The new year will be off to a great start, thanks to the Missouri state park system.
On Tuesday, weather permitting, the annual First Day Hikes event will take place at 31 state parks and historic sites across Missouri, including Graham Cave State Park.
Inclement weather may cancel that hike, however. It's expected to be below freezing on New Year's Day, park naturalist Lorie Volenberg said.
If the hike goes as planned, Volenberg will meet hikers at the lower picnic shelter and escort them from 1-2 p.m. They will walk along two of the park's most popular trails - Fern Ridge and Graham Cave trails - and learn about the cultural history and lifestyles of the indigenous peoples who once occupied Graham Cave. They also will hear how the land ended up being owned by the Graham family.
Wear comfortable hiking shoes and dress in layers. Refreshments will be provided after the hike.
Graham Cave State Park is off Interstate 70, between Kingdom City and St. Louis, on Route TT, 2 miles west of Missouri 161 at the 170 exit in Danville. For more information about the event or to check if it's still on, call Graham Cave State Park at 573-564-3476.
Elsewhere, participants can choose from 34 free, guided hikes that range in difficulty from easy to moderate, cover distances up to 7 1/2 miles and use a variety of trails in every region of the state. This includes a First Day Hike at Katy Trail State Park from 10:30-noon at the Rocheport trailhead. People can RSVP by calling 573-449-7400.
In its eighth year, the annual event is part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes effort, which gives people the opportunity to start the year off right with an outdoor hike at a state park. A list of state parks with guided First Day Hikes and other related activities is available at mostateparks.com/FirstDayHikes.
"First Day Hikes is a national event encouraging friends and families to push back from the dinner table, turn off the television and take a hike in their favorite state park," said Ben Ellis, director of the Department of Natural Resources' Division of State Parks. "What better way to start off a new year than fresh air, friends and the beauty of nature."
Nationwide last year, almost 55,000 people took part in guided hikes that covered more than 133,000 miles for the First Day Hikes in state parks in all 50 states. Details on every state's 2018 hikes are located at naspd.org. As in the past, participants are encouraged to log their adventures on social media with #FirstDayHikes.
If Tuesday doesn't work for people, they might consider going to a program at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Jefferson Landing State Historic Site in Jefferson City.
The program, "Missouri German Farm Children of the Early 1900s," is part of its ongoing Museum After Hours series. Stephana Landwehr will lead a program featuring the children of Theresa and Fred Landwehr who lived on Little Boggs Creek Farm in Cole County. Explore the daily lives of these typical early 20th century German farm children through stories, pictures and artifacts. Visitors will be encouraged to share and discuss their own family experiences and memories.
For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.