed potatoes.

Snow conditions at area trails and parks turned mushier this week as warmer temperatures moved in, said Chris Sabo, trails specialist for the Deschutes National Forest.

“The big word is warmer, milder temperatures and rain in the forecast for lower- to mid-elevation trails and sno-parks,” he said. “Those areas are likely to have wet and mashed potato-y conditions.”

The change in weather is typical of early winter in the region, Sabo said, and it will likely cause some melting in the places where snow enthusiasts love to play.

Parks and trails below 5,000 feet — Skyliner, Six Mile in Newberry Crater and trails near Crescent among them — are particularly vulnerable to the warm-up.

Upper elevations will have wetter and denser snow, too, he said, which “could make things a little more interesting” up there.

“There could be some (trails and parks) that are now becoming marginal,” Sabo said. Users should move slowly and watch for low-snow hazards such as logs, rocks and stumps.

The warmer weather is an “OK thing,” Sabo said, because it will help “firm up” the snow and build a solid base under winter trails for the rest of the season. In the short term, however, backcountry users should be cautious because wetter, heavier snow can cause “some instability on some sensitive slopes.”

Users should assess snowpack for avalanche potential and make safe decisions, he said.

Deschutes crews have installed around 600 winter signs on snow poles in areas such as Dutchman Flat and Tumalo Mountain. The signs mark trails and boundaries. Crews have about 95 percent of the signs up and will finish the task soon. Even if they’re not yet marked, though, motorized and nonmotorized users should stick to trails and observe boundaries, Sabo said.

Also, a reminder: Roads around sno-parks along the Cascade Lakes Highway officially closed to vehicles Dec. 1, so if you’re looking for a Christmas tree, you’ll need to find another way to travel through the forest.