Celebrate a New Year with Free Hikes at Washington State Parks

Another year, another chance to enjoy fee-free entry and guided First Day Hikes at Washington State Parks. 

This January 1, all state parks will be offering free parking, while 36 parks across the state will be hosting guided First Day Hikes led by knowledgeable staff or volunteers. Once again, Washington State Parks will be joining forces with America's State Parks, enabling the state to host an event that's bigger and better than ever. The full list of Washington State Park's First Day offerings will be released on their blog, adventureawaits.com.

A sunny day at Cape Disapointment State Park. Photo by trip reporter ClinkDog46.

2019 RESOLUTIONS

First Day Hikes are a great way to prepare yourself for a year of hiking resolutions. No matter what hiking goal you're hoping to accomplish this year, we've got some tips and resources to help make the journey a little easier.

• Go somewhere new. Luckily for us, Washington is full of diverse hiking opportunities. From lakes and mountains to forests and shoreline, it's easy to switch up your hiking routine. Explore the state with our Hike Finder Map and sort by feature, or read up on recent trip reports in a new region.
• Head out with your family. Hiking is a great way to spend time with family. Check out our tips for hiking with kids, how to convince reluctant hikers and camp with kids through the winter.
• Up your mileage. Hoping to max out your miles this year? Get some inspiration on how to tackle a lengthy trip with our guide to long distance hiking.
• Reach new heights. Washington is home to hundreds of peaks offering incredible views, if you can handle the climb. The cold winter months are a perfect time to train for those steep summer treks. Take a page out of WTA's conditioning guide and use our hiking guide to sort by elevation gain.