The First Day Hikes program, held annually in observance of the New Year s holiday at state parks in all 50 states, has surpassed 1 million miles hiked and 500,000 participants nationwide as of 2024.
Tennessee State Parks offer a great alternative to the frenzy of shopping on Black Friday by hosting the annual Day After Thanksgiving hikes at parks across the state.
Nashville Tennessean
There s a spot along the northern edge of the Lake Trail at Radnor Lake State Park where Steve Ward likes to sit and look out.
From the observation deck there, he can see the farthest peak that marks the end of the park, which is also a protected natural area. If you sit long enough, you may see a blue heron skimming the water for its next meal, an otter swimming by or goslings plodding along the shoreline.
Ward, the park manager, said he hopes people will find a sense of reverence and wonder when they visit the Nashville park. Even though it s a busy park, he also hopes it s a peaceful place where people can enjoy nearly 1,400 acres of woods, trails and creeks surrounding the lake.