Hundreds of people spent the afternoon at Canoe Creek State Park in Blair County to enjoy the First Day Hike.

The hike is part of a national initiative to get people out to enjoy the beauty of the natural environment around them.

It’s also a way to promote physical fitness.

Area state parks offer a variety of recreational opportunities to those they serve at no cost to visitors.

Heidi Mullendore Environmental Education Specialist at Canoe Creek State Park, said, “A lot of people like to come out to the park on any given day of the year to experience their hikes, and the natural beauty of the scenery. The Pennsylvania State Park system is free to people who want to come visit. So, any state park goes not charge for admission to come hiking for the day.”

The Friends of Canoe Creek State Park were also on hand answering questions about the history of the park and providing information on how people can join the effort to help maintain it.