Local area offerings for New Years Day
OLYMPIA - Washington State Parks are kicking off the new year with an open invitation to explore the outdoors through "First Day Hikes" on Jan. 1, 2025.
More than 30 state parks will host a variety of activities including staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, trail rides, polar plunges, scavenger hunts and more on New Year's Day.
New Year's Day also marks the first Discover Pass free day of 2025 on state-managed lands. Visitors will not need a Discover Pass to park on state recreation lands.
Of local area interest are several options including an excursion from Columbia Plateau Trail near Cheney beginning at 1 p.m. from the Fish Lake Trailhead, adjacent to Fish Lake Regional Park.
At 9 a.m. at Riverside State Park participants can hike to the overlook of the Deep Creek Canyon before descending to the Spokane River Centennial Trail.
The hike, which is not for beginners, is 1.5 miles with participants meeting at the Deep Creek Trailhead.
Palouse Falls State Park offers what they call a Photography Scavenger Hunt that is just a quarter mile in length, takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and caters to all ages.
"Making New Years tracks in the Shrub Steppe" is an offering which takes place at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park beginning at 9 a.m.
The day will begin at the Dry Falls Visitor Center for an overview of the geology of Dry Falls & the Ice Age Flood National Geologic Trail.
It continues with a hike on a 1.5-mile looping hike through desert sagebrush and rolling shrub-steppe.
According to a press release from the agency, "First Day Hikes events vary in difficulty, ranging from smooth, flat ADA-accessible trails to moderate hill climbs."
A few parks will offer multiple hikes catering to different interests and abilities. Additionally, several hikes will include talks with rangers, which allow attendees to learn about the park's history and natural features.
First Day Hikes can offer an opportunity to embrace the new year with outdoor activity, whether as a solo adventure, a family outing or a chance to connect with fellow nature enthusiasts.
This program invites outdoor enthusiasts to explore the beauty and diversity of Washington's landscapes through guided adventures.
Most First Day Hikes require advanced registration, and group sizes may be limited.
Further detailed information can be found by visiting the Washington State parks web-site and consulting the calendar.
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