The air turns crisp, the leaves crunch under your feet, and finding solitude is as easy as finding great adventures on the lakes, trails and pathways of The Alleghenies.

very year, just as leaves start to lose their green, the music of high school bands fills the Friday night air, and warm summer breezes give way to the crispness of fall, the strains of Don Henley's Boys of Summer begin to play in my head – "Nobody on the road. Nobody on the beach. I feel it in the air, the summer's out of reach." It's kind of my own personal soundtrack of the season and one that always reminds me of my favorite time of year to head out to the lakes, pathways and trails of The Alleghenies. So save a few vacation days for nature's greatest show and launch yourself into the waters of Sayers Dam to cast for hungry bass, pedal your way through history along the banks of the Little Juniata, and hike along high ridges as hawks ride thermals over mountains as colorful as a bowl of Fruit Loops. It's fall in The Alleghenies. Enjoy the show.

For bass, pike, walleye, perch and muskellunge fishing, The Alleghenies offers plenty of places to cast a line. Today that place is Sayers Dam in Bald Eagle State Park and the catch of the day is bass. Big bass. The lake offers plenty of places to find them and plenty of solitude to enjoy while you're looking. And if the fishing isn't going as planned, you can always sit back and watch Osprey fishing the old fashioned way — and doing it very well. After a day on the water, head for historic Boalsburg and a table at Duffy's Tavern before settling in for a very comfortable night at the 1830's-era Springfield House B&B. It's the perfect ending to the day and a great way to get set for some serious pedaling tomorrow.

Unload your bike at the Alfarata trailhead of the Lower Trail (pronounced like "flower") and ride along the scenic banks of the Frankstown Branch of the Little Juniata. Along the 16.5-mile route, foundations of long lost towns, locks and industrial sites are slowly being reclaimed as the land returns to its wild beginnings. Grab a post-ride meal at The Main Street Café in nearby Alexandria before calling it a night. The Clubhouse Inn in Williamsburg surrounds you with small town friendliness and the chance to catch a game as the Blue Pirates take the field just a short walk from the front porch.

Do yourself a favor and take the long way on the quiet, rolling backroads of The Alleghenies as you wind towards McConnelsburg and the trails of Cowan Gap State Park and Buchanan State Forest. Fuel up for a day of hiking at Johnnies Diner where big portions, friendly waitresses and a chance to absorb the local feel of the region makes it well worth the stop. Then put boot to trail and explore the views and valleys of the easy Tuscarora Loop Trail (2.5 mi.) and the more challenging Tuscarora Trail Loop (4.5 mi.) as hawks quietly ride the thermals overhead.