New Year’s Day Hikes Offered at Parks Across North-Central Iowa
FOREST CITY / CLEAR LAKE / HAMPTON — If you’re looking for a fresh start to the New Year, the Iowa DNR is encouraging Iowans to take a First Day Hike on New Year’s Day—and there are several options close to home.
Right here in north-central Iowa, Pilot Knob State Park near Forest City is hosting a free, guided First Day Hike at 1 p.m. Hikers will meet at the Warming House and Lake Parking Lot for a 1.4-mile hike through the forest. The DNR says the Friends of Pilot Knob will also have sledding, s’mores, and other winter activities after the hike.
Prefer to go at your own pace? Clear Lake State Park is offering a self-guided First Day Hike, starting from the beach parking area, with an easy route that’s about one-third to two-thirds of a mile.
And to the southeast, Beeds Lake State Park near Hampton is also recommending a self-guided hike, with a route that takes you by the lodge, causeway, shoreline, and dam—just use extra caution if stairs are icy.
More than 40 parks and forests statewide are taking part with guided or self-guided options. Full details and the complete list are available online at the Iowa DNR’s First Day Hikes page.
