Traipsing over rocks and tree roots, ascending Ozarks bluffs to behold magnificent views of the Lake of the Ozarks is how Kenny Neal will spend his New Year's Day - and he hopes fellow Missourians will join him.
Neal, one of many local nature enthusiasts, will lead a hike at Lake of the Ozarks State Park as part of the nationwide First Day Hikes program administered by the State Parks Department of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Naturalists, park superintendents and other volunteers will lead about 40 hikes at various state parks around Missouri on New Year's Day at no cost to participants, according to State Parks Director Bill Bryan.
"The leader has information or experience about the trail. You get the benefits of their experience. It's a great way to start off the New Year," Bryan said.
With a "lifetime of spending time outdoors," Neal will guide a hike on the Lake View Bend Trail and answer questions about Missouri landscape and wildlife.
"I love to hike trails. This is a beautiful hike, every time of year," he said. "There's always something new to see."
Though the hike is "moderately strenuous" and "rugged in places," the nature surrounding the trek is "an example of Missouri Ozarks landscape with added beauty of the Lake," Neal said.
He believes the First Day Hike program will attract visitors to the park who would not normally take advantage of the local trails.
"It's an opportunity to come to the park and hike a beautiful trail at a time of year when they normally wouldn't. It's something different, getting away from the city or from the everyday life. It's great to experience nature," Neal said.
Bryan largely agreed with Neal's sentiments, as he characterized the program as a means to "introduce new visitors" and, therefore, ensure the park's long-term vitality, he said.
"It's a great tool to meet a new friend and encourage park usage," he said.
"It's important for people to have an appreciation for (Missouri state parks) so they support it," Bryan said. "I personally can't hold a title to 1,000 acres around the Lake of the Ozarks, but as Missourians, we all have that title. It's a treasure we have to take care of."
Bryan considers administration of the First Day Hike program consistent with state government's goal of promoting the fitness of its citizens, he said.
"We know that spending time outdoors will make people happier and healthier. As a state government,if we don't do that, why are we here?" Bryan said.