When the weather turns colder, there is no reason to end your adventures. There are great adventure locations for each region of the U.S., which with a little inspiration, prevent unwanted early hibernation. There is more for the adventurer to do than sit around waiting to hit the ski slopes. Here are just a few of my choices of great things to do this fall and early winter in the eastern, central and western states. Visit these locations using the information I've included at the end of this article, or use them as inspiration for finding activities in your area.
In the West
Look up into jet black skies studded with glistening stars hung over light-colored, lifeless dunes. The view from the surface of the moon? No, but maybe the next best thing on this planet. White Sands National Monument in New Mexico is probably the best place in the Lower 48 for viewing the night sky, and fall offers a stunning night's sky. Check out the back-country campsites found in designated areas.
Not interested in the Ursa Major, the bear? Maybe you'd rather hear the bugle of an elk call. The summer crowds of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming have moved on by late fall, leaving better opportunities to appreciate the plentiful wildlife in solitude. To catch the haunting call of the elk, head for the South Entrance trailhead. Several loop trails are available from there. Lodgepole pine forests and broad meadows offer prime turf for spotting the rutting elk. Watch your distance though, while not especially dangerous, an over-stimulated bull is best heard from a reasonable distance.
New England may be the best known destination for fall colors, but the West has its share of golden forests. The forests near Aspen, Colorado prove this to be true. The Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness will likely tempt you to leave your car and walk among the shimmering aspens that give the town its name.
Equally striking are the larch forests of the Wenatchee National Forest's aptly named Enchanted Basin. Just miles from the charming European Alpen-style town of Leavenworth, and roughly 100 miles east of Seattle on US 2, this is a glorious part of the world. Located just east the raincloud-clogging Cascade Mountains, it is sheltered from the wet weather and clear skies are the typical forecast.
Contact information and websites for all of these areas can be found at the end of this article.
