First Day Hike

Hike Safe, starting with a First Day Hike

/ Ellen Kolb

Two New Hampshire traditions dovetail nicely this time of year. New Hampshire’s Division of Parks and Recreation is once again sponsoring First Day Hikes on New Year’s Day 2025 at several state parks, and Hike Safe cards for 2025 are now available for purchase on the New Hampshire Fish and Game website. I recommend both.

First Day Hikes

2025’s First Day Hikes are being offered at seven state parks. These are self-guided events, although park staff will be participating in some locations. Events range from cross-country skiing at Milan Hill State Park to a shoreline walk at Odiorne Point in Rye. Advance registration is required. You’ll find more information at the State Parks website. At this writing, two out of the seven events are already full, with no more registrations available, so act fast if you’d like to spend a few hours on New Year’s Day at Odiorne Point, Milan Hill, Mount Monadnock, Pisgah State Park, or White Lake State Park.

At a First Day Hike a few years back, I scored a fleece scarf that I’ve sported nearly every New Year’s Day since. I like starting the year with a flourish.

close-up of a New Hampshire State Parks "First Day Hike" logo on dark green fleece scarf

Hike Safe Card

New Hampshire Fish and Game sells the Hike Safe card, which is actually an online registration, rather than a card to be carried. Every purchase – $25 for an individual or $35 for a family – supports search and rescue efforts that could be required for anyone participating in an outdoor sport or activity in New Hampshire. In most circumstances, people who obtain the cards are not liable to repay rescue costs if they need to be rescued, although that won’t apply in cases of reckless behavior. Read more about the Hike Safe card at the Fish and Game website.

If you purchase one on the F&G website for 2025 before January 1, be sure you click the button for the correct year. You don’t want to pay for 2024 by accident. No refunds.

When it comes to outdoor recreation in New Hampshire, many recreationists pay their way, so to speak, via licenses or vehicle registrations. Hunters, anglers, boaters, snowmobilers, and OHRV operators contribute to trail maintenance and rescue costs that way. Hikers like me don’t need a license, but we can do our bit by getting that Hike Safe card every year.

First day hike 2017: Wellington State Park

/ Ellen Kolb

New Hampshire enjoyed benign weather on New Year’s Day, perfect for a First Day Hike. I headed to Bristol, home of Wellington State Park and the Elwell Trail. No snowshoes needed; the trail was well-packed. Gravity got the best of me a few times despite the YakTrax on my boots, but I fell gently thanks to the snow cover. About sixteen of us were led up the trail by Andrew of the Newfound Lake Region Association.

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Newfound Lake in Bristol, NH, seen from Little Sugarloaf

Our destination was Little Sugarloaf, a modest little peak about a mile and a half from the Wellington parking lot. There were plenty of hikers on the hiking trails and snowmobilers on the snowmobile trails, with cooperation and good cheer all around.

The payoff view: Newfound Lake on a clear and sunny day, with ideal sights and sounds. We watched a pair of bald eagles fly around the islands below us. The snowy peaks of Franconia Notch about 40 miles away were visible. I knew there were snowmobiles all over the lower trails, but I could barely hear them from Little Sugarloaf’s summit.

A few of my more ambitious companions decided to hike on to Sugarloaf, a few hundred feet higher and (I’m told) with much more exposed ledge than Little Sugarloaf. I might check that out some autumn day.

Find maps of the area at newfoundlake.org.

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Happy New Year from the Granite State Walker!

 

Plan a First Day Hike for January 1

/ Ellen Kolb / 2 Comments

Which will it be on New Year’s Day for me? A trip to Monadnock, where I went last January 1? Maybe it’ll be a good day to check out the Little Harbor Loop in Portsmouth instead. Or perhaps, if everything falls just right, I’ll somehow be able to head north to Weeks State Park in Lancaster for a view of the Presidentials. Those are the three sites for the guided First Day Hikes 2015 being sponsored by New Hampshire State Parks and the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests  All hikes are easy to moderate, and there’s no charge. Details are on the nhstateparks.org web site.

You can hike on your own anywhere you’d like on January 1, of course. I usually start the new year with a walk on Temple’s quiet roads, and if the weather’s right I follow that with a walk up the auto road in Miller State Park on nearby Pack Monadnock. Last year, for a change, I headed to Monadnock for the guided First Day Hike. Two hikes were offered that day: one for people who didn’t mind heading uphill in icy conditions, and one for the rest of us content to explore the lower slopes. Just fine, either way. (By the way, if you hike with your dog, Weeks State Park has the First Day Hike for you. Alas, no pets allowed on Monadnock,)

If you head to Weeks in Lancaster, don’t worry if you don’t make it to the summit. There are two lookouts partway up the auto road (pedestrians only, in the winter) that are worth a stop. Nothing like a crisp, cold day for fine views.