Goose Creek State Park is inviting residents to lace up their hiking boots and join park officials on a hike to kick off the New Year.

Dubbed the First Day Hike, an opportunity to launch the New Year with exercise, family adventure and a reconnection with nature, the event will mark the fifth year since its inception, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. The tradition has facilitated North Carolinians to walk more than 17,000 miles on state park trails during past First Day Hike events.

Goose Creek will celebrate the event on three of its trails through the pine forest along the Pamlico River, according to Doug Lequire, park superintendent. Hikers have the option of walking the 0.3-mile Live Oak Trail, the 0.2-mile Huckleberry Trail, the mile-long Mallard Creek Trail or all of them, Lequire said.

“Every park is required to do a First Day Hike,” Lequire said. “Some will vary in difficulty. Here, it will be easy. We’ve broken it into a three-stage trail. There’s an exit point at all three locations so you can do one or two or all three. A lot of parks throughout the country, I believe, do a First Day Hike on New Year’s Day.”

In North Carolina, there are 46 guided hikes scheduled for New Year’s Day, ranging from short “leg stretchers” to six-mile treks, many of them including interpretive programs by rangers along the way.

“The year 2016 will be a special one for state parks in North Carolina as we celebrate our 100th anniversary with events throughout the state. Spending some quality time with friends and family in these stunning landscapes is a perfect way to begin that celebration,” said Mike Murphy, state parks director, in a press release.

Across the nation, First Day Hikes are promoted by the America’s State Parks and the National Association of State Park Directors with more than 400 hikes scheduled in state parks across the country. Last year, nearly 28,000 people rang in the New Year by collectively hiking over 66,000 miles, according to NCDPR.

Hikers should dress appropriately for walking and meet in the last parking lot at 2 p.m.

A complete list of First Day Hikes in North Carolina can be found at www.ncparks.gov/first-day-hikes. For more information about the Goose Creek First Day Hike, call the park at 252-923-2191.