Minnesota's 'First Day' hikes offer a fresh way to start the new year

In a season all about traditions, First Day hikes have become a mainstay at state parks across the United States.

The Department of Natural Resources has organized 13 guided hikes at state parks around Minnesota to mark the new year Wednesday, from Grand Portage in the far northeast to Blue Mounds in the southwest corner. (Find the full lineup on the Minnesota DNR's website or at bit.ly/firsthike2025.) There are opportunities in regional park systems, too.

An alliance of U.S. state parks has promoted the New Year's Day outings since 2012. First Day hikes in Minnesota have become increasingly popular since the COVID-19 pandemic, said DNR Parks and Trails spokesperson Sara Joy Berhow.

"People were missing time with loved ones during the holidays when we were discouraged from gathering indoors, and folks turned to the outdoors for a new holiday tradition," she said. "It's such a positive way to start the year."

Here are four popular places around the state to start the new year with a hike or walk: One draws the masses to connect in one of the state's oldest parks; another adds a degree of citizen science; a third takes in iconic terrain; and a fourth is in the heart of the metro.

Minneopa State Park, Mankato

Expect a large turnout at Minneopa if previous years are a barometer. As many as 100 people participated last Jan. 1, said Minneopa State Park area lead naturalist Kelsey Moe. The gathering for a 2-mile, mostly flat hike will begin at the group camp parking lot and run from 1-2:30 p.m. The event itself is free, but entrance to the park requires a daily or annual vehicle pass.

"I think the tradition or the legacy has captured people's hearts," she said. "People have come to expect it and anticipate it." The park, which became Minnesota's third state park when it was established in 1905, has a long history of committed volunteers through groups like Friends of Minneopa.

Moe said she is hoping the forecasted cold (a high of 22) doesn't deter people, and she encouraged walkers and hikers to come prepared for the elements.

Afton State Park, Afton

The gathering in Afton is an outdoors twofer, with opportunities to take in the park along the St. Croix River and also contribute to the Christmas Bird Count. In its 124th year, the bird census runs Dec. 14-Jan. 5 annually. Last year's count in Minnesota was the second-highest survey in the last decade, according to the National Audubon Society, with 375,786 birds counted.

Afton's bird count day always falls on Jan. 1, so in recent years the park has combined the count and First Day hike, said chief naturalist Linda Radimecky. Hikers are paired with birders to cover as much of the 1,600-acre park as possible. All the park's trails are currently accessible for hiking.

Some of last year's bird highlights: a flock of cedar waxwings, tufted titmice, and pileated woodpeckers. This year "with a chance to see a red cardinal against a bleak, gray sky, what's not to smile about?" asked Radimecky.

In her 12th year at the park, the naturalist also relishes Afton's part in the First Day hike tradition. "To be a part of a bigger thing is kind of fun," she added. The hike starts at 8:30 a.m. and goes until noon.

Grand Portage State Park, Grand Portage

For those looking for an outing along the North Shore, naturalist Roger James will lead a 1.2-mile roundtrip hike in Grand Portage State Park along Omimii Ziibing, aka the Pigeon River, to the High Falls, the highest waterfall in the state. The hike, from 1-2 p.m., begins at the park picnic shelter. Traction devices are recommended for the snow-covered, icy path.

Mississippi Gateway Regional Park, Brooklyn Park

Three Rivers Park District in the metro also offers First Day hikes, though it has modified its plans for New Year's Day snowshoe hikes because of the lack of snow. One outing, along the Mississippi River, will explore hidden trails and frozen wetlands and look for signs of animals. "A good snowshoe or hike on New Year's Day is a great tradition," said Three Rivers spokesperson Tom Knisely. "We've just made it past the darkest days of winter, people are hopeful for the new year and many are looking to turn over a new leaf and be more active." The hike goes from 10 to 11:30 a.m.