On New Year’s Day, state parks across Oregon will once again offer free guided hikes. The annual tradition, called First Day Hikes, was canceled in 2021 due to the pandemic.
On Saturday, folks can participate in guided hikes at 15 popular state parks across the state. Parking fees will be waived at 25 areas that normally charge. A list of guided hikes, with times and meeting locations, is available at the Oregon State Parks website.
At state parks on the Oregon Coast, it’s prime time for whale watchers. This year state viewing sites won’t include guided tours, but the most popular observation facilities are open. Late December through mid-January is the ideal time to look for migrating gray whales as they head south for warmer waters.
The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay is closed, but the viewing deck on the outside of the building remains open.
Jan. 1 marks another important milestone for Oregon’s public lands. The state parks system turns 100 in 2022.
Oregon’s first state park began as a 5-acre land donation in 1922, and has now grown into a system encompassing over 100,000 acres. Centennial events include a community picnic at Oregon’s first state park, Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site in Monmouth, set for June 4.
Cottonwood Canyon State Park
Oregon State Parks