First Day Hikes 2027 in the Texas Hill Country: Where to Start the Year
New Year’s Day 2027 is a Friday, and Hill Country state parks have First Day Hikes on the books for it. You can do the guided ones at Blanco, Inks Lake or Government Canyon, the self-guided ones at Lost Maples or Guadalupe River, or a midnight hike at Inks Lake on New Year’s Eve. Almost all of them are free once you’ve paid to get into the park. The thing that actually trips people up is the day pass: book it online ahead of time, because the popular parks fill on holidays.
The only thing about a new year that I think rings true is that you want to start it on the right foot. Or the right hike, if you’d rather. New Year’s Day in Texas is usually not that terrifying, weather-wise, and it’s a great day to stretch your limbs. I love exploring the parks around our ranch, and January 1 is as good an excuse as any.
What is a First Day Hike?
A First Day Hike is a New Year’s Day hike that state parks across the country host on January 1. In Texas, TPWD runs two kinds: ranger- or volunteer-led group hikes at a set time, and self-guided ones where you walk any trail and log your miles at headquarters. Most cost nothing beyond the park entrance fee, and some parks hand out a sticker for reporting your miles.
TPWD lists every park’s event on one page, the First Day Hikes calendar. It covers the whole state, though, and it won’t tell you which ones are worth the drive from here.
Hill Country First Day Hikes 2027 at a glance
| Park | When | Type | Distance | Adult entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inks Lake (midnight) | Thu Dec 31, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Ranger-guided, registration required | 1.2 mi | $7 |
| Inks Lake | Fri Jan 1, 10 a.m. to noon | Ranger-guided | 1.2 mi | $7 |
| Blanco | Fri Jan 1, 10 to 11 a.m. | Ranger-led | 0.8 mi round trip | $5 (ages 13+) |
| Government Canyon | Fri Jan 1, four hikes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Guided, first 15 per hike | 2 to 5 mi | $6 |
| Lost Maples | Fri Jan 1, during headquarters hours | Self-guided | Any trail | $6 (over 12) |
| Guadalupe River | Fri Jan 1, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Self-guided | Any trail | $7 |
| Enchanted Rock | Last year: Dec 31 at 11:15 p.m. and Jan 1 at 10 a.m. | Ranger-guided summit hikes | 0.8 mi (Summit Trail) | $8 |
Kids 12 and under get in free at every park here. A Texas State Parks Pass covers entry for the pass holder.
The guided hikes (show up at a set time)
Inks Lake State Park: the midnight hike and the morning one
Inks Lake is the place to be if you want to hike into the new year. Rangers lead the 1.2-mile Lake Trail from 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m., meeting at the Lake Trail parking lot beside the old headquarters. It’s free with park admission, but you do have to register, by email, with the number of hikers in your party. The address is on the event page. TPWD also says to buy your day pass online ahead of time to guarantee you get in.
If staying up isn’t the plan, the same 1.2-mile Lake Trail runs again on New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at the same lot at 9:45. No registration for that one. TPWD rates the trail moderate, with limited elevation gain.
Blanco State Park: the short one
Blanco’s is a ranger-led, 0.8-mile round trip on the Caswell Trail from 10 to 11 a.m. You meet at the Caswell Trailhead at 10. The park’s own listing says “No need to register—just show up!” Entry is $5 per person 13 and up. It’s the easiest hike on this list, and it’s in town, so you can get lunch afterward without driving anywhere.
Government Canyon State Natural Area: four hikes, 15 people each
Government Canyon, on the northwest edge of San Antonio, has the biggest New Year’s lineup in the region. All four hikes are free once you’re in ($6 adult entry). Each one is capped at the first 15 people to check in, and the park says outright that reserving a day pass does not guarantee you a spot on a hike. Get there early.
- Tails to the Trails, 9 to 11 a.m.: a guided dog walk, about 2.25 miles on the Savannah Loop. Leashed dogs only. Be at the Frontcountry Trailhead in Lot C by 8:45, because the hike leaves at 9 sharp.
- Family-Friendly Morning Hike, 10 a.m. to noon: a little over 2 miles on the Savannah Loop, for parents or grandparents with kids. Check in at the Frontcountry Trailhead between 9:30 and 9:45. No pets.
- What a View!, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: about 4 miles on the Bluff Spurs Trail with “a fair amount of elevation gain.” Ages 10 and up, and anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian. Check in between 10:30 and 10:45. Bring two liters of water per person.
- Trek to the Tracks, 1 to 5 p.m.: a guided 5-mile round trip out to the dinosaur tracks. Meet at the Rainwater Tower outside the Visitor Center. Ages 8 and up.
Government Canyon’s day passes open for reservation one month before your visit, which puts New Year’s Day passes on sale around December 1.
The self-guided hikes (go whenever you want)
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Lost Maples is doing a self-guided First Day Hike on January 1, 2027, open while headquarters is open, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hike any trail you like, then report your miles at headquarters for a sticker. It’s free with admission, and day passes are $6 for anyone over 12.
This is the one closest to me, and the one I’d pick. My favorite is the East Trail with the detour out to the Scenic Overlook, about a third of a mile each way, where you look down over the Sabinal River valley. TPWD rates the 3.1-mile East Trail challenging, with a couple of steep stretches, rocky slopes and creek crossings, so give it the three hours the park suggests. By New Year’s the bigtooth maples have dropped their leaves. The junipers and live oaks on the hillsides stay green, though, and the crowds that come for fall color in November are gone. My full Lost Maples guide covers the trails, parking and the drive in.
Guadalupe River State Park
Guadalupe River’s self-guided hikes run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Pick any trail, then stop at headquarters to record your miles and get a sticker. Entry is $7 for adults, and kids 12 and under are free. It’s an easy add to a Boerne lunch, since Boerne is the nearest town of any size.
Enchanted Rock
Last New Year’s, Enchanted Rock ran two: a ranger-guided Midnight Summit hike that started at 11:15 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and a guided summit hike at 10 a.m. on January 1. Both went up the 0.8-mile Summit Trail from the gazebo at the trailhead, and both were free with park admission ($8 adult). Times are on the park’s First Day Hikes page.
Whether or not there’s a formal event, Enchanted Rock on a holiday is the park most likely to turn you away at the gate. TPWD’s own page says to reserve passes online to guarantee entry, and it won’t honor a pass with the wrong date when it’s busy. If you’ve never done the dome, here’s my honest guide to hiking Enchanted Rock.
Other Hill Country parks for a New Year’s hike
You don’t need an organized event to make it a First Day Hike. Pedernales Falls, Garner, South Llano River, Colorado Bend, Kerrville-Schreiner and Hill Country State Natural Area all make a good January 1 hike on your own. Check each park’s page for holiday hours and anything new on its event calendar.
How to actually get in on New Year’s Day
Reserve the day pass. TPWD says its most popular parks fill months in advance and recommends reserving day passes, “especially on weekends and holidays.” Pay online through the state parks reservation system. Same-day reservations can’t be refunded, and customer service is closed on major holidays, so don’t count on calling the morning of.
The event and the entry are separate. Most First Day Hikes don’t need registration, but the park still needs to let you in. Inks Lake’s midnight hike is the exception: it needs both.
Dress for the front, not the forecast. A Hill Country New Year’s can be shorts weather or an ice morning, and sometimes the trip in is one and the trip home is the other. Layer up, and bring more water than you think you need, especially for anything with a climb.
January in the Hill Country usually means highs around 60 and lows right around freezing, so a 9 a.m. start can be near freezing and the walk back to the car can be in the 60s. Wear layers you can peel off: a base layer, a fleece or a light puffer, and a windbreaker if a front is coming in. Go with long pants over shorts, since Hill Country trails are rocky and brushy. Wear real hiking shoes, because several of these trails cross creeks on loose limestone. Bring a hat and gloves for the morning, and something warm in a thermos for afterward. TPWD’s Lost Maples page suggests a quart of water per hour on the trail, even when it’s cold.
If you’re putting together a longer list of things to do out here this year, my Texas Hill Country bucket list is a decent place to start.
First Day Hikes FAQ
Are First Day Hikes free in Texas?
The hikes themselves are free. You still pay the park’s normal entrance fee, which runs $5 to $8 per adult at the Hill Country parks listed here. Kids 12 and under get in free, and a Texas State Parks Pass covers entry for the pass holder.
Do I need to register for a First Day Hike?
Usually not. Of this year’s Hill Country hikes, Inks Lake’s New Year’s Eve midnight hike is the one that requires registration. Government Canyon caps each hike at the first 15 people to check in, so arriving early does the work registration would.
Can I bring my dog on a First Day Hike?
Government Canyon’s 9 a.m. Tails to the Trails hike is built for leashed dogs. Its family hike is no-pets. For the other parks, follow each park’s normal pet rules, and check the event page before you load up the dog.
When does TPWD post the First Day Hikes list?
Parks add their events through the fall and early winter, and some don’t post until December. TPWD’s statewide First Day Hikes calendar is the place to check.
Times and fees can change, so check the park’s event page the week before you go.
