October in the West

Score that perfect Halloween specimen in one of our favorite scenic patches across the West. Just south of Half Moon Bay, California, Bob's Pumpkin Farm (650/712-7740) is an old-fashioned operation with acres of orange gourds reaching clear to the Pacific. You'll spot cattle grazing on hillsides amid pretty ocean views. Maris Farms (www.marisfarms.com or 253/862-2848), in rural Buckley, Washington, has snapshot-worthy glimpses of Mt. Rainier, with evergreens in the distance and a corn maze sweeping the field. The old dairy farm--complete with haunted woods and a pumpkin catapult--is just the place to pick up tiny to jumbo-size varieties. For grand-slam vistas of Smith Rock, head to the picturesque fields at Central Oregon Pumpkin Co. (www.pumpkinco.org or 541/504-1414) in Terrebonne. Cozy up to a Clydesdale on a wagon ride, climb the hay fort, and load the wheelbarrow with white and orange beauties. Oh, and did we mention that the patch also overlooks the Cascades?

Wish you were here

Yearning to save the animal planet, one critter at a time? Start at Hotelito Desconocido, a rustic-chic resort 60 miles south of Puerto Vallarta with an isolated beach where turtles have nested for centuries. Each fall, guests can help ecologists protect the endangered olive ridley sea turtle by finding the nests in the sand, transferring eggs to a safe haven for incubation, and releasing tiny hatchlings to the sea. Streaky vermilion sunsets lure you from your romantic bamboo palapa; the next day, raise a red flag to summon morning coffee (there are no phones or electricity). Then lounge in your hammock, bird-watch by the lagoon, or indulge in a ceremonial steam. From $302; www.hotelito.com or 800/851-1143.

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October 7 marks the opening of the Denver Art Museum's gleaming $92 million building by architect Daniel Libeskind--it comes with awesome Rocky Mountain views. www.denverartmuseum.org or 720/865-5000.

Bring it back

For a lifetime souvenir that's also a vibrant work of art, seek out master weaver Barbara Manzanares at the 12th annual Abiquiu Studio Tour in northern New Mexico. Her hand-dyed, handwoven textiles are stellar examples of the region's traditional Navajo, Rio Grande, and Chimayo styles of weaving. From her tiny studio in the Galeria de Don Cacahuate (which she shares with artisans Christina Martinez and Leopoldo Garcia), Manzanares turns plants such as chamiso and black walnut into earth-toned dyes for yarns, which she then painstakingly plaits into rugs, runners, and blankets that instantly light up a room. Textiles from $40; Galeria de Don Cacahuate, 505/685-0568. Abiquiu Studio tour Oct 7-8; free; www.abiquiustudiotour.org or 505/685-4454.

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3 NEW WAYS TO CATCH FALL COLOR

CLARKDALE, AZ

Hop aboard the Ales on Rails train ride along Verde Canyon for scenery ablaze in gold, copper, and bronze. Jump-start your ride with brats and beer served to the oompah-pah of polka music. Then raise a glass to the jewel-toned foliage of mulberry, oak, and sycamore set among the canyon walls. Sat-Sun; from $55; Verde Canyon Railroad, www.verdecanyonrr.com or 800/293-7245.

COEUR D'ALENE, ID

Bask in the sunlight of an open meadow on a horse-drawn wagon ride at the 1,000-plus-acre Rider Ranch. Breathe in the crisp autumn air and the scent of fir trees while reveling in a display of tamarack, aspen, and cottonwoods turning color. Back at the barn, settle in for a hearty steak dinner and 22 years' worth of tales from Robert and Linda Rider. From $10; www.riderranch.com or 208/667-3373.

NAPA AND SONOMA, CA

Feast your eyes on fall's bounty from 3,500 feet in the air above Sonoma and Napa Valley wine regions. Slip on a parachute pack, climb into the open cockpit, and let pilot Chris Prevost navigate his World War II biplane on a 20-minute flight (with a few aerobatics) across vineyards bathed in amber and fiery red. From $150; Vintage Aircraft Co., www.vintageaircraft.com or 707/938-2444.

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Autumn tabletop

Just in time for fall festivities, pincushion plant (Nertera granadensis) produces an abundance of pumpkin-colored berries atop tiny green leaves. Displayed here in 4-inch-wide rectangular orange pots, they make a vivid adornment for a Halloween buffet--arrange three at the center of a rectangular table or scatter five around a large circular one. Berries will last for weeks if plants are given proper care: Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy, and provide bright, indirect light when not being used for decoration. Available at Smith & Hawken (www.smithandhawken.com).

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Soothe garden-weary hands with herbal body products from the School Garden Company. They're made with all-natural organic ingredients, and after-tax profits go directly to garden programs in schools. $3.50-$20; www.schoolgardenco.com or 707/762-5772.

BEST RAKE

Avoid smothering your lawn by gathering leaves into piles for composting or shredding into mulch. A good steel-tined spring rake makes the job go fast; and the best rakes are slightly raised in the center and artfully curved from front to back, keeping all the tines in gentle contact with the turf. Our picks: nearly identical models, both with a generous 25 tines and lifetime warranties, from Corona (pictured) and Flexrake. $13-$20; Corona available by mail order through Red Pig Garden Tools (503/663-9404); Flexrake (www.flexrake.com or 800/266-4200).