ORACLE, Ariz. (KGUN) — Trail traffic is picking up, including on Nature Trail Loop at Oracle State Park.
Monday marked the park's annual First Day Hike, a special New Year's Day guided hike open to the public at a $7 fee (an annual pass also covers the cost).
“It’s just getting out there," said Park Manager Sinda Sutton. "I think that experience of having somebody who loves nature and has been a ranger showing you kind of your way, and then it kind of just gets a bug in them and you go from there.”
Attendees get some fresh air and learn about the land — park preservation work, plant varieties and the inhabiting wildlife.
Hikers on Monday spotted a deer, a diamondback rattlesnake and javelina prints.
"(They) also get that relief from the sound of the roadways and their busy lives, and really just enjoy the day," Sutton said. "That would be the biggest thing, just enjoy the start of this year."
Twelve parks across Arizona hosted First Day Hikes on Monday. Each one hosts its own events throughout the year which are posted on their respective websites.
Some hikers attend to launch their New Year’s fitness journeys, but others come to enjoy the scenery, like Sharon Briddon who moved to Arizona from New York four years ago.
"Everything is just beautiful here, that’s why I moved," she said. "The vistas were just gorgeous and nothing like we had back home."
Briddon's friend encouraged her to come to the hike and she said she's glad she agreed.
“Definitely give it a try. Take along a friend, get pushed by a friend. I got pushed," she laughed. "But don’t be afraid to take a chance.”
