First Day Hike at Kiptopeke State Park in Virginia
On January 1, 2012, Virginia State Parks, along with several other state park systems, participated in The First Day Hike in order to promote physical health and activity. On this day, Virginians took time out of their hectic schedules and visited Virginia State Parks to experience fresh air, good exercise, and unseasonably warm weather.
My friend, Zachary Hunter, and I decided that since January 1st was on a weekend, we’d spend the whole weekend hiking, biking, and jogging in state parks. We celebrated the end of December by hiking all day on the trails of First Landing State Park and a walk along the beach front.
Sunday, the day of the First Day Hike, we decided to spend our day partaking in activities within Kiptopeke State Park. We began by biking to the meeting site, where assistant manager, Daniel Jordan led us on a hike on several trails towards Taylor Pond. During the day, hikers were able to enjoy seeing birds in their natural habitat, grazing deer, and several other wildlife animals that reside in the park.
After the hike, Zach and I biked through Raptor trail, Songbird trail, and across many other pathways. Eventually when the sun was beginning to lower, we biked on Mockingbird trail towards the Bayview Overlook to watch the beginning of the sunset. I have to say that Mockingbird trail has to be my favorite trail in the park so far. Many park visitors miss this trail because it is a little out of the way, but it is completely worth finding because of the lookout’s incredible view of the ocean.
Because we were feeling like health-nuts that day, we decided that we wanted to end the day jogging on Kiptopeke’s beach. There is really nothing more peaceful than a quiet jog on the beach at sunset with one of your best friends. There were no strong winds and the late evening air was still extremely warm, especially considering the time of year. As we ran, we passed by sand pipers and gulls scuttling down the shore line.
The First Day Hike is something that I view as a beginning of getting even more active and connect with the environment through these state parks. If I feel that I am too busy or that it’s not worth going out, I try to make myself remember that it’s my health that I’m handling. America’s State Parks are always there to visit and maintain a positive physical and emotional health.
Check out the video below:
Published: 01/10/2012
