KALISPELL — Despite the snow, it’s time to get outside and hike at your local state park for the 10th annual national First Day Hike.
The First Day Hike is put on by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks every year on January 1st.
The goal of the event is to get people outside and enjoy all the Montana outdoors has to offer.
Region 1 Montana FWP, which encompasses the Flathead and Mission Valleys, makes the first day hike even more fun by providing a list of activities like wading in to Flathead Lake, making a snow angel, fishing and much more, that earn explorers' points and some awesome prizes provided by FWP.
“When we started doing it, I started hearing back from people that people had their favorite parks. But by doing this, it kind of gets them out, they get exposure to a lot of our different parks, because you get more points the more parks you go to. So, people are looking for family things to do the first of the year and it's just a reason to get people outside. That's really, you know, one of our core missions is to get people outside and enjoy the outdoors,” said Brian Schwartz, Recreation Manager at Lone Pine State Park District.
On the first day of 2025, all the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park, State Park sites: Flathead Lake (all units), Lone Pine, Whitefish, Lake Mary Ronan, Les Meson, Logan, Thompson Chain of Lake and Somers Beach State Parks.
To earn points, you must take a photograph of each activity and submit via email to wayfarers@mt.gov. All activities must occur at one of the participating parks listed above on January 1st, 2025. Photos, names of participants, and miles hiked/ran must be submitted via email to wafarers@mt.gov by 6 PM on January 3 to be entered to win prizes.
Point breakdown:
1 Point categories:
• Wildlife Pictures
o 1 point species and extra point for proper identification.
• Tree/shrub Identification
o 1 point per species you correctly ID with picture.
2 Point categories:
• Per mile, per person hiked/ran/skied/snowshoed.
• Per snow angel (or other angel if no snow is present).
• Per snow creature, extra points are awarded for creativity.
5 Point categories:
• Having a picnic
• Sunrise Picture
o Must be time stamped with January 1st, 2025
• Sledding
• Fishing
o Ice fishing (if safe ice available) or gear fishing or fly fishing.
• Making a campfire (where permitted and only in designated fire rings) and having S’mores
o Please remember to drown your fires before you leave to your next adventure.
10 Point Categories:
• Per person for wading into a lake at least ankle deep.
• Utilizing one of the archery ranges, Big Arm unit of Flathead Lake State Park or Lone Pine State Park.
• Per Park that you travel to.
o Picture of you at the entrance signs as proof.
1st place
Two nights at either Big Arm Unit of FHLSP yurt or Finley Point Unit of FHLSP cabin
2nd place
Two nights of camping at Logan State Park or Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park
3rd place
$40 at either Lone Pine State Park or Flathead Lake Ranger Station gift shop
For more information on the expedition call the Ranger Station at Wayfarers: (406) 837-3041 ext. 0
