Virginia State Parks will celebrate New Year’s Day with First Day hikes and activities. Jim Meisner, Jr.,a spokesman for the Virginia State Park System, says there’s something going in in each of Commonwealth’s 36 state parks. The closet one to Roanoke is Smith Mountain Lake State Park, which is doing a First Day hike. He says a ranger will lead the hike along the Chestnut Ridge Trail, beginning Thursday at 1:00 p.m. It will wrap up with hot chocolate and treats at the park’s Discovery Center.
