The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will host its First Day Hike Challenge for 2021 beginning Friday.

This year’s challenge will be self-guided. Participants can check in at one of 50 different state parks on the Iowa State Park passport for a chance to win a two-night stay at a two-bedroom cabin at Lake Darling State Park in Brighton.

Springbrook State Park in Guthrie County is one of the participating locations. Each park has a recommended trail and DNR Training Specialist Anne Riordan gives a rundown on Springbrook’s recommended trail.

“We are suggesting the trail that goes around the lake. It’s a little less than a mile and a half in distance. It’s a very moderate trail, not a hard hike at all. It does vary in habitat, basically you’ve got the lake habitat and the wetlands habitat in the back.”

She added that winter is a great time for bird spotting on this trail.

“You might see eagles, some herons. We just did our Christmas bird count, so there’s all kinds of birds. If you get out in the winter and look, you’ll be surprised at how many different kinds of birds you’ll see.”

Hikers can register entries for the First Day Hike challenge through January 3.