All across the country, people can welcome 2025 with an inspirational “First Day Hike” on New Year’s Day. Georgia’s State Park and Historic Site rangers are offering more than 70 guided adventures where participants can connect with friends, family and the great outdoors. Visitors can choose from a variety of distances and difficulties, from kid-friendly strolls to heart-pumping treks and even wheelchair accessible trails. Participants will go home with a First Day Hikes sticker to commemorate their accomplishment as part of this nationwide movement.

With the holiday season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning a holiday gift list. This year, consider giving the gift of the outdoors to friends and family, with experiences that offer the thrill of nature and adventure. From waterfalls and lakes to yurts and cozy cabins, Georgia’s State Parks & Historic Sites provide unforgettable outdoor gifts and experiences for every type of nature lover.

The Georgia Board of Natural Resources today named the first commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Joe D. Tanner, as the 2024 recipient of the Rock Howard Conservation Achievement Award for environmental conservation.

Georgia’s State Parks continue to enhance accessibility in new and innovative ways, with the latest addition being EnChroma colorblind glasses at three of its most popular destinations: Cloudland Canyon, Sweetwater Creek and Skidaway Island state parks. Just in time to capture late fall foliage, visitors with red-green color vision deficiencies (colorblindness) can better experience vibrant autumn hues for the first time.

All-terrain wheelchairs among the many accessibility improvements.