A family heads off down Union Grove State Park’s South Trail near the spillway/waterfall on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. The park located south of Gladbrook in Tama County along with more than 40 other Iowa state parks and forests hosted a First Day Hike this year in what has become an annual tradition. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

UNION GROVE STATE PARK – Fierce western winds certainly did not make it easy to start 2025 on the right foot with a ‘First Day Hike’ at one of Iowa’s more than 40 participating state parks and forests but several groups of hikers bravely took on the challenge last Wednesday at Union Grove State Park in rural Gladbrook northwest of Garwin.

At least three groups of bundled up folks were observed hiking the South Trail in and around Union Grove Lake just ahead of 1 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2025 – a time when the lake’s air temperatures hovered just under a seasonal 30F but the howling west-northwest winds made it feel closer to 10F especially in exposed, non-wooded areas.

Both the north and south sides of the lake were ice-covered while open water in the center lashed hard at the south end’s icy frontier just below the park cabins.

Despite the piercing cold and wicked winds, birds were fairly plentiful for those with a keen ear and pair of binoculars, especially around the waterfall and in the snags along the wooded portions of the trails.

Bird species tallied that afternoon by a youngster who said she was working on her 2025 ‘Big Year’ list included dark-eyed junco, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, downy woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, northern cardinal, song sparrow, and a stunning red-headed woodpecker moving among the forest below the park cabins. Canada geese were also observed in large numbers that day at Union Grove including one that managed a fairly comical landing on the ice in the lake’s southwest inlet.

A Canada goose attempts a landing on the ice at Union Grove State Park in Tama County on Jan. 1, 2025. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

For those unable to make it outside on Jan. 1 this year, descriptions for all the First Day Hikes – including the self-guided hike at Union Grove – can be accessed on the Iowa DNR’s First Day Hikes 2025 website: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/First-Day-Hikes.

For no matter the calendar date, it’s never too late to take a hike.

Open water – pushed by a fierce western wind – lashes against ice building on Union Grove Lake’s south end on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

A pair of young birdwatching enthusiasts look through their binoculars while standing on a bridge near Union Grove State Park’s spillway/waterfall in rural Gladbrook on the first day of 2025. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

One of Union Grove State Park’s two modern, family cabins pictured on Jan. 1, 2025. Both cabins are open year round and located a short distance from the south hiking trail. More information on reserving a cabin can be found here: https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/union-grove-state-park/r/campgroundDetails. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Union Grove State Park’s waterfall/spillway pictured on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Union Grove Lake viewed from the dam parking lot at Union Grove State Park south of Gladbrook on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. Vienna Wind Farm turbines are visible in the background. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Signage marks Union Grove State Park’s South Trail near the dam parking lot. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON