First Day Hikes are a fun way to  get outdoors with your scout troop or family.

Celebrating the start of the new year, First Day Hikes are a national initiative to get people outdoors. Many local, state and national parks have organized First Day Hikes with a park ranger or naturalist, however, you can always venture off on your own as well!

Our family was among the 28,000 people last year who participated in a First Day Hike at a local state park. It was great to be experiencing the outdoors instead of a day watching football!

First Day Hikes are often free, guided outings that anyone can participate in, so this makes a great,  low-cost family activity for your scout troop. We’ll be offering this as an outing for our Cadette troop this year and will even be doing a special patch order to commemorate this. (Email me if you’d like in on this, and we’ll lower the costs for everyone; this is not a money-making venture for us!)

How to find a First Day Hike

Check out this interactive map of guided hikes, or reach out to your local parks department or state park to see if a First Day Hike is being organized. As an alternative, grab a trail map online or offline and explore with your group! Be mindful of the trail descriptions and trail conditions due to weather, for your group’s safety.

Cold Weather Hiking

Never been on a hike in the cold before? A little preparation makes the difference in your comfort. Make sure you wear a hat and gloves and dress in layers. Find more cold-weather hiking tips here.