Start the new year with a hike at Pikes Peak
Join the staff and Friends of Pikes Peak State Park on a free, guided hike on New Year’s Day. Hikers can meet at 1 p.m., at the stone shelter in the park, for a one-mile hike led by park manager Matt Tschirgi.
“This is the seventh year the DNR is hosting First Day Hikes as part of an effort to get people outdoors and into our state parks,” said Todd Coffelt, chief of the DNR State Parks Bureau. “These hikes are a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family.”
Last year, more than 1,200 people began the year in an Iowa state park, hiking more than 1,100 total miles. This year, 25 state parks will host First Day Hikes.
Hikers can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, and experience spectacular views, beautiful settings and the cultural treasures offered by Iowa’s state parks. At Pikes Peak State Park, hikers will see the breathtaking views of the Mississippi River, Native American effigy mounds and the icicles formed on the rock ledge at Bridal Veil Falls. The Friends of Pikes Peak will provide coffee, hot chocolate and a warm fire in the shelter. Pikes Peak State Park is located at 32265 Pikes Peak Rd., McGregor.
For details about First Day Hikes in Iowa’s State Parks, visit www.iowadnr.gov/firstdayhikes. Participants are encouraged to share their adventures on social media with #FirstDayHikes and #iowastateparks.