Start the new year outdoors with northwest Montana expedition
KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks invites the public to kick off the new year with a fun adventure during the First Day Hike Expedition and contest in northwest Montana, taking place Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at multiple state parks across the Flathead and Mission valleys.
Participants can earn points by completing activities throughout the day at participating parks and win prizes.
Participating parks include Flathead Lake State Park (all units), Lone Pine State Park, Somers Beach State Park, Whitefish State Park, Les Mason State Park, Lake Mary Ronan State Park, Logan State Park, and Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park.
First Day Hikes are a nationwide tradition encouraging people to start the year outdoors, and Montana’s parks offer a variety of winter-friendly opportunities, from hiking, snowshoeing, and wildlife tracking to photography, picnicking, and more.
How to Earn Points
Participants earn points by completing activities at participating state parks on January 1 and submitting photos as documentation. Activities are grouped by point value:
1-Point Activities
- Photograph and correctly identify wildlife tracks (one point per species).
- Identify trees or shrubs with a photo (one point per species).
- Collect litter that is not your own trash (one point per item).
2-Point Activities
- Earn points per mile, per person, hiked, ran, skied, or snowshoed.
- Create snow angels (or ground angels if snow is not present).
- Build a snow creature, with bonus points awarded for creativity.
5-Point Activities
- Have a picnic.
- Take a sunrise photo (must be time-stamped January 1, 2026).
- Go fishing, including ice fishing (if conditions are safe), gear fishing, or fly fishing.
- Build a campfire where permitted and in designated fire rings and make s’mores (fires must be fully extinguished before leaving).
- Draw what the landscape might look like in summer.
- Write one personal intention for 2026 inspired by the places visited during the day.
10-Point Activities
- Wade into a lake at least ankle deep (per person).
- Use an archery range at the Big Arm unit of Flathead Lake State Park or at Lone Pine State Park.
- Visit multiple parks (points awarded per park, with photos at entrance signs as proof).
Participate and Win Prizes
Photos, participant names, and miles traveled must be submitted by 6 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2026, to wayfarers@mt.gov to be eligible for prizes.
Prizes include:
1st Place: Two-night stay at a Flathead Lake State Park yurt or cabin
2nd Place: Two nights of camping at Logan State Park or Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park
3rd Place: $40 gift shop credit at Lone Pine State Park or Flathead Lake Ranger Station
4th Place: REI water bottle
Full rules, activity lists, and park details are available by contacting the Wayfarers State Park Ranger Station at 406-837-3041 ext. 0.
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