State parks say ‘take a hike’ Jan. 1

Mississippi is joining the rest of the nation in the fourth annual First Day Hike at a state park to celebrate the new year.

All 50 states are participating in the guided outdoor adventures. Last year, more than 27,000 people covered around 66,000 miles on 885 hikes in state parks across the country.

All of Mississippi’s state park nature trails will be open to the public on New Year’s Day for recreation, nature viewing and photography. In addition, staff at Tishomingo State Park will host a guided hike beginning at 10 a.m. on Jan. 1. Hikers will meet at Loochapola Lodge and will hike the two mile Outcroppings Trail and meet back at the Lodge for refreshments.

To see what Mississippi's state parks have to offer, visit www.mdwfp.com, or for more information about Tishomingo's First Day Hike contact the park at (662) 438-6914.

You also can follow the parks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.