Kick Off the New Year with First Day Hikes in Montana State Parks

On January 1st, Montana State Parks will host First Day Hikes throughout the state. These engaging and educational hikes are designed for individuals of all ages and are family-friendly. Montana’s parks provide a range of winter-friendly activities, including hiking, snowshoeing, wildlife tracking, photography, picnicking, and more.

First Day Hikes is an annual nationwide event co-sponsored by America’s State Parks. The event originated in Massachusetts in 1992 and expanded across the nation in 2012, aiming to encourage people to begin the new year with an outdoor adventure.

Scheduled First Day Hike events in Montana will occur at the following parks:

Cooney State Park: This venue will feature a relatively easy hike on Trail A within the Red Lodge campground. Participants will traverse from the east end to the west end of the campground, providing opportunities to observe deer, rabbits, bald eagles, ospreys, and numerous bird species.
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park: The Loop Trail offers an approximately 3-mile moderately strenuous hike, commencing from the visitor center and ascending 400 feet in elevation to the summit of the Buffalo Jump.
Makoshika State Park: The Bluebird Trail comprises a moderate 1-mile out-and-back hike, including a gradual incline at the midpoint. Participants should be aware that the trail may become slippery when wet.
Missouri Headwaters State Park: Fort Rock Trail, extending 2 miles, presents an easy hiking experience; however, certain areas may be icy, depending on weather conditions.
Pictograph Cave State Park: Visitors can explore one of Montana’s most ancient sites, inhabited by humans for over nine thousand years. This location conveys the history of early North American peoples, who sought refuge in the natural rock shelter of the cliff and left a legacy of paintings that narrate their stories.
Participating Parks in Northwest Montana: The initiative includes Flathead Lake State Park (all units), Lone Pine State Park, Somers Beach State Park, Whitefish Lake State Park, Les Mason State Park, Lake Mary Ronan State Park, Logan State Park, and Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park.
Spring Meadow Lake State Park: Participants can embark on a short interpretive hike (0.9 miles) that will address the history and the flora and fauna of Spring Meadow Lake State Park.
Travelers’ Rest State Park: Visitors are invited to walk in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark Expedition while learning about the significance of Travelers’ Rest State Park as the only archaeologically verified campsite of the Expedition in the United States.

For additional information regarding these hikes, please visit fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/first-day-hikes.

Hikers are advised to wear appropriate clothing for the weather, carry a water bottle, and consider using ice cleats or snowshoes in conditions that are snowy or icy. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #FirstDayHikes. For further information on Montana State Parks, please visit stateparks.mt.gov. Out-of-state vehicles are subject to an $8 entrance fee.