Group of hikers standing on a summit with evergreen trees and water in background
First Day Hike Snowshoers standing on snow near the edge of Lake Wennatchee looking out over the still water
Young girl and boy bundled in warm jackets with First Day Hike buttons sitting on park bench eating snacks
Two female hikers standing with Ranger Lewis holding up their First Day Hike Buttons
Smiling group of people with warm hats and jacket posing with Park Rangers

First Day Hikes

Ring in the New Year with Washington State Parks! First Day Hikes offer an experience for everyone to get outside and enjoy our beautiful state parks.

Seasons

First Day Hikes is available in Winter.

Participate in staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, trail rides, polar plunges, scavenger hunts and more at 30+ parks on New Year's Day. When you are done, don't forget to pick up your free, collectible Washington State Parks 2026 First Day Hikes pin!

All hikes are free and a Discover Pass is not needed to park on state managed lands on Jan. 1, our first Washington State Parks free day of 2026. However, you may need to register for some events with participation limits and/or purchase the appropriate Sno-Park permit for parks that become Sno-Parks during the winter (Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee and Mount Spokane). 

Thank you to the Washington State Parks Foundation for supporting our 2026 First Day Hikes events. 

Please read hike descriptions carefully and check the park's event descriptions to make sure you are registered and have what you need. Enjoy your New Year's Day State Parks adventure!

Eastern Washington First Day Hikes
Park Event Time Event  Link
Camp Wooten State Park 1:00 PM Step into 2026
Columbia Plateau Trail 11:00 AM Columbia Plateau Trail First Day Hike
Fields Spring State Park 11:00 AM West Viewpoint Snowshoe Hike
Lake Easton State Park 10:00 AM Lake Easton First Day Hike
Lake Chelan State Park TBD Lake Chelan First Day Hike
Lake Wenatchee State Park 11:00 AM Lake Wenatchee First Day Hike
Mount Spokane State Park 9:00 AM Mount Spokane First Day Hike- Smith Gap Snowshoe Hike
Mount Spokane State Park 9:00 AM Mount Spokane First Day Hike- Summit Snowshoe Hike
Riverside State Park 9:00 AM Riverside's Trautman Conservation Area First Day Hike
Lyon's Ferry State Park  11:00 AM Lyons Ferry History Hike
Steamboat Rock State Park 10:00 AM Coulee Corridor First Day Hike
Northwest Washington First Day Hikes
Park Event Time Event Link
Birch Bay State Park 11:00 AM Birch Bay First Day Hike
Bridle Trails State Park TBD Bridle Trail Trotting into '25
Cama Beach State Park 9:00 AM Cama Beach First Day Hike
Camano Island State Park 1:00 PM Camano Island First Day Hike- Howard Adams Trail
Deception Pass State Park TBD Deception Pass First Day Hike
Lake Sammamish State Park TBD Lake Sammamish Polar Plunge
Larrabee State Park TBD Larrabee First Day Hike
Lime Kiln Point State Park 11:00 AM Lime Kiln Point First Day Hike
Moran State Park 11:00 AM Moran First Day Hike
Nolte State Park 11:00 AM Nolte First Day Hike
Rockport State Park TBD Rockport First Day Hike
Saint Edward State Park TBD Saint Edward First Day Hike
Saltwater State Park 10:30 AM Saltwater First Day Hike
Spencer Spit State Park 1:00 PM Spencer Spit First Day Hike
South Whidbey State Park 10:00 AM South Whidbey First Day Hike
Wallace Falls State Park 9:30 AM Hike to Middle Falls
Southwest Washington First Day Hikes
Park Event Time Event Link
Battle Ground Lake State Park 9:00 AM & 1:00PM Battle Ground Lake State First Day Hikes
Bottle Beach State Park 11:00 AM Bottle Beach First Day Hike
Cape Disappointment State Park 1:00 PM Cape Disappointment First Day Hike
Fort Flagler State Park 10:00 AM Fort Flagler First Day Hike
Harstine Island State Park 10:00 AM Harstine Island State Park Loop
Kopachuck State Park 9:00 AM Kopachuck First Day Hike
Lake Sylvia State Park 11:00 AM Lake Sylvia First Day Hikes
Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center - Seaquest State Park 9:00 AM Bird Walk on the Boardwalk 
Penrose Point State Park 12:00 PM ( Noon) Penrose Point First Day Hike
Twanoh State Park 9:00 AM Twanoh First Day Hike

Rules & safety

We at State Parks want you to enjoy all the wonders the winter season has to offer. Preparing for safety on your First Day Hike experience is the first step. Visit our park Rules & Safety pages, pay careful attention to the equipment lists and difficulty level of each event, know your own abilities and limitations and always pack the Ten Essentials. 

If you have questions about the difficulty or equipment requirements of any hike, please reach out to the event organizers. Happy New Year from Washington State Parks!

Popular parks with First Day Hikes

A view from the shore looking over the Columbia River with trees along the far shore and a far distant hillside topped with wind turbines. Sacajawea Historical State Park
Entrance sign at Lake Sammamish State Park. Features the pre-2023 logo, the name of the park, the words "welcome" and "cooperating agencies" with accompanying identifiers for the cooperating agencies. These small signs are however unreadable. In the background lush, green leaved trees, evergreens, and grass are visible. Lake Sammamish State Park
SunLakes_CampsitesView Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park
Rocky swim beach with hills and bridge Maryhill State Park
See all parks with First Day Hike Events

Map & visitor guide

Use the Find a Park Page to see maps and visitor guides for a specific park.

Seasons

First Day Hikes is available in Winter.