First Day Hikes in our Virginia State Parks brought record participation in this eighth year. Our 38 parks reported 13,427 visitors came out to start the New Year on the right foot. We had hikers, bikers, horseback riders and, as I saw in a contest photo, at least one kayaker.

I was on hand at Contest Central (before you get the wrong idea, that's me sitting at my desk in my home office) responding to questions and hearing from a large number of visitors who shared some of their experiences with me. I heard about multi-generational hikes, hikes in memory of departed family members, family and friends gathering together, and even about one couple who started the New Year out by getting married on Cullers Overlook at Shenandoah River State Park. 

And now, for the contest results.

Race You To The Bottom by Emily Lolandes
Douthat State Park

First, the photo contest. Well you sure didn't make it easy for us. We received just under 1,700 submissions for this photo contest. To put that in perspective, that was more entries that we received for the 40 day contest we ran this past summer. We ended up practically splitting hairs over which photos made it to the prize level and which of those ended up with which prize. With a contest in the dead of winter a mostly cloudy day, the pictures that stood out were the ones with exceptional color or light, on top of great composition and subject matter.

Grand Prize Winners - $500 Gift Certificates

Christina Campbell	Walking the Beach	Leesylvania
Kemp Davis	Natural Wonder	Natural Bridge
Abbigale Duncan	Momma's On Molly's Knob	Hungry Mother
Emily Lolandes	Race You To The Bottom	Douthat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Momma's on Molly's Knob by Abbigale Duncan
Hungry Mother State Park

First Prize Winners - $250 Gift Certificates

Denise Andriola	Sky Meadows State Park	Sky Meadows
Kathryn Guy	Taking in the View	Sky Meadows
Matthew Harmon	Sunset Over the Shenandoah	Shenandoah River
Alexandra Moorecock	Sunrise on the Ocean Side	First Landing
Roderick Perkinson	Glad to Be Outside on New Year's Day	York River
Elizabeth Rumford	Camp Paradise Trail	High Bridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Prize Winners - $100 Gift Certificates

Elizabeth Allums	Jumping Into the New Year	Kiptopeke
Brenda Amaya	Friends By The Water	Mason Neck
Wayne Butler	First Light Enters the Wetlands	Caledon
Juan Limtiaco	Wispy Spanish Moss	First Landing
Lynne Stiefvater	Crossing the Stream	Sky Meadows
Melodie Wuorinen	Sky Meadows State Park Family Hike	Sky Meadows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Wonder by Kemp Davis
Natural Bridge State Park

Third Prize Winners - $66 Gift Certificates

Cindy Andrews	Coral-Pink	Powhatan
Rick Barton	Into The Rabbit Hole	Natural Tunnel
David Combs	York River Beach	York River
Bob Diller	Nature's Slow Goodbyes	York River
Carrie Jubb	First Day Squirrel Watch	Claytor Lake
Chris Peek	Keep Climbin' in 2019	Kiptopeke
Elizabeth Sandoz	Big Blue	Natural Bridge
Wayne Walk	It's Steele There	New River Trail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking the Beach by Christina Campbell
Leesylvania State Park

 

The New Year Challenge required hikers to commit to participate in a First Day Hike prior to midnight on Dec. 31, go out to one of our Virginia State Parks on Jan. 1, and then go back onto the contest site before the end of Jan. 1 and certify the Challenge was complete. We had 1,651 do the first step and 1,009 certify completion. Winners are randomly selected. The lucky winners are:

New Year Challenge Winners

Grand Prize	$500 Gift Certificate	Richard Kinder
1st Prize	$250 Gift Certificate	Olive Hake
2nd Prize	$100 Gift Certificate	Robert Pauley
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Shannon Millisor
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Nathan Evans
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Mitzi Jones
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Nancy Plunkett
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Lane Scharch
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Bethany Hake
3rd Prize	1000 Loyalty Points	Wendy Sterne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all that came out to share in our First Day Hikes. We hope to see you often this year and next year for the 2020 First Day Hikes. Thanks especially to those who participated in our contests and everyone who shared their experiences on social media. Winners will receive an email from me with their gift certificates (or information for the loyalty points award) within the next few days.

Here's the video with all of the winning contest photos.