What a blessing it is to me to get the opportunity to reach a mass of people and wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thank you to all the Leader readers who I encounter throughout the year who tell me they read my ramblings regularly.
Because of the need for advanced registration, I have to write about the next holiday on this special occasion. I looked back at my photographic evidence to confirm that my first First Day Hike was more than 20 years ago. It was cold on January 1, 2004, when a small group of area residents met at Mastodon State Historic Site in Imperial for a Sunrise Stroll.
I am glad to see that the Jefferson County gem is back on the schedule this year, with two separate hikes at 10 a.m. It is also nice that the hikes don’t start at 7 a.m. this year. That was a refreshing walk, but giving the sun a couple of hours to heat the atmosphere is certainly a good call, and it’s especially an important consideration the morning after New Year’s Eve reveling.
All Missouri State Parks First Day Hikes require advanced registration, so that participants can be notified in case of inclement weather. Obviously that’s a possibility this time of year.
The two, free guided hikes at Mastodon are designed to be all inclusive. The 0.8-mile walk along the Spring Branch Trail is described as “a relaxing stroll.” The 2-mile climb of the Limestone Hill Trail is labeled as “an invigorating challenge.” According to the park’s invitation, the two events are “the perfect way to start your year – surrounded by nature, history and community.”
Links to online registration can be found at mostateparks.com. Mastodon State Historic Site is at 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive, but the Spring Branch Hike will depart from its trailhead at 1800 Seckman Road. For more information call 636-464-2976.
The state lists 34 First Day Hike opportunities including eight that are close enough to call in the Jefferson County region. Options exist at Edmund Babler Memorial State Park in Wildwood, First State Capitol Historic Site and Katy Trail State Park in St. Charles, Hawn State Park in Ste. Genevieve County, Meramec State Park in Sullivan, Missouri Mines State Historic Site and St. Joe State Park in Park Hills, St. Francois State Park in Bonne Terre, and Robertsville State Park.
I considered adding Onondaga Cave State Park in Leasburg to the Jefferson County collection, but its event is interesting enough to stand alone. The First Day Hike there is actually on a remote piece of property near Bourbon. While the name of that town always gets my attention, the name of the road to access the hike scores its own points.
The 10 a.m. hike begins at the Vilander Bluff trailhead, along Thickety Ford Road, about 30 minutes east of the cave property. Vilander Bluff Natural Area is a 206-acre tract, and its namesake is considered the highest bluff along the Meramec River. The area is known for its eastern red cedars, which are estimated to be up to 500 years old, growing out of the rocks along the bluff.
My map app says Onondaga (also fun to say) Cave State Park is about an hour and a half from home, but the First Day Hike provides an excellent opportunity to expand your horizons. Over the past 20 years, I have completed New Year’s Day hikes in Illinois, Indiana and Texas.
Earlier this fall we stopped at Wolf Creek State Park in Shelby County on our return from the Amish country in Arthur, Illinois. That trek is one of 16 scheduled by the Illinois State Parks. Admittedly the weather was probably better on November 1 than it will be on January 1, but our walk ended with a stunning sunset over Lake Shelbyville.
The First Day Hikes are a tradition started in 1992 by the America’s State Parks Foundation. It went nationwide in 2012. To find a hike in any of the 50 states go to stateparks.org. Hikers are also reminded to share images on social media with the #FirstDayHikes tag and #MOStateParks if you stay local.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.