Ah, the perils of the morning commute in Missoula, Mont.
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Apropos of nothing...I can’t get enough of any version of the phrase “leaf peeping.”
A group called the Rails to Trails Conservancy has put out a list of places to peep leaves nationwide this fall. A Virginia destination made their list at No. 5.
For more specific details about trailheads and driving directions, as well as photos and user reviews, go to http://www.TrailLink.com.
Each year, millions of outdoor enthusiasts flock to see nature’s premier fall foliage stage show—and there are few better seats in the house than on a rail-trail. To help kick off the season, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has put together a sampling of prime pathways for eager leaf-peepers.
Though far from exhaustive, these suggestions are solid bets to catch a rainbow of turning leaves as they sweep from New England and the upper Midwest, and down through the South. To locate a great rail-trail near you, log on to RTC’s rail-trail search engine, http://www.TrailLink.com, to explore more than 15,000 miles of pathways, with trails in all 50 states:
1. Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, Vermont
One surefire recommendation for early-season peepers—often ready by early September, in fact—is the 26-mile Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail in northern Vermont, nearly touching the Canadian border. This gentle, crushed-limestone pathway begins in St. Albans and winds through rolling hills and dairy farmland, generally following the Missisquoi River. Daytime temperatures should still be comfortable (nights quite a bit chillier), and the autumn landscape radiates color and wildlife. Careful moose-seekers, as well, can hope for an extra batch of good fortune.
2. Paul Bunyan Trail, Minnesota
Farther west, northern Minnesota usually reaches its autumn heyday between late September and early October. One great stretch for the adventurous is the burly, 110-mile Paul Bunyan Trail, which simply screams of tall trees and thick leaves. The pathway offers an at-times rugged route—partly paved, partly ballast—suited for hikers and mountain bikers, and the foliage views are as epic as the trail’s lumberjack namesake. You’ll pass the shorelines of 21 lakes, through deep forests and welcoming communities like Hackensack and Bemidji.
3. North Central State Trail, Michigan
From late September through mid-October, the newly minted, 62-mile North Central State Trail in northern Michigan offers an arresting backdrop for fall—and on more than one canvas. More than 10 miles of the pathway, heading north from Indian River (a good base for trip accommodations) toward Cheboygan and Mackinaw City, streak along Mullet Lake, where birch and maples pop firecracker yellow and glow red and orange like coals in a campfire through mid- to late October.
4. Hudson Valley Rail Trail, New York
New York’s paved Hudson Valley Rail Trail is about 100 miles due north of New York City, and is well worth a stroll for anyone eager to feel awash in golden leaves. At just over two miles long, the Hudson offers an easygoing trip from Highland to Lloyd, where the woods begin to glow by mid- to late October. Wide, richly forested and offering access to the Black River, the popular pathway bathes visitors in dramatic waves of foliage.
5. Virginia Creeper Trail, Virginia
Farther south begins the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail, a dirt and asphalt journey from Abingdon through Damascus and Whitetop, just above the North Carolina border. The trail’s dense forests, sleepy hills, long trestles, pockets of pastureland, grazing cattle and inviting communities will make for a memorable and photogenic ride. You can expect a corridor well-outfitted with amenities, making it convenient for destination travel and rentals. You can also arrange for a shuttle from Abingdon to Whitetop to take advantage of a mostly downhill ride.
Interesting article here from the Austin American-Statesman about the impact Ike is likely to have on flora and fauna in its path.
Clearly this bear was unimpressed with the storm.
The kid in this article is just lucky he wasn’t tubing in the Mekong Delta. Imagine if this fish had jumped out of the water and blasted him in the face!
With whitetail season almost upon us, Field & Stream magazine is fueling the fire with exclusive video footage of one of the largest free ranging deer ever caught on tape. The video was shot this August in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. This could be a world-record deer.
Click here to read more and watch the video.
This post includes links to information about all the autumn activities mentioned in my Sunday column.
In order of appearance:
HUNTING: The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Website has all the information you need—seasons, bag limits, licenses, places to hunt—to get out in the field this fall.
FISHING: Same as above. If you decide to head west for trout, look up Brian and Colby Trow at Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg.
BIRDING: Click here for the Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch Website. And here for the Hawk Migration Association of North America. Don’t forget the Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival or the Wings over Water event on the Outer Banks.
RUNNING: The Richmond Sports Backers put on the Richmond marathon as well as the new McDonald’s Half-Marathon and the Maymont half.
FALL FOLIAGE: There are lots of Websites out there dedicated to helping people maximize their leaf peepage. Here are a few: Va. Dept. of Forestry; the Foliage Network; a list of the best places in Va. to see the fall foliage; an explanation of how and why leaves change colors and fall.
APPLE ORCHARDS: Carter Mountain Orchard and Dickie Brothers Orchard are both popular pick-your-own apple orchards near Charlottesville.
BALLOONING: Check out Blue Ridge Balloon for a truly memorable way to watch the leaves change.
After reading last Friday’s Outdoors column about citizen anglers involved in conservation work, loyal reader Randy Bishop sent this link: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/volunteer/
I didn’t realize the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries offered these opportunities. Thanks again, Randy.
I had to pass along this picture. I had never heard of a Darwin’s Slimehead before. That’s the name of this pending world record fish caught by Ron Vankirk of Williamsburg. The pic and below description were sent to me by Captain Julie Ball.
I am pleased to announce that I had the honor of assisting with the processing of a new pending IGFA All Tackle World Record Darwin’s Slimehead. This is one of the strangest looking fish I have ever seen. The official weight at Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tackle is a whopping 7lb 8oz. This more than doubles the weight of some recent catches, under 4 pounds. The angler is Ron Vankirk of Williamsburg, VA. He was fishing in the Norfolk Canyon aboard the recreational vessel the “Crystal Clear D” skippered by Sean Doran of South Miles, N.C. The IGFA has accepted the fish for consideration as an All Tackle World Record.
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