First Day Hike at Placid Lake State Park

HELENA – Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) will host guided hikes at state parks across the state as part of America’s State Parks First Day Hike initiative on New Year’s Day, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. There will be a one-mile easy hike led at Placid Lake State Park again this year.

Make a New Year’s resolution to your health and happiness by kicking off 2017 with an invigorating First Day Hike at a state park near you.

America’s State Parks First Day Hikes initiative is an annual, nationwide special event which offers individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the outdoors. On Jan. 1, all 50 states will be participating in the sixth annual national event that encourages everyone to celebrate the New Year with a guided outdoor exploration. Last year, more than 55,000 people participated on guided hikes that covered over 133,000 miles on 1,100 hikes across the country.

This year, First Day Hike events will be offered at 11 state parks throughout Montana. These free, family-friendly hikes are easy to moderate in difficulty and range from one to five miles in length.

The guided hike at Placid Lake State Park will begin at 11 a.m. from the entrance gates of the park and end at 12:30 p.m. The hike will take attendees through the park and out on the ice in a few locations to learn about ice safety and how to diagnose ice conditions. Other topics on the hike will include information on the lake’s history, winter recreation safety and an introduction to Montana wildlife in the winter.

Attendees are asked to dress for being outside for the duration of the hike. Snowshoes and/or skis are not required for the hike but can be used. There will be a small selection of snowshoes available to try for those who do not have their own. Please no dogs.

For more information call 406-677-6804 or 406-542-5500.

 For more information on the other First Day Hike locations and details visit: http://stateparks.mt.gov/calendar/