More than 30 state parks will offer First Day Hikes

WASHTUNCA — The most convenient, and economical location for local visitors wanting to see a Washington State Park may be Palouse Falls State Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on New Year’s Day with free admission and opportunity to join a photo scavenger hunt.

Park officials could not be contacted for details.

Palouse Falls State Park is reached by picking up State Route 261 after Washtucna, and the destination is about 45 miles from Ritzville, on the way to Lyons Ferry Marina.

Palouse Falls is Washington’s official state waterfall.

Throughout the state park system, more than 30 state parks will host staff-led and self-guided hikes, snowshoe excursions, trail rides, polar plunges, scavenger hunts, and more on New Year’s Day only.

First Day Hikes events vary in difficulty, ranging from smooth, flat, ADA-accessible trails to moderate hill climbs. Several hikes will include talks with rangers, which allow attendees to learn about the park’s history and natural resources.

Last year, more than 1,700 participants hiked, biked and snow shoed over 2,900 miles of trails in Washington State Parks.

The state parks website cautions, “Most First Day Hikes require advanced registration, and group sizes may be limited.”

Visitors will not need a Discover Pass to park on state recreation lands on Jan. 1.

Carved more than 13,000 years ago, the Palouse River runs through a narrow cataract and drops 200 feet at Palouse Falls into a churning bowl. From there, the water current moves swiftly through a winding gorge of columnar basalt, to its southern end at the Snake River.

The park offers three distinct views of the falls. The lower viewpoint provides a direct view that is reached by a set of steps from the main day-use area adjacent to the parking lot. The second, at the end of a paved interpretive path, explains the history of the secluded canyon. Both the interpretive path and gravel secondary parking area lead to the third and highest viewpoint, the Fryxell Overlook. This overlook offers panoramic views of the falls and Palouse River Canyon.