Hundreds of Hoosiers gathered at Fort Harrison State Park for a First Day Hike on Wednesday.
First Day Hikes mark the start of the year and are meant to help hikers reconnect with nature and focus on their resolutions.
These hikes happen in all 50 states, and several were hosted at state parks all across Indiana.
"It is a tradition for a lot of people," said Emilie Sweet, the park's interpretive naturalist. "But I love seeing people make new traditions as well."
Besty Alt was one of the hikers. She participates every year.
"So many people come, and it's just a really nice way to commune with other people," Alt explained. "It's just that feeling, I think, of being able to come together. We're all out here enjoying this."
Alt says her resolution for 2025 is to invest in new hiking equipment and try to hike once or twice a week.
"My favorite part about today is hearing everyone's New Year's resolutions," Sweet said. "Some people like to set hiking goals for themselves."
Other young hikers were just getting introduced to the trails.
"It was really fun," said an excited Esther Stevens. "We hiked on a really long trail."
Stevens was there with the rest of her family.
"We saw lots of trees, and we walked over a lot of bridges," she continued. "It was very muddy."
Stevens giggled as she showed off her muddy boots.
Luckily for hikers, the rain and snow ended for the hike, but it was cold.
The park had hot cocoa and cookies waiting for hikers to help them get warm again.
For many, the day wasn't about these treats.
"It's beautiful out here," Alt described. "You can just hear the wind through the trees, and even though there are hundreds of people out here, it's just really peaceful."
This peace for Alt is a welcome escape.
"The world is so tough right now," she said. "You step aside to let someone come through, and you wish everyone a happy New Year, and have a moment where you're letting people know it's slippery up ahead."
During the hike, you could hear a chorus of people exchanging "Happy New Year" sentiments with one another.
