More than 65,900 participants, including locals at Lake Lincoln State Park who put on their boots and appropriate clothes, hiked 138,722 miles in First Day Hikes on January 1.
First Day Hike are a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks, an alliance of the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) to encourage people to get outdoors. On New Year’s Day, hundreds of free, guided were organized in all 50 states. Kids and adults across America participated, getting their hearts pumping and enjoying the beauty of a state park.
At Lake Lincoln, officials gave local participants free access to the parks trails, waiving the $2.00 entrance fee for the day.
First Day Hikes are led by knowledgeable state park staff and volunteers. The distance and rigor vary from park to park, but all hikes aim to create a fun experience for the whole family. People are invited to savor the beauty of the state park’s natural resources with the comfort of an experienced guide so they may be inspired to take advantage of these local treasures throughout the year.
Guided activities from coast to coast this year included sunrise hikes, hikes on new trails, polar plunges, horseback rides, bike rides, paddles, and much more. If you joined us for an activity this year, thank you for starting the New Year off on the right foot.
In 2023, First Day Hikes was the start of year in which more than 500,000 persons hiked one million miles in state parks throughout the country.
America’s State Parks will helps capture the collective strength and importance of the great park systems developed in the 50 states. NASPD board members represent each region of the country and govern the America’s State Parks alliance.
With some 8,565 units and more than 807 million visits, the nation’s state parks contribute more than $20 billion to the economies of communities throughout the country. Together, they offer 14,672 trails covering 52,603 miles, 221,367 campsites and 8,909 cabins and lodges.
Stephen T. Mather, founder of the National Park Service, envisioned that the states and the federal government needed to work together to develop a great national system of parks. By working together the nation would develop a national system of parks that would be the envy of the world.
Thanks to the vision of Mather and his contemporaries, more than a billion visits a year are made to state and national parks annually. “A visit inspires love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; contains the antidote for national restlessness,” Mather said. “He is a better citizen with a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the nations parks.”
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