This New Year’s Day 2016, California State Parks will kick off the 4th annual First Day Hikes, planned at more than 40 parks across the state.

The First Day Hikes are a signature event designed to offer visitors the opportunity to connect to their parks and nature for recreation, and to promote a healthy lifestyle throughout the year.

The events will all take place on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016 with California State Parks offering more than 55 options to hike, paddle or off-road ride in the redwoods, the deserts and along the coast and on beaches. The First Day Hikes are guided by State Parks staff and volunteers.

Distance and rigor will vary per hike/activity, so visitors are encouraged to check out details of start times and description of hikes.

This is the fourth year California has participated in the First Day Hikes program.

Last year, there were nearly 1,000 hikes across the nation, with more than 41,000 visitors participating in all 50 states.

California offered the most hikes in 2015 at 53 with participants hiking more than 4,900 miles.

Scheduled parks in the Los Angeles County include (weather permitting):

Hungry Valley State Vehicle Recreation Area (1 ride, 1 ride/hike)
Saddleback Butte State Park (3 hikes)
Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park (1 hike)

For a complete list and detailed information on the California State Parks First Day Hikes, go to the First Day Hikes page on California State Parks website or call (916) 654-7538.

Responsible for almost one-third of California’s scenic coastline, the California State Park system includes 280 parks, beaches, trails, wildlife areas, open spaces, off-highway vehicle areas and historic sites.

It consists of approximately 1.59 million acres, including over 339 miles of coastline, 974 miles of lake, reservoir and river frontage, approximately 15,000 campsites and alternative camping facilities, and 4,456 miles of non-motorized trails.

State park units include parks, underwater preserves, and reserves; redwood, rhododendron, and wildlife reserves; state beaches, recreation areas, wilderness areas, and reservoirs; state historic parks, historic homes, Spanish era adobe buildings, including museums, visitor centers, cultural reserves; as well as lighthouses, ghost towns, waterslides, conference centers and off-highway vehicle parks.