AUSTIN – For the third consecutive year, Texas State Parks launched the new year by breaking historical participation numbers at First Day Hikes events around the state.
On Jan. 1, 83 state parks hosted 178 events where 9,484 participants hiked for a combined 18,932 miles. The number of events, participants and miles are all new records for the third straight year. Texas also outpaced the nation with the most sites, events and participants.
“I am not surprised that Texas once again led the nation in First Day Hike participation,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “We had wonderful weather, and it is simply a great way to spend time with family in the outdoors at one of your Texas State Parks. I was able to enjoy the record-breaking day at Pedernales Falls SP and join some first-time visitors as we spotted fossils that can be found at the park. This was our 13th year hosting this event and it was our best ever. I can’t wait to see you again next year!!”
Mother Neff State Park near Waco had the most participants with 781, followed by Brazos Bend State Park with 614.
Other parks that drew high visitation include Dinosaur Valley State Park with 480, Cleburne State Park with 353 and Huntsville State Park with 343 participants. Across the nation, Americas State Parks hosted nearly 1,500 hike events and drew over 68,000 participants on New Years Day.
Find photos of First Day Hikes on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Flickr page.
Plenty of fun and adventures await throughout the year for everyone at Texas State Parks. A wide range of trails include some short, easy trails that are perfect for family-friendly scenic strolls and more strenuous ones that can challenge experienced hikers. Trail maps for all Texas State Parks can be found on TPWD’s website, the recently redesigned official Texas State Park app and individual park webpages.
Find more information about local Texas State Parks at http://texasstateparks.org