A few years back, a friend first introduced me to the growing tradition of “First Day Hikes”, and our family has been enjoying it as part of our New Years plans ever since. 🙂

First Day Hikes are simply an opportunity to get outdoors into parks on the first day of the year, whether walking, hiking, biking or more – And our family has found it a great way to shake loose the cobwebs from being inside so much during the holidays and experience an energizing jolt from good ol' fashion nature.

Many state parks even sponsor a program with ranger-guided or self-guided hikes, but you can pick wherever your favorite spot is for a breath of fresh air. Here’s First Day Hike pages from the national website as well as the one from Maryland Department of Natural Resources – And a few spots our family likes to visit:

  • Of course, Laurel’s own Gude Park around Laurel Lakes, and Riverfront Park along the Patuxent River

  • The Patuxent Research Refuge – the South Tract entrance has all levels of walking trails, from short paved trail, to a loop around Cash Lake, to ones winding through woods. And the North Tract is a little less developed but has access to 25 miles of trails.

  • Fairland Recreational Park – Perhaps you’ve been to the swimming pool, tennis courts gym, or ice rink at Fairlands, but did you know there’s around 300 acres of paved and unpaved walking and bike paths? That’s where our family went this year (photo below).

  • Patapsco Valley State Park is another great option within close reach with 16,043 acres of land along the Patapsco River. Because of it’s size, there are many park entrances for easy access and many skill levels served as well.

  • Another of our family’s favorites: Lake Artemesia in College Park. There’s a paved walking path around the lake with a handful of neat viewing spots, plus wooded trails for those who prefer to go off the beaten path some.

These are just a few of the many great outdoor resources a stone’s throw away from Laurel, so whether it’s January 1, this weekend, or throughout the year, an encouragement to take a breath of nature into your day and life and it’ll add a little bounce to your step! 🙂🚶‍➡️

Auto-generated description: A person and a child are walking along a forest trail carrying blue buckets.