4 fitness havens for fall: pack a sweater, grab your hiking boots and book a ticket to one of these four getaways

Shape, Sept, 2005

For more info doorcounty.com, (800) 52-RELAX-Amy S. Eckert

Blaze Oregon trails in Sunriver, Ore.

While Mount Bachelor draws the most buzz in central Oregon during ski season, tranquil Sunriver, just 15 miles south of Bend, awaits leaf-peepers come fall when the air is cool and crisp. Carved by the silvery-blue glacial runoff from the Cascade Mountains and obsidian-encrusted ancient volcanoes (some still active), the local environs offer plenty of Class III rapids and enough fertile old-growth forest to quench your thirst for active woodland wildlife discovery.

Fall fitness Local outfitter Wanderlust Tours will suit you up for a three-hour beginner-friendly canoe outing across the glassy waters of the high Cascade Lakes. The reflected fiery scarlet, orange and golden maple-, cottonwood-, alder- and aspen-forested Cascade Mountains are a dramatic backdrop for occasional otter and bald eagle sightings (from $45 per person, includes transportation, guide and gear; wanderlusttours.com, 800-962-2862).

If you're up for a lengthier jaunt, drive 2 1/2 hours south to Crater Lake National Park. Formed nearly 8,000 years ago when volcano Mount Mazama last erupted, the 1,943-foot-deep basin is the deepest lake in the United States. For a challenge, tackle the slightly strenuous five-mile (round-trip) hike to the 8,929-foot summit of Mount Scott, the highest peak in the park and a 1,500-foot climb, from which you can capture all 21 square miles of Crater Lake in your camera's viewfinder (entry $10 per vehicle; nps.gov/crla, 541-594-3100).

Hit the hay Set in the high desert (4,200 feet altitude), Sunriver Resort boasts a 30,000-square-foot indoor fitness complex with three tennis courts, a lap pool and a gym stocked with state-of-the-art cardio and resistance machines.

But you may just want to hunker down in your airy River Lodge guest room. Sink into an Adirondack chair on your private deck overlooking the snow-capped peaks of Oregon's Cascades or cuddle up beside the flickering gas-fired stone hearth. The fall "Indulge Your Senses" package includes one of the following each day: one 50-minute massage or facial and one spa pedicure or manicure (from $149; sunriverresort.com, 800-353-2041).

Harvest delights For a taste of Northwest nightlife, head 20 minutes north to Deschutes Brewery (deschutesbrewery.com, 541-382-9242) in Bend, which has a legendary list of hand-crafted ales and lagers. Pull up a chair and enjoy atypical bar fare including balsamic and herb-grilled vegetable-mozzarella sandwiches ($8) and jumbo Florentine ravioli ($10).

Don't miss Book your trip now to participate in the Sunriver Resort Turkey Trot (Nov. 25). Starting at the lodge, you'll head west on an easy three-mile trail through the Deschutes National Forest (from $18; 800-353-2041).

For more info covisitors.com, (800) 800-8334--Melissa B. Williams

Discover Cherokee treasures in Tahlequah, Okla.

Just 74 miles southeast from Tulsa International Airport along the winding Illinois River, bilingual street signs--in English and Cherokee--mark your entrance to Tahlequah. Head-quarters of the Cherokee Nation (cherokee.org) since tribal members made the perilous trek from their Southern homelands along the "Trail of Tears" in 1839, this close-knit community of 21,000 boasts a cornucopia of cultural and outdoor expeditions.