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Tennessee State Parks will host free First Day Hikes to bring in the New Year.
Parks Marketing Manager Heather Spiva said the hikes benefit both the participants and the parks.
Fall Creek Falls is among one of 55 state parks offering First Day Hikes. (Photo: Fall Creek Falls Facebook)
“These hikes benefit the park by bringing new people in that might not always go to state parks, but they are looking for something to do,” Spiva said. “So we get them out into a state park that they haven’t been to and hopefully, that makes them a lover of Tennessee State Parks and they keep coming back.”
Spiva said the state parks offer a number of free hikes throughout the year.
“Well we have five different signature hikes and I think it was just a good way to start off the new year,” Spiva said. “Other places were already doing it, and we were like, ‘we might as well do it too.'”
America’s State Parks offer First Day Hikes in all 50 states. Burgess Falls, Fall Creek Falls, and Edgar Evins are among state parks offering the First Day Hikes.
Spiva said park rangers lead each of the First Day Hikes.
“They are experts in the natural world and historical features and all thing environmental,” Spiva said. “So you could go on one hike that is six miles long and you are going to see a ton of different waterfall features. You might go on a different hike that is going to explore our CCC history.”
In the case of inclement weather, Spiva said each park will update the event information on Facebook. To register for the free hike, visit the Tennessee State Parks website.
