Start the New Year right, share a photo, get your friends to vote and you could win a week cabin stay in one of our Virginia State Parks!

If you haven't already decided on a plan to make 2013 healthier and happier, participating in one of our Virginia State Parks First Day Hikes is an excellent start. I know it takes a lot to get up and going on January 1 after an evening of celebrating, so here is an additional incentive:

Take a photograph on your hike or while you are at the park on January 1, 2013, share it (instructions below), ask your friends to vote for your photo, and you might win a week long cabin stay in any of our Virginia State Park cabins.  Get creative and get more votes!

One of the photos shared from the 2012 First Day Hikes

Contest details: Your photo must be taken at one of our Virginia State Parks on January 1, 2013. There are three ways to enter your photo into the contest.

1) CLICK HERE to upload your photo to Facebook. Please note you cannot just post your photo to our Facebook page the normal way, you must use the contact link. (Link will not allow uploads until 8 a.m. on January 1, 2013.

2) Tweet your photo by simply including the hashtag: #VSP1stDayHikes.

3) Enter from Instagram by including the hashtag: #VSP1stDayHikes.

When you upload your photo, you will receive a link that you can share with your friends and family to get them to vote for your photo.

You can enter only one photo for the contest so pick your best one. The great thing about digital photography is that it costs nothing to take a ton of pictures.

Photos can be uploaded starting 8 a.m. on January 1, 2013. The link works now but the entry section is disabled. To be eligible for the contest, your photo must be entered no later than noon on January 2, 2013 (the photo must have been taken on Jan. 1, 2013). Voting begins at 8 p.m. on January 1, 2013 and will end at midnight January 5, 2013.

First Day Hikes are a nationwide initiative of America's State Parks. A searchable list on First Day Hikes available across the country can be found here.

Sky Meadows State Park First Day Hikers

And here for the famous fine print:

We will award a Virginia State Park week cabin stay (up to a three bedroom cabin) for every 200 eligible photos entered in the contest (a minimum of one stay will be awarded). Stay must be used in one increment (e.g. you cannot reserve multiple stays that add to seven nights).

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO WIN

Eligibility: To enter, you must be at least 18 years of age. Photos must be taken at a Virginia State Park on January 1, 2013 and entered into the contest by noon on January 2, 2013. Photos taken at parks not managed by Virginia State Parks will be removed from the contest.

Dept. of Conservation and Recreation employees and their immediate family members are not eligible. Immediate family includes only spouses, parents and children. Only one photo may be entered. Only one vote per person will be counted. Prize(s) will be awarded to the photo(s) receiving the highest number of votes by midnight, January 5, 2013. We reserve the right to select a winner in the event of a tie. All decisions are final.

Inappropriate Content: Obscene, provocative or otherwise questionable content will not be considered. We retain sole discretion as to what constitutes inappropriate content.

Rights: By entering the contest, entrants agree to have their submitted name and photograph displayed on our website and used by us for any purpose, at any time, without any fee or other form of compensation. We reserve the right to disqualify users, without notice, and for any reason.