Skip to main content
Ranger-led First Day Hikes, a beloved tradition to start the new year in Oregon, will expand again in 2023 following a slimmed-down version of the program at the beginning of this year.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced that the Jan. 1 walks would take place at 20 different locations across the state. That includes L.L. Stub Stewart and Milo McIver state parks in the metro area and the Deschutes River State Recreation Area and Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail in the Gorge. Each will be led by trained personnel and volunteers, who provide details about the geology, wildlife, plants and history of each site.
The number of hikes available was dramatically smaller in 2022 when compared to what the agency offered prior to COVID. Typically, there were sessions at dozens of parks in every region of Oregon. But the return of the activity on any scale was a welcome change, since recreationalists who wanted to ring in 2021 with a hike were told by Oregon Parks and Rec to go it alone because of ongoing concerns about the pandemic.
“A guided hike is a great way to kick off 2023 in the outdoors and begin a new tradition or continue a longstanding family tradition,” Lisa Sumption, director of Oregon Parks and Recreation, stated in a press release. “As our centennial year comes to a close, we’re excited to begin the next 100 years of Oregon State Parks and continue to offer year-round recreation.”
The hikes are all free and you won’t even have to pay the day-use parking fee: The agency has waived that $5 as a little New Year’s Day gift. Participants are asked to plan for winter weather by dressing in layers, wearing sturdy shoes and packing water.
Some of the hikes require registration, so be sure to visit the Oregon First Day Hikes web page for a list of parks hosting hikes as well as start times and meet-up locations.