Visit Klamath Falls in early October, and you’ll be treated to vibrant hues of red, orange, and yellow as forests come alive with dazzling fall foliage displays. Oak, elm, and maple trees turn colors all over the region. Admire the colorful trees that line Highway 62 as you head east from Klamath Falls, along the trail at Wood River Wetland, and at Rocky Point Resort—where aspen trees light up in several electric shades of yellow.

Over 500,000 visitors make the journey to Crater Lake National Park every year, mostly between July and September. But with school back in session and cooler temperatures on the horizon, fall makes an idyllic time to visit Oregon’s only national park.

Enjoy wide-open photo ops from along the33-mile Rim Drive, more elbow room while viewing exhibits inside the newly reopened Steel Information Center, and sun-kissed views from many of the park’s lower-elevation trails (such as the Plaikni Falls Trail) that haven’t been blanketed by the season’s first snowfall.  

At the end of your day, sit down to Pacific Northwest-inspired flavors at the Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room, which remains open through mid-October; reservations are requested—and are easier to snag in early fall than at the height of summer. 

Just be sure to bring a light jacket, hat, and gloves to protect against the cooler temperatures—and check the current weather before heading up to the park.

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The Klamath Basin is home to roughly 1,800 producers who grow all manner of crops—including potatoes, carrots, greens, and more. With the fall harvest approaching, enjoy the flavors of the season at restaurants across the region, where just-harvested crops are used in countless dishes at family-friendly brewpubs, fast-casual delis, vegan-friendly Mediterranean bistros, and so forth. Learn all about the crops and farmers of the Klamath Basin, and get inspired for your next great meal.

Every summer, right around Labor Day, hopbines are harvested on farms across Oregon. In many instances, these hops—theingredients that give beer so many of its flavors and aromatics—are processedfor use by craft brewers over the coming months; in a few instances, though,those hop plants are plucked from the bine and used to craft beer within 24hours. 

The resulting ales and lagers are called fresh-hop beers and, since most of the country’s hop farms are located in the Pacific Northwest, they’re a uniquely regional phenomenon. They first show up at breweries and pubs across the region in early September—and are typically done soon after the last hop harvest ends in late October. 

Take advantage of the early-fall exclusives and sip your way through fresh-hop beers at The Falls Taphouse (which hosts on-site food carts and offers rooftop seating), The Growler Guys (pouring 40 taps of beer, as well as kombucha, cider, and non-alcoholic beverages), and at Mia & Pia's Pizzeria & Brewhouse (which pairs more than a dozen of its own beers with scratch-made pizzas). You'll also enjoy plenty of seasonal sips at Klamath Basin Oktoberfest, the region’s largest harvest celebration; the festival takes place in late September and features fresh brews from roughly a dozen regional producers, as well savory bites from a handful of food vendors and live music from local acts.

Are you planning to visit around Halloween? Join the fun at Scarecrow Row—the Klamath Basin's largest harvest festival and a popular tradition in downtown Klamath Falls. 

The festival takes place on the Saturday before Halloween and features all the hallmarks of a hometown event—including a children's costume parade, trick-or-treating at select businesses around downtown, a pumpkin-decorating station, an area where costumed children can build a bird feeder, face-painting, and other family activities. Just next door, the Klamath Falls Farmers Market offers fresh produce, baked goods, and hand-crafted artisan items.

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Cool afternoons, sunny skies, and the start of the fall migration make early autumn an idyllic time to paddle the Upper Klamath Canoe Trail. 

The marked water trail—think of it as a hiking trail, only with paddling in lieu of walking—totals 9.5 miles at the northwestern edge of Upper Klamath Lake. Along the way, paddlers head through marshlands, wetlands, riparian forests, and a bit of open water—where they might see a wide range of wildlife. Possible sightings include river otters, deer, and beavers. Early autumn also marks the earliest days of the migration that brings more than 1 million birds to the Klamath Basin, so keep an eye out for the occasional pelican, egret, wood duck, and other common species of bird in the placid waters around you. 

Learn about paddling the Upper Klamath Canoe Trail, and start your outing with help from a local outfitter.

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The Klamath Basin is home to five national wildlife refuges, each of which were federally protected to provide habitat for migrating birds along the Pacific Flyway (a migratory bird route that stretches from Alaska to Argentina). 

While most of the region's birds won't passthrough until late fall and winter, early autumn provides an ideal time to hike refuge trails and follow auto tour routes to spy some of the region's wildlife. In addition to dozens of species of bird, you may glimpse bobcats, badgers, coyotes, and even the occasional black bear. Learn more about national wildlife refuges in the Klamath Basin.

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The underground attractions at Lava Beds National Monument offer a cool respite from the summer sun—and the national monument's aboveground hiking trails showcase another side of the massive shield volcano on a radiant fall afternoon. 

In all, 13 hiking trails cover more than 30miles across the national monument; volcanic views from along those foot paths include a collapsed lava tube, far-reaching lava flows, and Black Crater—a spatter cone covered in lava. For a look at the cultural history that makes Lava Beds so special, start with a short jaunt on the Captain Jacks Stronghold Trail. Choose between a 0.5-mile inner loop or a 1.5-mile outer loop, both of which head through the heart of the Modoc's defenses during the Modoc War of 1872-73.A lack of shade makes this a moderately difficult hike in summer—but a breezy fall afternoon offers the perfect backdrop for a day on the trail. And if you’d like to learn more about this crucial chapter in regional history, listen to the Modoc War Audio Tour on your return trip; the narrated trip sheds light on the Modoc War, showcases the Klamath Basin’s communities, and discusses light-hearted events.

 Of course, you’ll still find plenty of great caves at Lava Beds National Monument in case you’d like to head underground.

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On the western shore of Upper Klamath Lake sits Spence Mountain—a scenic crag that's home to some of the best mountain-biking trails in Southern Oregon. Awaiting riders there are a crowd-pleasing mix of beginner-friendly trails, technical trails, and sweeping views of the surrounding landscapes amidst it all. 

There's no bad time to ride the trails at Spence Mountain, but a fun confluence of factors make fall an especially rewarding time to hop in the saddle. For starters, trails are less dusty than at the height of summer—offering fast, flowy conditions and a smooth ride. Cool temperatures provide a nice breeze while you're zipping down the path, as well.(Just note that the year’s first snowfall may cover the trails by November.)Keep an eye out for bald eagles in the forests of oak and pine around you—and mule deer in the meadows you'll pass on your way down the mountain. 

Learn more about why Spence Mountain is one of the top 10 outdoor adventures in Klamath.

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All summer long, the Sky Lakes Wilderness buzzes with hikers excited to cool off in the region’s reservoirs—home to some of the most chemically pure water in the world. But the arrival of fall brings cooler weather, quieter trails, and (maybe most refreshingly) no mosquitos. 

Listen for the sounds of pileated wood peckers as you head through forests scarred by wildlife along the Sky Lakes Loop hike. The trail measures up to14.5 miles (round-trip), but plenty of loop options make it easy to find a distance suited to your experience level and time constraints. In early October, once you journey past the early stand of charred trees, the forest is positively electric with maple trees alight in hues of red, orange, and yellow; the lakes themselves, meanwhile, reflect those dazzling displays in their remarkable clarity. You’ll have most of the views to yourself—with few other hikers and no late-season mosquitoes across the sweeping old-growth forest.

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