New year, fresh air

All the Texas parks hosting 'first day hikes' on New Year’s Day 2026

This beats the stair-stepper at the gym any day.

Photo courtesy of San Marcos CVB

Here's a way to start your health-focused new year's resolutions that won't make you want to hit the snooze button on January 1: Plan a "first day hike."

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, First Day Hikes is a nationwide program to encourage hiking on New Year's Day. State parks near Dallas and throughout Texas are offering the chance for people of all ages and fitness levels to stretch their legs and explore the great outdoors on the first day of 2026.

"First day hikes vary from short, leisurely nature walks on forested trails; boardwalk strolls through wetlands or to the beach; or climbs into the mountains of the Chihuahuan Desert," the agency says on its website. "Some first day hikes aren't hikes at all: We also lead bike rides, paddling tours, and maybe even horseback rides. Choose the event that's right for you."

State parks offer both guided and self-guided hikes on January 1. If you choose a self-guided hike, look for tables or stop at headquarters for hike information and maps, they advise. "After your hike, stop back by to report on your hike and collect a memento of your visit," they say.

Note that most state parks charge an entry fee or day use fee. For those who plan to visit several times throughout the year, a Texas State Parks Pass could help save money.

Here are all the Texas state parks offering first-day hikes on January 1, 2026, clustered by region. All are self-guided walking hikes that do not require registration, unless otherwise indicated. Find out more details about each one here.

North Texas

Ray Roberts Lake State Park (Johnson Branch & Isle du Bois. Guided and unguided hikes.)
Eisenhower State Park
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway (Guided hike)
Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site
Palo Pinto Mountains State Park (Registration required)
Lake Whitney State Park (Guided mindful walk)
Bonham State Park (Guided hike)
Lake Arrowhead State Park
Purtis Creek State Park
Possum Kingdom State Park

East Texas & Piney Woods

Tyler State Park (Guided tour)
Daingerfield State Park
Lake Tawakoni State Park
Martin Creek Lake State Park (Birding hike)
Atlanta State Park (Guided hike)
Mission Tejas State Park
Caddo Lake State Park
Cooper State Park (South Sulphur & Doctors Creek. Hike or bike.)
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park (Guided and unguided hikes)
Village Creek State Park

Hill Country & Central Texas

Honey Creek State Natural Area (Registration required.)
Blanco State Park
Guadalupe River State Park
Palmetto State Park (Self-guided hike and sunrise bird hike)
Lockhart State Park
Pedernales Falls State Park (Guided hike)
Government Canyon State Natural Area
Lake Somerville State Park
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Inks Lake State Park (Guided hike)
Old Tunnel State Park (Guided hike)Hill Country State Natural Area (Gu
Hill Country State Natural Area (Gu ided hike)
Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site (First Day Bird Walk)
Dinosaur Valley State Park (Guided hike)
Meridian State Park (Story Book Stroll)
Colorado Bend State Park (Guided hike)
Lake Brownwood State Park
Bastrop State Park (Ranger-guided birding)
Buescher State Park

Gulf Coast & Coastal Bend

Galveston Island State Park (Sunrise beach walk with a ranger.)
Mustang Island State Park (Ranger-guided walk at sunrise.)
Goose Island State Park (Bird hikes)
Sea Rim State Park (First Day Paddle)
Brazos Bend State Park (Guided hike)
Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center (Guided hike and dog walk)
Huntsville State Park (Chinquapin Challenge)
Lake Livingston State Park (Guided hike)
Stephen F. Austin State Park

South Texas & Rio Grande Valley

Falcon State Park (Guided hike)
Choke Canyon State Park
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Goliad State Park & Historic Site (Guided hikes)
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
Resaca de la Palma State Park
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park

West Texas & Panhandle

Palo Duro Canyon State Park (Guided and unguided hikes.)
Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway
Copper Breaks State Park
Abilene State Park
San Angelo State Park
Big Spring State Park (Guided hike)
Davis Mountains State Park
Franklin Mountains State Park
Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site
Big Bend Ranch State Park (including Chinati Mountains)
Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site (Guided and unguided)

state parks new year's day new years exercise hiking

ready for the future

United Airlines opens largest lounge in U.S. at major Texas airport

Courtesy of United

The United Club has two bars.

A stopover or trip out of Houston just got more luxurious for some fliers. After nearly three years of construction, the new Terminal B North Concourse serving United Airlines is finally open at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Part of a $2.6 billion renovation project, the terminal features a big new club, modern design, and premium amenities that should make traveling considerably more pleasant.

"The roads that were backed up, the lines out the door? Those days are behind us," said Phil Griffith, vice president of Houston Hub for United.

Terminal B was last updated in 1969, long before many of the accommodations and luxuries travelers now take for granted were common. The updated terminal features 22 new gates, a low sensory room, and comfortable seating complete with charging stations at nearly every chair. Even the bathrooms are exceptional, with more floor space than a one-bedroom apartment, full sized wooden stall doors for extra privacy, and sleek fixtures.

The renovation's crowning jewel is the new United Club located upstairs, touted by United as the largest club of any airline in the Americas. Houston Mayor John Whitmire joked that it was the size of a football field. If that's an exaggeration, it can't be by much.

At 54,000 square feet, the enormous space offers seating for 800 people. Amenities include two bars, one of which is size of a departure gate waiting area all by itself

It also offers two full buffet sections serving hot meals (brisket, biscuits and gravy, cilantro rice, and a taqueria bar at the opening), as well as coffee, fruit, and snack bars. Lounge chairs face the windows for those who want to watch the planes take off, and an elegant open-air patio will be refreshing now that Houston's hot summer has finally come to an end.

The new terminal reflects the importance of United Airlines as part of IAH's expansion into Latin and South America. Currently, United serves 57 destinations south of the border and in the Caribbean, which will expand in October with service to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico. A non-stop route to Cartagena, Colombia opens in December.

Terminal B also continues IAH's dedication to shopping, food, and art. Restaurants already or slated to open in the terminal include Pizaro's Pizza, Jersey Mikes, Katz Coffee, Smashburger, B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Rosie Cannonball, Blood Bros. BBQ, and H-Town Beer Garden.

A $16.8 million public art program includes 10 large-scale installations from Houston-based, national, and international artists. One piece that particularly stands out is Rick Lowe's "You Are in the Gray," a massive canvas of abstract lines Lowe painstakingly mapped from interactive flight data.

Courtesy of United

The United Club has two bars.

anderson george bush intercontinental airport united airlines travel houston airport

New year, fresh air

All the Texas parks hosting 'first day hikes' on New Year’s Day 2026

ready for the future

United Airlines opens largest lounge in U.S. at major Texas airport

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