DULUTH — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will host First Day Hike events at 12 state parks Thursday, Jan. 1, as part of a nationwide effort to connect people to the outdoors.

As part of the First Day Hikes initiative led by America’s State Parks, a national organization, hikers in all 50 states will kick off the new year with an outdoor hike.

Participating state parks in Minnesota include:

• Blue Mounds State Park, Luverne
• Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, Preston
• Fort Snelling State Park, St. Paul
• Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton
• Lake Bemidji State Park, Bemidji
• Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, Soudan
• Maplewood State Park, Pelican Rapids
• Minneopa State Park, Mankato
• Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, Nerstrand
• Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay
• Whitewater State Park, Altura
• William O’Brien State Park, Marine on St. Croix

In areas with sufficient snow cover, participants are invited to snowshoe. They can bring their own snowshoes or borrow a set from the state park (if available) at no charge.

Find more details about individual hikes on the DNR’s First Day Hikes webpage at

mndnr.gov/firstdayhike.

There is no participation fee, but visitors will need a vehicle permit ($7 per day or $35 for a year) to enter Minnesota state parks and recreation areas. Visitors can save time and purchase permits in advance on the DNR’s permit webpage at

mndnr.gov/permit

or buy a permit in person during open hours at a state park ranger station.

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