April Smith, Ph.D./Executive Director December 14, 2024

Celebrate the New Year with fun, fresh air, and scenic views by participating in a First Day Hike in one of North Carolina’s State Parks. These guided hikes are organized annually from Hawaii to Maine to encourage individuals and families to start the year on the right foot – by getting outside and connecting with nature.

This year there are more than 1,000 hikes available in state parks around the country. The distance and rigor of the hikes vary from park to park, but they all aim to create a fun experience for the whole family. Savor the beauty of the natural, cultural, and historical resources our state parks offer, and be inspired to take advantage of these local treasures throughout the year.

First Day Hikes in North Carolina State Parks for January 2024

  • Carolina Beach State Park
    New Year’s Day @10am
    Join a Park Ranger to hike the Sugarloaf Trail at the Marina for a two-mile round-trip hike to Sugarloaf Dune.  Lace up your shoes, bring water and start your new year off right. Hike will begin at 10:00am. Start with the group and stay with the group or find your own path!
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike
  • Hammocks Beach State Park
    New Year’s Day @9am
    Join a park ranger on the first day of 2025 for an easy, 1.5-mile, adventure-packed maritime eco-hike following our nature trails through the woods! Deer, eagles, a scampering wild turkey– you never know what you’re going to see! A great way to spend the first day of the new year! 
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-1
  • Hanging Rock State Park
    New Years’s Day @1pm
    Join Ranger Fields on this moderate to challenging hike to the old fire tower on top of the mountain. This is the highest point of the park, and quite possibly the “best view” of the surrounding area that Hanging Rock State Park provides. Please dress for the weather, and anticipating shedding layers as the hike continues. Bring water/snacks and hiking sticks are recommended. You must sign up for this program by emailing jacob.fields@ncparks.gov
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-tower
  • Jones Lake State Park – Elizabethtown
    New Year’s Day @10am
    Start 2025 with a guided hike around a Carolina bay lake. Learn about the flora and fauna of this unique environment during this easy 1-mile hike. Meet at the visitor center.
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-4
  • Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
    New Year’s Day @9am
    Come join a park Ranger on a scavenger hunt at Ebenezer Church Recreation Area to kick off the New Year!  The hike consists of locating various park animal silhouettes throughout the trail. Learn about animals of Jordan Lake and their special adaptations. 
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/jordan-lake-first-day-hike
  • Lake James State Park
    New Year’s Day @1pm
    Put your best foot forward in 2025! Join Ranger Hughes for a nature walk along the Fox Den Loop Trail for Lake James State Park’s first guided hike of the year. We’ll also have free hot chocolate as a treat after the hike!
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-2025-0
  • Lake Norman State Park – Troutman
    New Year’s Day at 10 am
    What a better way to ring in the New Year than by taking a hike with a Ranger? Meet at the swim beach parking lot for a 1 to 1.5-mile hike. Participants will get a First Day Hike sticker following the hike! No registration needed. Bring water and dress for the weather. Closed-toed shoes are recommended.
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-0
  • Morrow Mountain State Park
    New Year’s Day @10am
    Join a park ranger for a guided hike on the 3.3-mile moderate to strenuous Sugarloaf Mountain trail. Sugarloaf’s 850-foot summit is a fitting destination with expansive views stretching across the Uwharrie Mountains, Lake Tillery, and beyond. 
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-2025-1
  • Mayo River State Park
    New Year’s Day @9am
    Join us for a guided 1.8-mile hike along the fox trail. A ranger will navigate, while sharing inspired insight as we start the new year off with a stroll through the woods. We will meet at the Picnic Shelter located at the Mayo Mountain Access.  We will have a fire, ready for you to warm your hands before and after the hike.  We will provide hot chocolate, while supplies last. 
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-2025
  • Pilot Mountain State Park
    New Year’s Day @9am
    Come out to Pilot Mountain’s Bean Shoals access on January 1, 2025 for a guided first day hike on the Horne Creek trail! This trail is located at the Bean Shoals access, the park’s property on the north side of the Yadkin River.
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-2025-2
  • Raven Rock State Park
    New Year’s Day @9am
    Join a Park Ranger on this one-hour hike to discover some of the natural wonders of this piedmont landmark to celebrate First Day Hikes. Hike is 0.5 miles long and is easy. 
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-3
  • Rendezvous Mountain State Park
    New Year’s Day @2pm
    Meet at the park office, (two-story cabin building) for a Ranger led one mile stroll through the mountains mixed hardwood forest.  This Ranger led program will last approximately one hour while we stop and discuss Rendezvous Mountain’s history.
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-5
  • Salmon Creek State Natural Area – Merry Hill
    New Year’s Day @11 am
    Salmon Creek State Natural Area is not QUITE ready for visitors, but you can join park ranger Katie Sanford for a leisurely, approximately 2-mile hike at Bertie Beach near by. This county-owned property adjoins the park in Merry Hill, NC. Learn about local plants and wildlife, as well as some of the history of the area. Dress for the weather and wear your walking shoes!
    https://www.ncparks.gov/news/events/first-day-hike-salmon-creek-state-natural-area