First Day Hikes to be offered at every North Carolina State Park on January 1st

A North Carolina tradition continues on New Year’s Day with opportunities to exercise and reconnect with nature on First Day Hikes at every state park and recreation area, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

In the past two years, hikers in North Carolina have joined rangers and volunteers to walk more than 6,000 miles on state park trails Jan. 1. There will be more than 40 scheduled hikes ranging from short “leg-stretchers” to four-mile treks, many of them offering interpretive programs along the way. All state park facilities will remain open on the holiday.

“As the holiday season draws to a close, First Day Hikes are an excellent way to relax, lose the stress and connect with the outdoors and the rich natural resources that distinguish North Carolina,” said Brad Ives, assistant secretary for Natural Resources at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “We want to remind everyone that the state parks are a year-round resource for exercise, education and enjoyment for more than 14 million visitors.”

This year’s event will be the first of many First Day Hikes at the new Carvers Creek State Park, which opened in September in Cumberland County. Lake James State Park will hold a hike along new sections of its Paddy’s Creek Trail, and families can enjoy self-guided hikes on the new Holly Discovery Trail, which has won a national award for environmental education. A walk alongside the ocean at Hammocks Beach State Park has always been a popular favorite, and at Weymouth Woods Historic Nature Preserve, hikers will visit the world’s oldest known longleaf pine. Also, the Eno River Association will offer long and short hikes as part of a decades-old tradition at Eno River State Park.

Details about all First Day Hikes in North Carolina can be found here.

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Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com