Texans have spoken with their feet, quite literally, as Texas State Parks witnessed a record-smashing turnout this season. On the first of January, more than 8,700 outdoor enthusiasts marched, biked, and paddled across state parks, stacking up over 17,000 miles of sun-soaked revelry, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The State of Texas has become synonymous with breaking records, but this time is not about oil barrels or cattle counts, instead, it’s the trails that are getting trafficked, swarmed by families and solo adventurers alike – a strong start for 2024 after last year's numbers were upended, with Mother Neff State Park topping the attendance list, followed by the primeval grounds of Dinosaur Valley State Park.
#TexasStateParks break a new record for New Year's First Day Hikes!
— TX Parks & Wildlife (@TPWDnews) January 24, 2024
✅ 177 events
✅ 8,729 participants
✅ 17,284 miles hikes, biked, paddled and swam
Way to go, @TPWDParks 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Thank you to everyone who joined us!
Details at https://t.co/sYLUnm63yV pic.twitter.com/2w876aJ3yo
"What a pleasant surprise to hear that Texans came in droves to kick off the new year at a Texas State Park," Rodney Franklin, Director of Texas State Parks told the agency.
From Brazos Bend to Huntsville to Cedar Hill State Parks, the first day of 2024 caught a wave of enthusiasm that is rarely witnessed outside of a Friday night football game in Texas. Photos of these vibrant First Day Hikes can be glanced at on the department’s Flickr page.
For those late to the party, Texas’ outdoor buffet doesn’t shut down post-New Year's fanfare; a plethora of trails await at Texas State Parks, beckoning families for casual jaunts and challenging the rugged trailblazers with its variety. Would-be hikers can scope out their next excursion on TPWD’s website or the state park app, always at the ready for the next exploratory chapter in Texas’ sprawling outdoors.
