Free Fall

FREE FALL

Head to one of these spots just outside Boston—and you’ll have autumn’s stunning color palette all to yourself.

words by > Diane Bair and Pamela Wright

No doubt about it: Mother Nature gave New England the goods when it comes to fall color. Woodlands burst with riotous color, forested mountains and valleys offer Technicolor palettes of fi re-engine reds, lemon yellows and Granny Smith greens—all set against a backdrop of white-steepled churches, village greens and soaring granite cliffs. No wonder the region is such a popular destination for fall travelers.

You could join the hordes who clog the area’s most popular roads to ogle the sights. But why share the view? Instead, seek out these gems (all an hour’s drive or less from Boston), where you’ll enjoy colorful vistas and blazing landscapes—without the crowds.

Crane Beach, Ipswich

Located in historic Ipswich, about a 45-minute drive north of Boston, this picturesque, white-sand beach stretches more than four miles. Come fall, the pristine oceanside beach is bordered by spectacular, autumn-tinged salt marshes and golden-hued dunes. Thousands of migrating songbirds and waterfowl stop over in the protected waters and marshes of the surrounding Essex Bay.

An elevated boardwalk leads from the parking lot to the beach. Walk a short distance along the beach, and you’ll leave the crowds behind. More than fi ve miles of hiking paths—some with viewing platforms—weave through the 1,200 acres of protected sand dunes and maritime forest. If you have time, follow the marked trail to the adjacent 165-acre Castle Hill Estate, once the summer home to one of America’s wealthiest families (tours of the castle and grounds are offered through early October).

Pick up a self-guided tour booklet to Castle Hill, Crane Beach and the Crane Wildlife Refuge at the Castle Hill gatehouse. www.thetrustees.org

Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge

Mount Auburn is one of the most beautiful and historic landscapes in America. Less than fi ve miles from downtown Boston, this lush oasis includes 175 acres of rolling hills, ponds, meadows and fl ame-tinted forests. The nation’s fi rst garden cemetery, established in 1831, features more than 5,000 trees (nearly 700 species and varieties)—and 30,000 monuments and sculptures from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries punctuate the autumn landscape.

Pick up a map of the grounds at the entrance, then stroll the leaf-strewn paths that wind through formal gardens and natural woodlands. The map will also point you to the gravesites of some of the famous people who are buried here, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Buckminster Fuller, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Winslow Homer.

A one-hour driving tour and two 75-minute walking tours are also available on tape cassettes and CDs for purchase or rental. www.mountauburn.org

Concord River

Another way to enjoy both foliage and history is to rent a kayak at South Bridge Boathouse in Concord. Paddle under the Old North Bridge and along the shoreline of Minute Man National Historical Park. Listen to the park ranger explain “the shot heard ’round the world” before paddling downriver to the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. A spider web of boardwalk trails weave through the refuge’s marshlands, heather-toned and gorgeous in the fall. Look for great blue herons, turtles and other wildlife along the shoreline.

While in Concord, you could walk or cycle along Battle Road Trail, which follows remnants of the historic Revolutionary War road, crossing farm fi elds, wetlands and forests. See famous sites such as the Hartwell Tavern; Elm Brook trail, where the colonists set up an ambush against the British; Farming Fields, traversed by the colonists on the day of the battle; and Meriam’s Corner, where spontaneous gunfi re between the colonists and British soldiers culminated in a six-hour battle. www.concordchamberofcommerce.org

MORE FALL COLOR HOT SPOTS

Out of Philadelphia

Head to 1,800-acre Wissahickon Valley Park, part of Philadelphia’s 9,200-acre Fairmount Park, one of the largest city parks in the world. In fall foliage season, the wooded valley, tucked along the rippling Wissahickon Creek, is ablaze with color. Forbidden Drive, a wide gravel road closed to cars, parallels the creek, and more than 50 miles of rugged trails crisscross the leafy park.

If motorized travel is more your speed, take a drive along the Delaware River (Route 32) in Bucks County, less than an hour from downtown Philly. You’ll fi nd sweeping vistas of fi ery woods and rolling valleys, picturesque wineries, covered bridges and quaint old towns. www.gophila.com

Out of Milwaukee

Above and left: Glowing foliage at Eagle Creek Park. Below: Take a hike at Crane Beach. Bottom: Grapes have been grown on the Johnson Estate, now a vineyard, for a century.

The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, located 15 minutes from downtown, provides six miles of wood-chipped trails at its lakeside nature sanctuary. The center is nationally known for its spectacular birding; more than 150 bird species pass through during autumn migration.

Another option would be to explore a portion of the scenic Oak Leaf Trail, a 100-plus-mile bikers’, runners’ and walkers’ paradise with gloriously colored wooded sections along the Milwaukee River. www.visitmilwaukee.org

Out of Buffalo/Niagara

Travel through lush countryside, rolling farmlands and honey-hued vineyards to the Chautauqua Institution. The Victorian-era community—and National Historic Landmark—is located on Chautauqua Lake, about 90 miles south of Buffalo. But getting there is half the fun. Be sure to stop for tours and tastings at one of the several wineries along the way; the Johnson Estate in Westfi eld is the oldest family-owned estate winery in New York, and a fall visit will reward you with sweeping views of 125 acres of ready-to-harvest vineyards.

At Chautauqua, take a tour of the 750-acre community or purchase a self-guided walking map of the gardens, rolling wooded terrain, facilities and historic buildings. www.gobuffaloniagara.com

Out of Indianapolis

Eagle Creek Park, eight miles from downtown Indianapolis, is spread across 4,400 acres, making it one of the nation’s largest city parks. You’ll fi nd 10 miles of footpaths and bike trails through red-tipped maple and oak groves, grasslands and mud fl ats. The woodland wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary offer solitude, rich fall vistas and plenty of bird sightings. Take the North Trail out to the mud fl ats, where shorebirds and wading birds feed in the shallow, nutrient-rich waters.

Water lovers can swim, sail or fi sh in the 1,400-acre reservoir. The park also has nature centers, boat rentals, an archery range, a 27-hole golf course, picnic areas and playgrounds. www.indy.org