Looking for something to do New Year’s Day? Take one of these hikes
Be forwarned: Some require registration, and the hikes can fill up fast.
Hoping to find something family-friendly to do New Year’s Day that doesn’t involve drinking or munching cookies?
Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have you covered. The states, as well as local outdoor groups, are offering free guided hikes on New Year’s Day, from treks along rugged terrain to beginner-level strolls. But be forewarned: Some of the hikes require registration and can fill up fast. Most do start late enough that you can still imbibe a little on New Year’s Eve.
Many of the hikes welcome families and are close to the Philadelphia region, including South or Central New Jersey. And many are organized under a program run by America’s State Parks First Day Hikes initiative.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has an online calendar that allows hikers to find locations near them.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection also offers a calendar. New Jersey alone is offering at least 40 guided hikes, with multiple options in the Pine Barrens in South Jersey.
Here is a sampling of hikes in Pennsylvania
A two-mile hike at Marsh Creek State Park in Chester County starts at 9 a.m. and includes the dam and view of the lake. Participants can learn a bit of history of the park. Starts at the west side boat launch.
A two-mile hike at French Creek State Park, which straddles Chester and Berks Counties, starts at 9 a.m. and includes views of Scotts Run and is marked as an easy hike for families.
A hike at Ridley Creek State Park in Media, Delaware County, starts at 10 a.m. and takes 90 minutes to two hours to complete. Dogs are welcomed but must be leashed. There’s a limit of 20 participants, and hot chocolate and coffee will be served.
A state park naturalist will lead an easy four-mile hike along the Delaware Canal towpath toward New Hope and back, starting at 1 p.m. at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve’s lower parking lot on River Road in New Hope.
Here is a sampling of hikes in New Jersey
(For more detail, follow the calendar link)
Starting at 10 a.m., hikers will walk along the D & R Canal and Greenway in downtown Trenton to explore the history of the canal, starting at the Trenton Battle Monument at 348 N. Warren St.
Hikers will learn about the “Resilient Pine Barrens” during two separate guided hikes, starting at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The hikes begin at Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest and lead participants on a guided two-mile interpretive walk to learn about resilient species living in the Pinelands National Reserve, including eels, beavers, and carnivorous plants.
A dog hike starting at 9:30 a.m. at Belleplain State Forest’s main lot on Henkinsifkin Road in Woodbine will take pets and their owners through a forest hike, highlighting the diverse landscape. Tea, hot cocoa, and dog treats will be served around a campfire at the end of the moderately difficult hike of up to six miles.
A sunset hike to Apple Pie Hill in the Pinelands starts 3:15 p.m. at the Batona Trail access point on Route 532 in Woodland Township, between mile markers 12 and 13. The 2.5-mile, moderately difficult hike will take participants to a fire tower they can climb to watch the sun go down on the first day of 2023.
The First Day Hikes program started more than 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation, a state park in Massachusetts. The program went national in 2012 as a way of promoting healthy lifestyles and recreation at state parks.
John Cecil, an assistant N.J. DEP commissioner for state parks, called First Day Hikes “the perfect opportunity to get outside, recharge, and connect with nature.”