For many, a fresh start in the New Year has become synonymous with time spent in fresh air, outdoors for a First Day hike.
According to several online sources, First Day hikes began in Massachusetts in 1992, though have taken place nationwide since 2012.
Americanhiking.org says: “First Day hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s state parks to encourage people to get outdoors. On New Year’s Day, hundreds of free, guided hikes will be organized in all 50 states. Kids and adults across America will be participating … getting their hearts pumping and enjoying the beauty of a state park.”
Last year, the site says, “nearly 55,000 people rang in the New Year (by) collectively hiking over 133,000 miles throughout the country.”
First Day hikes are often guide-led and designed to be accessible to varied ability and mobility levels, with many also dog- and kid-friendly.
“First Day hikes are led by knowledgeable state park staff and volunteers,” the site says. “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.”
In New York, First Day hikes will be especially meaningful, as the state’s 13th annual participation in the program coincides with the start of New York State Parks’ centennial celebrations. According to a press release from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York will offer First Day hikes at “more than 80 locations across the state.”
“New York’s public lands are something to behold. We lead the nation on State public lands, and we house the nation’s oldest state park. As New York State Parks celebrates its Centennial next year, our First Day Hikes is the first of many celebratory events,” Hochul said in the statement. “I invite all New Yorkers to begin the New Year by experiencing New York’s beautiful landscapes and enjoying the environmental and cultural legacy we call home.”
The statement says that “New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Canal Corporation are partnering to host the many walks and hikes taking place throughout the state.”
Also in the statement, New York State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “First Day Hikes … mark the beginning of our centennial celebration, (as) 2024 will be a year in which all New Yorkers come together in celebration of our parks and historic sites. On January 1, we invite you to connect with your community and revisit an old favorite or discover a new destination.”
Locally, several repeat and first-time sites will host First Day hikes.
Stephen Gibbon, manager of Bowman Lake State Park, said the site at 745 Bliven Sherman Road in Oxford has hosted a First Day hike for five-plus years. Hikes begin at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, he said, with participants meeting below the pavilion.
“I’ve been doing it five years, and I know we’ve done it more than that, but before then, I’m not sure,” he said. “What we have going on is a couple hikes, and they’ll accommodate people of all skill levels. There’s a five-mile hike, which will take us to Kopac Pond and Whaley Pond, and there’s a nice hike on relatively level ground that goes through McDonough state forest. And there’s some shorter hikes on the ski trails or park grounds themselves for people with kids or who don’t want to hike quite so far.”
Participants, he said, will be treated to coffee, hot chocolate and donuts provided by the Norwich Dunkin’.
“We’ll be having that in our nature center, which will be nice and warm from the wood stove, and we’re giving out promotional items for everyone that participates in the hike,” Gibbon said. “And once again, we will be having a raffle for an Empire Pass, which allows people day-use entry for most DEC and state parks.”
First Day hikes at Bowman, Gibbon said, will be led by experienced members of the Chenango County-area Bullthistle Hiking Club.
In Delhi, Alexa Tumbarello, Catskill Center outreach coordinator, will host the organization’s inaugural First Day hike at Bramley Mountain. Though this is the first year Catskill Center hosts, she said, it has “participated with First Day hike programs with the DEC in the past.”
Guiding a hike at Bramley Mountain, Tumbarello said, is part of a larger mission.
“Personally, I’m from Delaware and Otsego counties, and I think there’s a lot of Catskill programming that happens more in Ulster and Sullivan counties,” she said. “So, we’re really hoping to not just incorporate more of our advocacy efforts further west, but also showcase all the amazing outdoor recreational opportunities. I hike Bramley Mountain multiple times a year, so I’m really excited to bring a group of people up there who might not have hiked it or hiked it often. One of the big pieces of work that the Catskill Center does is advocacy; being able to just introduce people to different outdoor areas in the Catskills — not just the most popular — is something we’re really trying to work on in the coming year. In Delaware County, especially, there’s great outdoor opportunities and we’re hoping to showcase that more during 2024.
“It’s about a four-mile hike and, roundtrip, will take about two and half hours,” Tumbarello continued. “It’s probably going to be pretty cold, but I’ll have extra layers and hand warmers, but I’d definitely suggest bringing a hat, gloves and warm layers. I would say it’s a moderate hike, so there’s definitely a decent amount of uphill travel, but it’s doable and we will go at the pace of the group.”
Sources said participation in First Day hikes has been climbing subtly.
“We’re hoping for better, but last year we had 58 hikers and five dogs,” Gibbon said. “So, people are absolutely encouraged and welcomed to bring dogs on a hike, as long as they’re leashed. And I believe (that number) is up a little bit from years ago.
“We do get a lot of locals and it is a lot of friends of the hiking club and people from Norwich,” he continued. “And we do get some from further away that want to experience a different First Day hike. We do get (a mix of people); there’s all the way down to toddlers, and up to people in their 80s and 90s, so it is a good mix.”
“This is my first year hosting one for the Catskill Center, but I am a licensed hiking guide and I do hikes throughout the state and I’ve certainly seen an increased interest in outdoor activities over the past two years,” Tumbarello said, noting that, at the time of the interview, she had six hikers registered and a limit of 12. “I think (the Bramley Mountain hike) will have a slightly wider draw; I have people signed up from Margaretville, some from Schoharie County and I think there’s a decent amount of people traveling from surrounding counties, and there’s people home visiting family for the holidays.”
Sources attributed rising interest to the inherent benefits of outdoor activity, alongside impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think people just want to be able to get out and a lot like to show support to their local parks,” Gibbon said. “It’s a great way to get exercise and explore their local park and meet other people with the same interests.”
“I think having a reason to get outside during the winter months is great for not just the physical health, but mental health,” Tumbarello said. “I think part of it was the pandemic and more people just trying to find outdoor activities that were safer to do during the peak years, and I think there’s just more people in the area now. Organizations like the Catskill Center have done a great job of showcasing opportunities in the area and also showing that our outdoor areas need protection.
“And New Year’s Day is a great kind of flashpoint where you can say, ‘OK, today I’m going to make a change,’” she continued. “Not everyone needs that, but some people do, and (it helps) having a day where everyone is in that mindset and opportunities like this, where you want to get into hiking or want to get outside with a licensed guide, and can get started on the right foot.”
Additional local First Day hikes are happening at Chenango Valley State Park in Chenango Forks, Glimmerglass State Park in Cooperstown, Herkimer Home State Historic Site in Herkimer, Newtown Battlefield State Park in Elmira, Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne and Catskills Visitor Center in Mount Tremper.
For a complete list, visit parks.ny.gov/events/first-day-hikes or dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hiking/first-day-hikes. Also find more information about the hikes discussed at catskillcenter.org/events or find “Bowman Lake State Park” on Facebook.