CAMDEN, Maine — Scores of Mainers no doubt slept off New Year's celebrations well into the morning Monday—and who could blame them?
But groups of hearty locals gathered Monday at four state parks spread across Maine for guided hikes—five state parks offered self-guided hikes.
Rangers, like Camden Hills State Park's Erik Hallsey, led the chilly excursions as temperatures dipped into the low-to-mid 20s.
The guided walkabouts are free, and are part of a national initiative called "First Day Hikes," where parks encourage Americans to get outdoors.
In Maine, during the quiet winter season, it’s also a reminder visitors can access many of the state's public lands year-round, including at Camden Hills State Park.
During the summer, Hallsey explained, the park is quite busy with hikers and bikers, and the attached campground has more than 100 sites.
"In the summer time it's like a small city in here," Hallsey explained as his group of nine hikers (and one dog) set off on a 2.5-mike jaunt—the climax of which provided 180+ degree views of downtown Camden, Penobscot Bay, and even the Rockland Breakwater in the distance.
For Tenants Harbor native Anne Hoppe, it was a chance to get a serene, uncrowded look at what so many tourists come for.
"I’m a native; I live here," she smiled. "But I hear, from everybody that visits here and vacations here, about all the hiking and explorations; adventures that they do. So, you hear about it all year long and think, 'hey, I should try some of that.'"
The New Year hikes are free, while Maine's state parks typically offer discounted rates for in-state visitors.
