Sandy Point Sees Big Turnout For First Day Hike

By Maya Pottiger

On January 1, more than 200 people showed up to Sandy Point State Park for the annual First Day Hike.

“We expected a lot of people, but we got more than we expected,” said Claudia Padilla, a contractual park ranger at Sandy Point. “It was awesome how many people showed up.”

The hike is a 3.2-mile round trip path around the park. Since the First Day Hike is guided, Padilla gave information about the park and its offerings along the way.

“It’s a great way to kick off that New Year’s resolution. A lot of people are looking to get fit, so you can start exercising on day one with a hike,” said Melissa Acuti, chief of interpretations at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “It’s a great way to get outdoors, so it’s good for both your physical self and also that mental well-being of clearing your mind to start off the year new.”

Arnold resident Tema Encarnacion has often participated in the First Day Hike.
“It’s fun. It’s invigorating. It’s cold, and when you get back, you feel warm and cozy,” Encarnacion said. “I get to meet new people. It’s a good way to bring the year in.”

Though she usually visits Sandy Point weekly, Encarnacion said she enjoys the guided hikes.

“I go to different parts I’ve never been to,” Encarnacion said. “I like to go on the guided part; otherwise I miss out on new things.”

At the end of the hike, guests are invited to have warm drinks and mingle with their fellow hikers.

“To have that many people together, you’re physically walking into the new year,” Padilla said. “Being surrounded by everybody in a beautiful environment and everyone feels a positive energy, it’s like, ‘We’re in this together.’”

This was the seventh annual national event, which is sponsored by America’s State Parks. All 50 states participate in the national event, and Maryland joined seven years ago, Acuti said.

“I heard from a lot of people that they went to a different hike last year,” Padilla said. “Each year, they want to go to a new state park with the First Day Hike.”

Sandy Point State Park offers a variety of programs throughout the year. A volunteer project on Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be held at Severn Run from 9:00am to noon on January 21.

For more information on programs at Sandy Point State Park, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov.