2022 marks the 30 year anniversary of the inaugural First Day Hike, which occurred on January 1, 1992.
We have a links to all First Day Hikes across the South at the end of this article. But, first a little history on the power of one person’s vision…
Patrick Flynn, former supervisor of the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, MA, was thinking ahead of his time. In order to get more people to spend time outdoors and come to Massachusetts State Parks in the winter, he set out to create a local initiative: First Day Hikes. For that first one, on New Year’s Day 1992, Patrick hosted 380 people at Massachusetts’ Blue Hills Reservation to open the new year with a guided hike. As years followed, the tradition stuck and was adopted by many state parks across the country.
On January 1, 2012, 400 First Day Hikes were held across the country at America’s state parks. The initiative even became an international phenomenon in 2018 with Canada’s Ontario Parks’ participation. Although Patrick passed away in 2016, his legacy lives on. First Day Hikes have been around ever since (source).
Today, there’s no need for convincing Americans to go to the park. If there’s anything that the past two years have taught us, it’s that a daily walk or a respite in nature is essential for personal well-being. With 2022 arriving in mere hours, there’s no better way to kick off the new year than with some fresh air, some extra steps, and time to enjoy what state parks across the country have to offer.
Across the USA, over 85,000 participated in First Day Hikes in 2021 and we anticipate this trend continuing to grow.
Here are four unique First Day Hikes that are scenic, peaceful and safe for your New Year’s Day celebration.
Look at all the state parks offering special First Day hikes! And, as a southern publication, we were happy to see a majority of these are found in the south. Whether you live in Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte, Little Rock, Richmond or … you get the picture. Get outside and enjoy! See the hundreds of opportunities HERE.
To find a hike near you, head to stateparks.org or find state hikes highlighted below!
Alabama
- See all Alabama First Day Hikes HERE.
Arkansas
- See all Arkansas First Day Hikes HERE
Florida
- See all Florida First Day Hikes HERE.
Georgia
- See all Georgia First Day Hikes HERE.
Kentucky
- See all Kentucky First Day Hikes HERE.
Mississippi
- See all Mississippi First Day Hikes HERE
Maryland
- See all Maryland First Day Hikes HERE
Louisiana
- We were not able to find any information for First Day Hikes in Louisiana.
North Carolina
- See all North Carolina First Day Hikes HERE (Ignore the graphic that says these are for 2020 as the list has been updated for 2022.)
Oklahoma
- See all Oklahoma First Day Hikes HERE.
South Carolina
- See all South Carolina First Day Hikes HERE
Tennessee
- See all Tennessee First Day Hikes HERE.
Texas
- See all Texas First Day Hikes HERE.
Virginia
- See all Virginia First Day Hikes HERE.
RELATED ARTICLES:
5 Southern Winter Hikes to Take This Year
Our Top 3 State Parks in (Almost) Every Southern State
The Tennessee Wildflower Hikes to Take in Spring, Summer, and Early Fall
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