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

As the days get shorter and temperatures begin to drop, a bit of hibernation (e.g., sleeping through an entire Saturday) is pretty tempting. Here, travel inspiration to get you off your duff and into the sights, sounds and scents of autumn.

All rates are double occupancy and do not include taxes or transportation unless otherwise noted.

Power up in the Poconos in Stroudsburg, Pa.

Look beyond the famous honeymooner-courting heart-shaped bathtubs and faux-palace facades; this forested northeastern Pennsylvania resort community 80 miles west of New York City is alive with woodland wildlife, sparkling rivers, lakes, waterfalls, glacier-carved ravines, historic hamlets and quaint country inns to explore.

Fall fitness The sleepy mountain hideaway is especially beguiling in October, when oak, maple and birch trees blaze scarlet and gold against the hemlocks' evergreen. Hike, bike and paddle miles through eight wooded state and national parks in the 2,400-square-mile region, including Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Promised Land and Lehigh Gorge.

For a stunning autumn leaf display and excellent photo ops, make the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area your first stop. Encompassing 40 miles of the middle Delaware River (where it cuts eastward through the Appalachian Mountains), this 77,000-acre park offers multihued vistas less than three miles from several trailheads, including the light 1.5-mile trek to 1,463-foot Mount Minsi's peak. Take the less-traveled River Road to U.S. Route 209N for a self-guided 2 1/2- to five-hour kayak trip down the smooth Delaware River (rentals from $33 per person at Kittatinny Canoes; kittatinny.com, 800-356-2852). Or join Whitewater Rafting Adventures for a half-day of brisk biking or rafting 13-26 miles in the Lehigh Gorge (from $35 per person for bikes, helmet and guide; from $50 each for raft, safety equipment and instruction; 800-876-0285, adventurerafting.com).

Hit the hay Snuggle at historic Stroudsmoor Country Inn, perched on its own 250-acre wooded hilltop five minutes from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Cozy main inn chambers feature antique furnishings and canopied four-poster beds (from $85; stroudsmoor.com, 800-955-8663).

Harvest delights Prep for your outing with Stroudsmoor's complimentary country breakfast. Order a bagged lunch to tote along on your adventures ($10). Later, savor seasonal squash cannelloni at the Antelao Restaurant in the village of Delaware Water Gap (entrees $14-$21.50; 570-426-7226).

Don't miss Conquer Mazezilla, a 10-acre corn-stalk labyrinth at Klingel's Farm in nearby Saylorsburg. For a spooky treat, hop on a hayride to the maze after dark (admission from $7; mazezilla.com, 570-402-7378).

For more info visitpa.com, (800) 847-4872--Margaret Sirolly

Trace Wisconsin's thumb in Door County, Wis.

Just three hours north of Milwaukee, the Midwest's version of Cape Cod sticks out into Lake Michigan from the rest of America's Dairyland like a crimson, orange and yellow-green thumb, showcasing 11 quaint townships, 10 historic lighthouses, five state parks and several cherry orchards.

Fall fitness Door County's mainland state parks--Peninsula, Potawatomi, Newport and Whitefish Dunes--offer about 70 miles of hiking and cycling trails. For an exhilarating view of fall's colorful canopy along the pebbly Green Bay shore, climb the stairs of Peninsula State Park's 75-foot Eagle Tower, which stands atop a 150-foot limestone bluff. Then, race back down to tackle the easy, breezy Eagle Trail. The two-mile loop wends around stands of white cedar, sugar maple, birch and oak trees scarred by woodpeckers, cool bubbling springs and foundations of old summer cottages.

Or rent a bicycle from Door County Bikes for slightly challenging spins along the back roads of Newport, Potawatomi and Peninsula parks (from $15 per half-day; doorcounty bikes.com, 877-DCBIKES).

Hit the hay Fish Creek's cozy, century-old White Gull Inn features private balconies for harvest moonlit views and in-room fireplaces and thick duvets for chilly autumn evenings (from $140 per night; whitegullinn.com, 800-624-1987).

Harvest delights Your stay at White Gull Inn includes a hearty breakfast such as buttermilk pancakes with Door County maple syrup or homemade granola sweetened with the region's famed fresh cherries. Be sure to make time for a traditional fall fish boil; the White Gull Inn boasts one of Door County's longest-running (since 1959). Diners gather out back around a giant kettle brimming with fresh whitefish and potatoes raised above a wood-burning fire pit. Then, just minutes before the fish has fully cooked, a splash of kerosene into the pit ignites 20-foot-high flames as the pot boils over, extinguishing the fire. The result: a full-flavored (and healthful) feast ($18.25 per person).

Don't miss Door County's fittest autumn festivals include the 5k Labor Day Weekend Run-Walk in Fish Creek (Sept. 3), which benefits YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign (from $13; 920-868-3660), and Oct. 1's 10k/three-mile "Run Wild 2005" in Sturgeon Bay, which directly funds Potawatomi State Park projects (from $12; 920-743-6866).

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.

Fall fitness Kayakers, canoers and rafters can rev it up on the river, where vibrant sycamores, birches, oaks and maples mingle with fragrant evergreens, on a two- to three-hour tour with Peyton's Place (from $15 per person; 800-359-0866, peytonsplace.ws).

Track bobcats, raccoons, river otters and white-tailed deer on a four-mile, crisp leaf-carpeted trail at Elephant Rock Nature Park (918-456-4215, elephant-rock.com). Or trace spring-fed creeks on your choice of two easy 1.6- and 1.2-mile trails through tall grasses and oak and hickory stands in the Nature Conservancy's 15,000-acre J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve (free; 918-456-7601).

Hit the hay One-half mile from the heritage center, the Cedar House (from $100 per night; 918-456-1813, intellex.com/~herrin) is a comfortable three-bedroom retreat set on owner Frankie Herrin's 20-acre Cherokee ancestral allotment, dating back to the mid-19th century, when the entire state of Oklahoma was designated Indian Territory.

Harvest delights Jump-start your day with a complimentary breakfast of granola and yogurt at the Cedar House. Later, head downtown to Vidalia's for a "build-your-own" wheat-berry sandwich ($2-$7; 918-456-5551). Or share a specialty pizza at Sam & Ella's (entrees $5.50-$20; 918-456-1411).

Don't miss Watch the Trail of Tears drama unfold onstage at the Cherokee Heritage Center's 1,800-seat Tsa-La-Gi Amphitheater, in a pageant held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night (from $12; 888-999-6007) through Labor Day weekend, which is also the Cherokee National Holiday. Locals celebrate with a powwow, traditional games like cornstalk shooting and foods including kanuche, a legendary hickory-nut soup credited with staving off starvation for those who walked the Trail.

For more info tahlequahok.com/chamber, (800) 456-4860--Margaret Dornaus

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