Find a 2022 First Day Hike In Maryland On Jan. 1 And 2

MARYLAND — America's state park officials want everyone to get outside on New Year's Day. There will be First Day Hikes in all 50 states, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has put together a list of where you can go.

There are ranger-led hikes and self-guided hikes, and stickers will be available at the participating locations.

Although the First Day Hikes are specific to certain trails, visitors are welcome to walk on other open trails as well. There's more information about hiking details, views and wildlife you might see here.

The list below is separated by county. If you do take a hike, consider filling out this form to let the state parks staff know how many miles you covered.

Allegany

Rocky Gap State Park
16300 Lakeview Drive NE, Flintstone, MD 21530
Self Guided Hike: Evitts Homesite Trail
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Distance: 2.5 miles (5 miles roundtrip)

Rocky Gap State Park
16300 Lakeview Drive NE, Flintstone, MD 21530
Ranger Led: Canyon Overlook Guided Hike
Date: Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.
Meet at: Touch of Nature Parking Lot
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: Less than 1 mile
Registration: Pre-registration is not required.

Dans Mountain State Park
Hill Run Pavillion, Water Station Run Rd., Lonaconing, MD 21539
Ranger Led: Community Heritage Hike at Dans Mountain State Park
Date: Jan. 1, 10 a.m.
Meet at: Hill Run Pavilion
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 1 mile
Registration: Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required. Call the park office at 301-895-5453

Anne Arundel

Sandy Point State Park
1100 E. College Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21409
Self Guided Hike: Choose Your Own Adventure Hike! Starts at East Beach - Osprey Pavilion
Difficulty: Easy
Distance:1 mile
Date: Hikes available Saturday, January 1 and Sunday, January 2. Start in the East Beach Area at the Osprey Pavilion.

Baltimore

Gunpowder Falls State Park- Hereford Area (Bunker Hill)

Address: The parking lot is located at the end of Bunker Hill Rd, off York Rd (MD-45) north of Hereford High School.
Self Guided Hike: Hereford Area - Camp Wood (Bunker Hill Trail "loop")
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Distance: 6 miles

North Point State Park
8400 North Point Road, Edgemere, MD 21219
Self Guided Hike: Black Marsh Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance:1.6 miles

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hilton Area, Shelter 201
1101 Hilton Avenue, Catonsville 21228
Ranger Led Hike: Kids New Year’s Eve Hike at Hilton (Various Trails)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: Non Specified
Starts at Patapsco Valley State Park, Hilton Area, Shelter 201

Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail
Paper Mill Parking Lot - 1302 Paper Mill Rd, Cockeysville, MD 21030
Ranger Led: First Day Bike on the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail
Date: Jan. 1 at 8 a.m.
Meet at: Paper Mill Parking Lot
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 5 miles

Calvert

Calvert Cliffs State Park
10540 H. G. Trueman Road Lusby, MD
Ranger Led: Guided First Day Hike
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.6 miles (round trip)
Date: Jan. 1 at 9 a.m.

Calvert Cliffs State Park
10540 H. G. Trueman Road Lusby, MD
Self Guided Hike: Red Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.6 miles (round trip)

Caroline

Martinak State Park
137 Deep Short Road, Denton MD 21629Ranger Led: First Day Hike at Martinak
Date: Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.
Meet at: Park Office
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2 miles

Tuckahoe State Park
Lake Parking Lot - 13187 Crouse Mill Road, Queen Anne MD 21657
Ranger Led: Tuckahoe's Annual First Day Hike
Date: Jan. 1, 10 a.m.
Meet at: Tuckahoe Lake Parking Lot
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: Approx 2 miles

Carroll

Patapsco Valley State Park - McKeldin Area
11676 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville 21104
Guided Hike: Tall Poplar Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Distance: 1.5 miles

Cecil

Elk Neck State Park
4395 Turkey Point Road, North East, MD 21901
Self Guided Hike: Turkey Point Lighthouse Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Distance: 1.5 miles (.8 mile one way)

Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area
Gallaher Road Parking (Lot #4): 491 Gallaher Road, Elkton, MD 21921
Self Guided Hike: Ranger Grieco's Recommended Hike
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Distance: 4.75 miles

Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area
North Appleton Parking (Lot #3): 2941 Appleton Road, Elkton, MD 21921
Ranger Led: First Day Ranger Guided Hike
Date: Jan. 1 at 10 a.m.
Meet at: North Appleton Parking (Lot #3): 2941 Appleton Road, Elkton, MD 21921
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Distance: Approx 5 miles

Charles

Smallwood State Park
2750 Sweden Point Rd. Marbury, MD 20658
Ranger Led: First Day Hike on the General's Walk
Date: Jan. 1 at 11 a.m.
Meet at: Sweden Point Discovery Center
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Approx 3 miles

Frederick

Cunningham Falls State Park
6709 Cunningham Falls Park Rd. Thurmont MD 21788
Self Guided Hike: Catoctin Furnace and African American Cemetery Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.2 miles

Cunningham Falls State Park
6709 Cunningham Falls Park Rd.
Self Guided Hike: Manor Area Storybook Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 0.5 mile

Cunningham Falls State Park
104039 Catoctin Hollow Rd, Thurmont MD 21788
Ranger Led: Old Misery Guided Hike
Date: Jan. 1 at 10 a.m.
Meet at: Dam Overlook Parking Lot
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 3 miles roundtrip

Gambrill State Park
8448 High Knob Road, Frederick, MD 21702
Self Guided Hike: New Year’s Eve Sunset Hike on "High Knob Loop"
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

Gathland State Park
900 Arnoldstown Rd., Jefferson, MD 21755
Ranger Led: First Weekend Hike Through History
Dates: Jan. 1 and 2 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day
Meet at: Gathland Hall Museum
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Approximately 4 miles

Garrett

Sang Run State Park
3735 Sang Run Rd, McHenry, MD 21541
Self Guided Hike: Bluebird Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

New Germany State Park
349 Headquarters Lane, Grantsville, MD 21536
Self Guided Hikes: New Germany State Park Trail System
Difficulty: Easy to Difficult
Distance: Up to 12 miles of options

New Germany State Park
New Germany Lake House- 403 McAndrews Hill Rd, Grantsville, MD 21536
Ranger Led: Community Heritage Hike at New Germany State Park
Date: Jan. 1 at 2 p.m.
Meet at: Lake House
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2.6 miles

Herrington Manor State Park
222 Herrington Lane Oakland, MD 21550
Self Guided Hike: Green Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.7 Miles

Deep Creek Lake State Park
898 State Park Rd., Swanton, Md 21561
Ranger Led: Beckman's Trail Hike
Date: Jan. 1 at noon
Meet at: Beckman's Trailhead. Go through the main entrance, and stay right until you reach the overflow parking lot. The trailhead is at the back of the lot.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 2 miles

Harford

Rocks State Park
3900 St. Claire Bridge Road, Jarrettsville, Md 21084
Self Guided Hike: Red to White Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Approximately 2.5 miles

Susquehanna State Park
2569 Shures Landing Road, Darlington, Md 21034
Self Guided Hike: Lower Susquehanna Greenways Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 4.4 miles round trip

Gunpowder Falls State Park
Jerusalem Mill - 2813 Jerusalem Rd, Kingsville, MD 21087
Self Guided: First Day Hike at the Jerusalem Mill Village
Meet at: Jerusalem Mill - Blacksmith Shop
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 3 miles

Howard

Patapsco Valley State Park - Hollofield Area, Shelter 300
8020 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City 21403
Ranger Led Hike: First Day Hike - River Ridge Trail
Date: Jan. 1 from 10 a.m. to noon
Starts at Patapsco Valley State Park, Hollofield Area, Shelter 300
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 1 mile

Kent

Sassafras NRMA
13761 Turners Creek Road, Kennedyville, MD 21645
Self Guided Hike: Tochwogh Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.5 miles

Montgomery

Seneca Creek State Park
11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Self Guided Hike: Lakeshore Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 3.7 miles

Montgomery/Howard

Patuxent River State Park
Park Office/Nature Center- 23222 Georgia Ave, Brookeville MD 20833
Ranger Led: First to Step Foot Hike
Date:J an. 1 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Meet at: Park Office/Nature Center
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: approx 3 miles

Prince George's

Cedarville State Forest
10201 Bee Oak Road
Self Guided Hike: Orange Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 1.5 miles

Merkle Natural Resource Management Area
11704 Fenno Rd. Upper Marlboro MD
Self Guided Hike: Poplar Springs Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 3 miles

Somerset

Janes Island State Park
26280 Alfred J Lawson Dive, Crisfield, MD 21817
Ranger Led: First Day Hikes at Janes Island State Park
Date: Jan. 1 at 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Meet at: Camper Check-In Parking Lot
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 Mile

St.Mary’s

Greenwell State Park
25420 Rosedale Manor Ln, Hollywood, MD 20636
Ranger Led: Greenwell State Park First Day Hike on the Brown Trail
Date: Jan. 1 at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Meet at: Pavilion Area
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.5 Miles Full Hike

Talbot

Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park
29761 Bolingbroke Point Drive, Trappe, MD 21673
Self Guided Hike: Choptank River Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

Washington

Fort Frederick State Park
11100 Fort Frederick Road Big Pool, MD 21711
Ranger Led: Beaver Pond Trail Hike
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.5 mile
Date: Jan. 1 at 10 a.m.

Greenbrier State Park
21843 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Self Guided Hike: Big Red Trail/Yellow Trail Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Approximately 5 miles

Greenbrier State Park
21843 National Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
Self Guided Hike: Marked Mile
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

Worcester

Assateague State Park
11800 Marsh View Ln, Berlin, MD 21811
Self Guided Hike: Rackliffe Trail- First Day Scavenger Hunt Hike
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1 mile

Assateague State Park
6915 Stephen Decatur Hwy Berlin Md 21811
Self Guided Hike: Assateague State Park- Choose Your Own Assateague Island Adventure!
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 2 miles

Pocomoke River State Park
3461 Worcester Hwy, Snow Hill, MD 21863
Self Guided: Multi-trail Loop (Starts at the Nature Center)
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Distance: Approximately 2.5 miles