If you are looking for a way to clear the cobwebs on New Year's Day, head to your local state park. The North Carolina park system's centennial celebration kicks off with 46 guided hikes.
State Park's Director Mike Murphy says the hikes will usher in a year of anniversary events planned throughout the state.
The state Division of Parks and Recreation says the offered hikes range from short leg stretchers to six-mile treks. The varied events include a photography hike, the unveiling of an art trail, scavenger hunts and a "polar plunge."
North Carolina's "First Day hikes" began at Eno River State Park in Durham and Orange counties more than 40 years ago. Last New Year's Day, nearly 3,000 visitors collectively walked more than 7,000 miles on state park trails.