Americans are being encouraged to spend New Year’s Day tromping through state parks as part of a nationwide campaign called First Day Hike. The annual event, which started more than 20 years ago and currently managed by , aims to encourage people to explore the parks system.
The 2014 event was the third time that all 50 states participated, and it was also the most widely attended, . Nearly 30,000 people hiked about 66,000 miles of the mountains, beaches, lakes, forests, and grasslands of America’s state parks during the event.
An of available hikes for the January 1 event includes the location, time, distance, and difficulty of more than 400 hikes. Most are relatively short and easy, but there are also some strenuous routes available. Rangers, naturalists, and volunteers will lead the hikes.
If you’d rather experience your state’s outdoor offerings with two wheels, four hooves, or a canoe beneath you, that’s possible: for more information about the activities planned in your state.
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