These hikes are part of the America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative that takes place in all 50 states and encourages individuals and families to stay active with a hike outdoors. Whatever your motivation, an Oklahoma hike makes for a New Year’s Day you won’t regret.
Embark on a simple walk close to natural wonders at Boiling Springs State Park, encounter wildlife and waterside views on the trails near Lake Murray and everything in between on one of these invigorating excursions. With over 20 participating parks across the state, there’s sure to be a hike happening near you. Dress warm, wear sturdy shoes and get ready to develop a healthy habit while discovering Oklahoma’s abundant nature. There will be commemorative tokens and stickers for hikers, but supplies are limited and only available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Parking Pass will be waived at participating parks during the First Day Hikes.
Northeast
Arrowhead State Park - Canadian
- Time: January 1 at 10am and 2pm
- Meeting location: Park office
- Name of trail: Trivia Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1.3miles
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-339-2204. Hot Chocolate will be provided after the hike.
Bernice Area at Grand Lake State Park - Bernice
- Time: January 1 at 11am
- Meeting location: Nature Center
- Name of trail: Nature Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-257-8330
Cherokee Landing State Park - Park Hill
- Time: January 1 at 9am
- Meeting location: Park office
- Name of trail: Red Fox Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 0.75 miles
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-457-5716. Hot chocolate and snacks will be provided after the hike.
Lake Eufaula State Park - Checotah
- Time: January 1 at 10am
- Meeting location: Nature Center
- Name of trail: Hummingbird Beach Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 2 miles
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-689-5311
Greenleaf State Park - Braggs
- Time: January 1 at 10am & 1pm
- Meeting location: Family Fun Trail & Greenleaf Trail
- Name of trail: Family Fun Trail and Greenleaf Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy and Intermediate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-487-5196. Hot chocolate and snacks will be provided after the hike.
Keystone State Park - Sand Springs
- Time: January 1 at 12am & 10am
- Meeting location: Park office
- Name of trail: Ranger Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-865-4991
Natural Falls State Park - Colcord
- Time: January 1 at 10am
- Meeting location: Park Office
- Name of trail: Dripping Springs Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy, some moderate sections
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 0.25 miles
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-422-5802. Coffee will be provided after the hike.
Osage Hills State Park - Pawhuska
- Time: January 1 at 9am & 11am
- Meeting location: 9am hike will meet at the overlook ecosystem. 11am hike will meet at the ballfield and hike the Lookout Lake Trail.
- Degree of difficulty: 9am Moderate, 11am Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: .75 miles for 9am or 1-mile for 11am
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, hiking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-336-4141
Sequoyah State Park - Hulbert
- Time: January 1 at 9:45am & 12:45pm
- Meeting location: Chickasaw Campground Entrance for 9:45am & Park Office for 1pm
- Name of trail: Bluebird Trail for the 2 mile hike and Whispering Pines, Deer Run, Eagle Roost and Hackberry Gap Trails for the 5 mile.
- Degree of difficulty: Easy or moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 2 miles or 5 miles
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, snacks, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-772-2108, no restroom available at trailhead for first hike, restroom available for second.
Tenkiller State Park - Vian
- Time: January 1 at 10am & 1pm
- Meeting location: Paved Multi-Use Trail for first and Whispering Leaves Trail for second
- Name of trail: Paved Trail for 10am and Whispering Leaves Trail for 1pm
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 918-776-8180. Hot chocolate and apple cider will be provided after the hike.
Southeast
Beavers Bend State Park - Broken Bow
- Time: January 1 at 11am
- Meeting location: Forest Heritage Center
- Name of trail: Forest Heritage Tree Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Water, binoculars, camera, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 580-494-6300
Lake Murray State Park - Ardmore
- Time: January 1 at 1pm
- Meeting location: Pecan Grove
- Name of trail: Anadarche Creek/Lake Shore Loop Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Length of trail: 1.6 miles
- Things to bring: Water bottle, camera, binoculars
- More information: Call 580-223-4044
Lake Texoma State Park - Kingston
- Time: January 1 at 9am & 2pm
- Meeting location: Running Deer Tail at 9am & Multi-Use Trail System at 2pm
- Name of trail: Running Deer Trail and Multi-Use/Bobcat Track Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy First Hike and Difficult Second Hike
- Pets on leash allowed: No
- Length of trail: First is 1.5-2 miles & second is 4 miles
- Things to bring: Water bottle, camera, binoculars, warm clothing
- More information: Call 580-564-2566. Multi-Use/Bobcat Track Trail is near 6303 US HWY 70, Kingston, OK (33°59'50.5"N 96°38'49.0"W)
Lake Thunderbird State Park - Norman
- Time: January 1 at 12:30pm
- Meeting location: Discovery Cove Nature Center
- Name of trail: Discovery Cove Nature Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy or moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: .75 miles or 1.5 miles
- Things to bring: Binoculars, camera, water, weather-appropriate clothing
- More information: Call 405-360-3572. Refreshments will be provided before the hike.
Lake Wister State Park - Wister
- Time: January 1 at 2pm
- Meeting location: AARP Heart Healthy Trail Head
- Name of trail: AARP Heart Healthy Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Length of trail: 3 miles
- Things to bring: Water, snacks, binoculars, camera, hiking shoes
- More information: Call 918-649-0525
McGee Creek State Park - Atoka
- Time: January 1 at 1pm
- Meeting location: Potapo Campground
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1.5 miles
- Things to bring: Water, snacks, binoculars, camera
- More information: Call 580-889-5822. Snacks and hot beverages will be provided after the hike.
Robbers Cave State Park - Wilburton
- Time: January 1 at 10am & 2pm
- Meeting location: Lodge
- Name of trail: Belle Starr Loop Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Length of trail: 1.6 miles
- Things to bring: Water, hiking shoes, binoculars, camera
- More information: Call 918-465-2562. Hot drinks and snacks will be provided after the hike.
Talimena State Park - Talihina
- Time: January 1 at 10am
- Meeting location: Park Gift Shop
- Name of trail: Ouachita Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1.5 miles
- Things to bring: Water, hiking shoes, binoculars, camera
- More information: Call 918-471-5394
West
Alabaster Caverns State Park - Freedom
- Time: January 1 at 3pm
- Meeting Location: Park Office
- Name of trail: Raptors Roost Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Water, binoculars and camera
- More information: Call 580-621-3381
Boiling Springs State Park - Woodward
- Time: January 1 at 1pm
- Meeting Location: Park office
- Name of trail: Spring Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 1-mile
- Things to bring: Water, binoculars and camera
- More information: Call 580-256-7664
Foss State Park - Foss
- Time: January 1 at 2pm
- Meeting location: Enclosed Cedar Point shelter above the marina.
- Name of trail:Great Western Heart Healthy Trail sponsored by AARP Oklahoma
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 2 miles
- Things to bring: Water bottle, binoculars, camera, hiking stick
- More information: Call 580-592-4433 or check the Foss State Park Facebook page. Hot beverages will be provided after the hike.
Great Plains State Park - Mountain Park
- Time: January 1 at 11 am Registration, Hikes at Noon
- Meeting Location: Park Office Parking Lot
- Name of trail: Granite Hills & AARP Heart Healthy
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate and Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 3 miles and 1-mile
- Things to bring: Water, binoculars and camera
- More information: Call 580-569-2032
Quartz Mountain State Park - Lone Wolf
- Time: January 1 at 10am, & 1pm
- Meeting location: 10am hike will meet in lodge lobby & 1pm hike will meet at park office.
- Name of trail: 10am at Twin Peaks Trail & 1pm at Baldy Point Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy & Difficult
- Pets on leash allowed: Pets allowed on easy trail. Not allowed on difficult trail.
- Length of trail: 1-mile & 3 miles
- Things to bring: Water bottle, binoculars, camera, hiking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing. Trekking poles recommended for Baldy Point Trail.
- More information: Call 580-563-2238.
Roman Nose State Park - Watonga
- Time: January 1 at 2pm
- Meeting Location: Lodge
- Name of trail: ADA Paved Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Easy
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 2.4 miles
- Things to bring: Water, hiking shoes, binoculars and camera
- More information: Call 580-623-4218
Salt Plains State Park - Jet
- Time: January 1 at 2pm
- Meeting Location: Cabins near the main trailhead
- Name of trail: Nathan Boone Trail
- Degree of difficulty: Moderate
- Pets on leash allowed: Yes
- Length of trail: 2 miles
- Things to bring: Water, hiking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, binoculars and camera
- More information: Call 580-626-4731
If you miss the January 1st hikes, check out these guided hikes happening at Fort Cobb State Park
