Stay updated with breaking news from Maryland welcomes. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Maryland Welcomes 16,000 Hikers to First Weekend of 2021 January 8, 2021 Annual First Day Hike Tradition Adapts and Grows Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford and Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio take a First Day Hike at Patapsco Valley State Park. Photo by Joe Andrucyk The Maryland Department of Natural Resources estimates that 16,237 visitors took part in First Day Hikes in Maryland State Parks during the three-day period from January 1-3, 2021. Following safety provisions to prevent spread of COVID-19, and taking advantage of the long New Year’s weekend, hikers engaged in self-guided hikes over three days. The three-day weekend and staggered hiking times reduced crowd size and also provided a vast array of weather conditions at parks from around the state visitors braved everything from rain, sleet, and cold, to unusually warm temperatures. ....