What better way to start off 2025 than a walk in nature?
Land trusts across Cape Cod have teamed up to provide a full schedule of free, guided hikes for New Year's Day.
CAI's Gilda Geist spoke to Sue Dahling Sullivan—director of communication and programs for the Barnstable Land Trust—to find out what's in store for this year's First Day Hikes Cape Cod.
Gilda Geist What is First Day Hikes Cape Cod?
Sue Dahling Sullivan First Day Hikes is a regional celebration, celebrating January 1st as the beginning of a new year. It started four years ago as a coalition of land trusts talked about how we could all work together. And it was inspired by a national program that actually started in Massachusetts decades ago, which happens in state parks across the nation. It occurred to me, why [don't] more people do first day hikes that aren't state parks? And so we started in 2022 with 11 events and eight organizations. And in 2025, we're so excited to offer 18 programs offered by 16 different organizations.
GG What is something new or special this year that folks can look forward to with First Day Hikes Cape Cod?
SDS We have some ever-popular, evergreen programs with some sunrise hikes. We go to beaches on the bay side and the Nantucket Sound side. But this year, we're adding a new walk that's going to be by the Nye Museum and the Sandwich Conservation Trust that will go along a historic cart way path near the creek. And we have a photography walk, which is new.
We have a program that debuted last year that the Native Land Conservancy is doing along the Mashpee River path. That's been really popular. And even places like Falmouth at Highfield Hall, Beebe Woods, they always get a big group and they divide into smaller groups, and they're going to add a family version for that so that it can be sort of right sized and right paced for people with kids of all ages. So those are a few of the newer things to look for.
There's also some new properties that different groups are looking to highlight. So even if you went to some up first day hikes last year, there'll be some new locations to explore and learn about this year.
GG How can people find information on which hikes will be accessible for people with disabilities or people who are maybe just looking for an easier hike?
SDS We try in the descriptions to sort of put if it's going to be strenuous or not. This year, one of the nice benefits or offshoots of the growing popularity of First Day Hikes Cape Cod, is that the conservation community also launched this year a community calendar, so that you can go to one place throughout the year—not just during first day hikes—and explore what kinds of programs are being offered. Trails, hikes, photography, classes that might be in nature, etc., in one place. Because we found that people had to go to Barnstable Land Trust, or Chatham, or to Brewster or to Falmouth, and this way you can sort of see everything that's happening in a chronological way. So if you go to almost any land trust website, you'll see a button where you can see all of the programs, and then they'll say how hard it is, how easy it is, etc.
GG I wonder if you think there's any particular hike that highlights an underrated hiking spot on Cape Cod?
SDS You know, that would be hard. It's like picking your favorite child. One of the reasons we did First Day Hikes was to encourage people to maybe cross over town lines to places that they haven't discovered. So whereas locals might be very familiar with a certain trail or a certain property, if you're not from that area, it will seem new and undiscovered. So I just highly encourage people to start really taking advantage of Cape Cod's greatest asset, which is the great outdoors.