Start a hiking habit Jan. 1 (2013)

First Day Hikes set for 28 Oregon State Parks

No need to dress up (unless your zombie wear is handy for the Honeyman Zombie Apocalypse Survival Hike) and you don’t need special gear (well, except for a horse for the Elijah Bristow Ride) and you won’t have to move mountains to find a hike (although you can hike to the summit of Neah-kah-nie Mountain near Oswald West).

The only things you’ll need for the 25 other hikes are appropriate clothes for the weather, sturdy walking shoes and drinking water. The hikes are free and day-use parking fees are waived Jan. 1 for all visitors to participating state parks that normally require a permit.

This is the third year that Oregon State Parks has participated in First Day Hikes, a nationwide initiative sponsored by America’s State Parks (www.americasstateparks.org) to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors and celebrate the New Year by getting out for a walk in a state park. Last year, more than 420 people participated in First Day Hikes in Oregon.

Care to share photos of your First Day Hike? We want to see them. Send them to us via Twitter with hashtag #ORfirstdayhikes;  add an “Oregon State Parks” tag to your Facebook photos; or e-mail them to beth.wilson@state.or.us

Click on the park links below for specific First Day Hike information, including the hike length and terrain:

Portland Metro area:

• L.L. “Stub” Stewart State Park, 9-11 a.m.
• Milo McIver State Park, 10-11 a.m.
• Tryon Creek State Natural Area, 9-11 a.m.

Columbia River Gorge:

• Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, 10:30 a.m.-noon
• Rooster Rock State Park, 10 a.m.-noon

Willamette Valley/Cascades:

• Champoeg State Heritage Area, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
• Elijah Bristow State Park, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.—bring your horse!
• Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area, 10 a.m.-noon
• North Santiam State Recreation Area, 11 a.m.-noon
• Silver Falls State Park, 10-11 a.m.
• Willamette Mission State Park, 10-11 a.m. and 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Southern Oregon:

• Tou Velle State Recreation Site, 11 a.m.-noon
• Valley of the Rogue State Park, 10 a.m.-noon

Coast:

• Beverly Beach State Park, 10-11:30 a.m.
• Bullards Beach State Park, 10 a.m.-noon
• Cape Lookout State Park, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Crissey Field State Recreation Site, 10 a.m.-noon
• Devil’s Lake State Recreation Area, 10-11 a.m.
• Fort Stevens State Park, 9-10 a.m.
• Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, 10 a.m.-1p.m.
• Oswald West State Park, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• South Beach State Park, 10-11:30 a.m.
• Sunset Bay State Park, noon-2 p.m.
• William M. Tugman State Park, 10 a.m.-noon

Central/Eastern Oregon:

• Cottonwood Canyon State Park, noon-1 p.m.
• Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, 10-11:45 a.m.
• Smith Rock State Park, 10:00 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m.

In case of inclement weather, call the parks to find out about cancellations—phone numbers are available online. For helpful cold-weather hiking tips, visit the American Hiking Society’s webpage at americanhiking.org/cold-weather-hiking, and for road conditions, the Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck website at tripcheck.com.