Spend the first day on a hike

Ringwood — NJBG and Ringwood State Park invite all to start off the new year right and come on a free First Day Hike at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden, on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, at 1 p.m. Join NJBG’s Rich Cahayla-Wynne for an easy, family-friendly walk to welcome 2012. It’s great fun for all nature lovers ages 6 and up; younger children are welcome, but may need to be carried. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Wear warm, sturdy shoes and meet at the Carriage House Visitor Center. First Day Hikes are held annually on New Year's Day at state parks across the country, and are designed to encourage visitors to enjoy their state parks year-round, and to promote good health and exercise by working off those calories gained during the holidays. Ongoing snow cancels, but moderate snow on the ground won’t stop the group. In the winter, the Botanical Garden’s primary roads and parking lots are cleared and you’re invited to come enjoy the serene surroundings and the season’s special beauty. Or strap on your cross-country skis and come explore the Garden’s many meadows and woodland trails in a totally different way. The New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands, which appears on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places, is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Admission to the Garden is always free. Parking is also free in the fall, winter and spring.