First Day Hike

The First Day Hike Tradition

It is exciting that so many people have made First Day Hikes in State Parks an annual tradition! This event celebrates healthy habits and lifelong memories.

2025 was a record year for participation in our guided hikes here in Arkansas! Our state is a strong participant in this nationwide event occurring in all 50 state park systems.

Did You Know? Since the program began in 2014, over 500,000 participants have hiked over one million miles as part of First Day Hikes in America's State Parks!

If you logged a self-guided hike, we are processing that information and expect stickers to mail out the week of January 20, 2025.

Thank you to everyone for making this fun program a success. Enjoy the photo gallery below and continue sharing your memories and stories with us on social media.

Share Photos of Your First Day Hikes

We also want to share your First Day Hike experiences. You can upload your photos and/or videos here with our uploader tool.

Use #ARStateParks and #FirstDayHikes when sharing on social media too!