Put all of those New Year’s resolutions to work on January 1st and begin your New Year with a hike outside! What began as a national movement by America’s State Parks, all 50 states are now offering free, guided First Day Hike programs on the first day of the New Year!

The guided First Day Hikes are led by knowledgable state park staff and volunteers. The distance and difficulty vary from park to park, but all hikes aim to create a fun experience for the entire family. Hikers of all ages are encouraged to take their time and experience the beauty of the outdoors in a local park as we set forth into 2020.

Assateague State Park (Worcester County)
1:00pm
Easy to moderate, 1-mile round trip hike for families of all ages! Meet at the Assateague State Park Concession Building located at 7307 Stephen Decatur Highway, Berlin, MD. No pre-registration required.

Cape Henlopen State Park (Sussex County)
11:00am
A moderate 1.5 mile hike that will be on the beach around the Point, experiencing both the ocean and bay sides. Please park in the Point Comfort Station parking lot (just south) and walk north to the Point parking lot. Parking may be limited. No dogs, please!

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park (Dorchester County)
10:00am
Easy 1.5 mile hike for families. Meet in the lobby of the Visitor Center located at 4068 Golden Hill Road, Church Creek, MD. Registration is required. Please email angela.crenshaw@maryland.gov to register.

Holts Landing State Park (Sussex County)
1:00pm
Join park naturalists at Holts Landing State Park to hike this easy 1.7 mile trail. Along the way, learn about the history of this unique park and its diversity of habitats. Look for birds and search for wildlife in the meadow, forest, and freshwater ponds.

Janes Island State Park (Somerset County)
9:00am
Easy to moderate, 3-mile hike for families. Meet at the camper registration parking lot located at 26280 Alfred Lawson Drive, Crisfield, MD. To RSVP, please call 410-968-1565.

Kiptopeke State Park (Northampton County)
9:00am
Ring in the New Year by taking a guided hike through the Kiptopeke State Park located in Cape Charles, VA. During two 1-hour hikes, a park interpreter will guide you through an upland maritime forest along Chesapeake Bay coastal dunes, and across open meadows of reclaimed farmland.

Pocomoke River State Park (Worcester County)
11:00am
Easy 1.5 mile hike on flat trails and waterside paths. Meet at the Nature Center located at 3461 Worcester Highway, Snow Hill, MD. Reservations are not required.

Trap Pond State Park (Sussex County)
10:00am
Meet at the Baldcypress Nature Center located at 33587 Bald Cypress Lane, Laurel, DE for an easy 2-mile hike through easy terrain along the pond.