Need a WA New Year’s activity? State Parks offering 40 free guided hikes, snowshoeing, more
If your New Year’s resolution is to get outside more often, you’re in luck.
Washington State Parks is offering guided hikes at more than 30 of its parks on New Year’s Day. The event is part of an initiative called First Day Hikes, a collaboration between state parks departments across the country.
Visitors will be allowed to enter parks for free Jan. 1, one of 12 days that Discover Passes won’t be required to park on publicly-managed recreational lands.
According to the state parks department, there will be 41 free excursions, most of which are hikes, but with snowshoeing and horseback riding trips mixed in as well. The hikes will range across different levels of difficulty.
Here’s the full list of New Year’s Day offerings.
New Year’s hikes in northwest WA
These 16 state parks in northwest Washington are offering free hikes:
Bridle Trails State Park self-guided two to four mile trail and horseback ride, 10 a.m. from the park’s show grounds
Cama Beach State Park 2.5 mile guided hike, 9 a.m. from the park’s drop-off shelter
Camano Island State Park Howard Adams Trail 2.5 mile guided hike, 1 p.m.
Deception Pass State Park easy, medium and hard hikes, 9 a.m. from the Cornet Bay Retreat Center
Lake Sammamish polar plunge, 10:30 a.m.
Larrabee State Park 3.5 mile guided hike, 11 a.m. from the Two Dollar trailhead
Lime Kiln Point State Park 1.5 mile history walk, 11 a.m. from Lime Kiln Point Interpretive Center
Millersylvania State Park Maple Hollow Loop guided hike, 10 a.m. from the park’s retreat center
Moran State Park 2.5 mile hike to Cascade Falls, 11 a.m. from the park’s south beach
Nolte State Park 1.4 mile guided hike, 10 a.m. from the billboard by the park’s restrooms
Rockport State Park hike the Evergreen Trail backwards, 1 p.m. at the picnic tables by the parking lot
Saint Edward State Park 1.4 mile and two mile guided hikes, 10 a.m. at the park’s Environmental and Educational Research Center
Saltwater State Park 1.5 to two mile hikes, 11 a.m. from the Snack Shack in the park’s beach parking lot
Spencer Spit State Park 1.25 mile guided hike, 1 p.m. from the picnic shelter in the back of the day use parking lot
South Whidbey State Park 1.5 mile guided hike through old-growth forest, 11 a.m. from the rear parking lot amphitheater
Tolmie State Park Four Cedars Loop, 1 p.m. from the park’s lower shelter
New Year’s hikes in southwest WA
These 11 state parks in southwest Washington are offering free hikes:
Beacon Rock State Park 1.8 mile hike up Beacon Rock Trail, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. from trailhead
Bottle Beach State Park 1.5 mile guided history and nature tour, 10 a.m. from parking lot
Cape Disappointment State Park Pacific Ocean ecology tour and hike, 10 a.m. from Seaview Beach Approach
Fort Worden State Park 2.5 mile self-guided hikes, 10 a.m. from Artillery Hill Trails
Griffiths-Priday State Park two mile guided history and ecology hike, noon from the main parking lot
Harstine Island State Park, two to three mile guided hikes, noon from main parking lot
Lake Sylvia State Park, 0.5 kids’ hike, 1.5 mile lake trail and forest bathing hike, 1 p.m. from the Legacy Pavilion
Lewis and Clark State Park two mile guided hike through old-growth forest, 10 a.m. from kitchen shelter by park entrance (park at Jackson Highway gravel lot)
Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center guided birding, 10 a.m.
Penrose Point State Park two to 2.5 mile hike, noon from Penrose Point trailhead
Twanoh State Park Twanoh Trail 2.25 mile guided hike, 8 a.m. at the park office
New Year’s hikes in eastern WA
These 12 state parks in southwest Washington are offering free hikes:
Bridgeport State Park snowshoe walk, 10 a.m. from boat launch parking lot
Columbia Plateau State Park 1.5 mile guided hike, 1 p.m. from Fish Lake Trailhead
Lake Easton State Park guided hike (Sno-Park permit is required), 10 a.m. from Lake Easton Amphitheater
Lake Chelan State Park Little Bear Trail guided hike, 1 p.m. from the playground parking lot
Lake Wenatchee State Park snowshoe hike (Sno-Park Permit is required), 11 a.m. from North Park reservation booth
Maryhill State Park polar plunge, 10 a.m.
Mount Spokane State Park snowshoe hikes to Smith Gap, 9 a.m. from Lower Kit Carson parking lot, and to the mountain’s summit, 9:00 a.m. from Lower Selkirk parking lot (Sno-Park Permit is required for both)
Pallhouse Falls State Park photography scavenger hunt, 11 a.m. at lower bulletin board
Riverside State Park Deep Creek Canyon guided hike, 9 a.m. from Deep Creek trailhead
Sacajawea Historical State Park photography scavenger hunt, 10 a.m. from Sacajawea Interpretive Center
Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park shrub steppe hike, 9 a.m. from Dry Falls Visitor Center
Wenatchee Confluence State Park two mile wildlife and vegetation hike, 9 a.m. from Loop Trail parking lot
This story was originally published December 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Need a WA New Year’s activity? State Parks offering 40 free guided hikes, snowshoeing, more."