Missouri State Parks To Host First Day Hikes to Celebrate the New Year

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, DEC. 10, 2019 – On Jan. 1, annual First Day Hikes will take place at 31 state parks and historic sites across Missouri. Participants can choose from more than 30 free, guided hikes that range in difficulty from easy to moderate, cover distances up to seven and a half miles and include a variety of trails in every region of the state.

In its ninth year, the annual event is part of America’s State Parks First Day Hike effort which gives people the opportunity to start off the year with an outdoor hike at a state park. A list of Missouri state parks with guided First Day Hikes and other related activities is available at https://mostateparks.com/FirstDayHikes.

“Participating in a First Day Hike is a great way to start a new year with friends and family! We encourage you to get out and enjoy some fresh air, while exploring the landscape of your favorite Missouri State Park,” said Mike Sutherland, acting director of the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks. “We’d love to see you start off the new year at a state park and continue to visit throughout the year, taking advantage of both the physical and mental health benefits of nature!”

Nearly 55,000 people participate in guided hikes that cover more than 133,000 miles for First Day Hikes in state parks in 50 states. Details on every state’s 2020 hikes are located at https://www.stateparks.org/. As in the past, participants are encouraged to log their adventures on social media with #FirstDayHikes.

For more information on Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites, visit the web at mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.