Start off the new year with some fresh air.
Ontario Parks is encouraging residents to visit a provincial park on Jan. 1, as part of its First Day Hike initiative. The event promotes a “year-long embrace of health and happiness in the outdoors,” according to a media release from the government agency.
Hiking also offers health benefits by reducing the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. As well, it can burn calories, increase your attention span and lower stress levels.
“You’ll feel great after spending some time in the frosty fresh air to ring in 2024,” the release says. “Hiking during the winter can be fun as long as you plan ahead, be prepared and dress for the conditions. Let this mark the beginning of a healthy lifestyle for the whole family.”
There will be 31 parks in operation across Ontario that day. So take a self-guided walk at a close one like Adjala-Tosorontio’s Earl Rowe or Midhurst’s Springwater. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and Sutton’s Sibbald Point will also host special events.
At Wasaga Beach, the nordic and trail centre will host snowshoeing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on New Year's Day. Enjoy up to 10 kilometres of snowshoe trails ranging between beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Snowshoe rentals will be available. Complimentary hot chocolate, a campfire, and a scavenger hunt will be available to everyone who attends.
And visit Sibbald Point for an evening journey along the Maidenhair Fern Trail, lit only by fire and the stars. This takes more than an hour to complete, depending on hiking pace. Walk between the hours of 6:30 and 9 p.m. on your own or join a guided hike led by the discovery team that will begin at 6:30 p.m. Staff recommend bringing your own snowshoes, but they are optional based on snowfall amounts.
For more information or a full list of open sites, visit ontarioparks.com.
