When people make New Year's resolutions, they usually think about getting to the gym more, starting a new planner, or cutting back on something. But what if this year, you made a resolution to add more? More fresh air, more sunrises, more bird calls, and more quiet moments that only exist when you step outside. In 2025, Kernersville resident Eric Martinez proved that a different kind of resolution is possible, and can be life changing in the process: he visited every single North Carolina state park and natural area. Now, as we head into 2026, his story is a reminder that the best goals are the ones that get you out the door and out into nature.
Eric's journey started with a NC State Parks Passport he picked up while working at Haw River State Park back in 2019. It sat mostly unused until last year when he decided to give himself an extra push by setting a clear, time-bound goal. He wanted to see new places, hike more, and make sure that "someday" did not turn into "never." He paired the goal of visiting every park with a second resolution to hike 500 miles, which gave him the structure he needed to follow through. Instead of squeezing in the occasional walk, he had a reason to plan trips, block out weekends, and make the outdoors part of his routine.
Over the course of 2025, Eric explored an incredible range of landscapes, from coastal wetlands to mountain peaks. He found it hard to pick a favorite because so many parks meant something different to him and his journey. Stone Mountain State Park stood out for its striking cliffs and quiet cold early mornings before crowds arrived. Hanging Rock State Park and Pilot Mountain State Park carried the nostalgia of places he visited growing up. Haw River was the start of his career in parks, and Merchants Millpond State Park is one that he never stops recommending to others. For pure adventure, Eric's top trail is the Daniel Boone Scout Trail and the Grandfather Mountain Trail, a rugged 12-mile out-and-back with sweeping views that make every step worth it.
Along the way, the parks revealed themselves not just through scenery, but through wildlife and small, surprising details. As an amateur birder, Eric was especially tuned in to what was moving and singing around him. He spotted warblers, turtles laying eggs, boogie-woogie aphids, violet coral fungus, and more. Even common plants, like rhododendron, took on new meaning when they grew large and formed a canopies over trails.
The real impact of the year-long goal went deeper than the places he checked off of his list. Making time to hike and explore changed how he felt both physically and mentally. The miles improved his physical health, but the hours outside grounded him. They served as a reminder of why it is important to care about the environment, and why stewardship matters. He found comfort in the discomfort of being outside in the heat of summer and in the bite of winter. He found a freedom in just...being.
For anyone thinking about setting a similar goal in 2026, his advice is refreshingly straightforward. It took him about 17 weekends, a serious commitment, but far from impossible. The key is to plan in clusters, hitting multiple nearby parks in a day or over a weekend. After that, it comes down to something simpler: go. Do not wait for the perfect time.
Our state is a patchwork of ecosystems, from beaches and sandhills to wetlands and mountain ridges, and our state park system showcases that diversity in a way few places can. Each park is different enough to feel like a new adventure, and together they tell the story of landscapes worth protecting. As the calendar flips to a new year, consider what kind of resolution you want to make. One more gym membership, or one more place you have never been? Eric Martinez showed that with a little planning and a lot of curiosity, it is possible to visit every corner of North Carolina’s state parks in a single year. In 2026, that challenge is wide open again. The trails are waiting!
Photo credit: Eric Martinez