5 Wonderful Autumn Getaways -- With Crowds Gone, Outdoor Opportunities Remain

Let's come right out and admit it: Summer was a bigger bust than Clear Tab.

It didn't happen. If it did, it occurred only briefly one afternoon while most of us were either tanning hides and caching dried meat for the winter or watching Montel Williams interview people who all appeared to be from Darrington.

Fear not. Autumn happens. It is happening right now, somewhere outside the office, patrol car, chip truck or coffee cart where you work.

Things remain to be done before the sleeping bag is unstuffed and hung, the kayak drained and the fishing rod stuffed in its tube for the winter. A slew of outdoor recreation opportunities remain. Some of them, in fact, are far more enjoyable in autumn than summer.

We know you already blew all your vacation that week in late July when it was supposed to be hot at Lake Chelan. We know your official Angler's Edition MasterCard is maxed to the gills; that your white-gas can is empty; that the skis are moving closer to the front of the garage.

But remember, you're a Seattleite. You have a reputation to uphold. You're outdoorsy. Tough. Resilient. Sinewy, even. And doggone it, people like you.

The weather is good. The kids are in school. The crowds are down. From Ilwaco to Blaine, it's prime time on the trails, roads, waterways and campgrounds of Washington.

In honor of that, we offer the following five outstanding outdoor getaways for the coming autumn weekends. Each is time-tested and cost-efficient.

Pack up the car. Call in well. Throw one of those seven-day fish feeders in the cat's dish. Indulge.

STAKE A CLAIM - OR JUST A TENT

It is time for revenge of the last-minute, unorganized camper.

Remember all those primo Washington state parks you were locked out of all summer by those darned organized people who called Jan. 1 and got reservations? They've all reverted to first-come, first-served rules now. Anarchy reigns. Power to the people.

Attendance at state parks is way down after Labor Day, and many are open for tent and RV camping well into the fall, if not year round. We highly recommend these:

-- Northwest region: Spencer Spit on Lopez Island and Birch Bay State Park near Blaine are excellent fall waterfront parks. And Whidbey Island's Deception Pass and Fort Casey state parks are at their uncrowded best in autumn. All are among the most crowded in summer, but open all year.

-- Southwest region: Fort Canby near Ilwaco will be windy but occasionally sublime. Hike to the North Head lighthouse. Potlatch offers great camping and beachcombing on Hood Canal until it closes Nov. 1. Grayland Beach (open all year) and Twin Harbors (closes Nov. 1) near Westport are excellent weekend ocean getaways.

-- Eastern Washington: Alta Lake, near Pateros at the confluence of the Columbia and Methow rivers, is a fall beauty popular with hunters before it closes Nov. 1. Maryhill, at the head of the Columbia Gorge on U.S. 97 south of Goldendale, is a prime wind-surfing spot and open all year. Pearrygin Lake near Winthrop, which closes Nov. 1, offers excellent mountain-leaf viewing.

And if you have only half a sunny day to escape, the beach at Fay Bainbridge State Park on Bainbridge Island is tough to beat for a picnic spot. Outstanding Puget Sound views, soft sand and driftwood. Take the Bainbridge Ferry and follow road signs.

PURSUING THE BIG BITE

The only thing worse than the weather this summer has been the salmon bite off Washington's coast and inside Puget Sound. Record low numbers of coho have been harvested. But there's one last, best hope: The fall king fishery, which should peak in the coming week.

Many of the state's best anglers gather this time of year at Willapa Bay in southwest Washington, chasing king salmon upwards of 40 pounds. A recent weekend saw former Gov. Dan Evans and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Cutplug, plying these waters, discussing world trade, the Everett Navy Homeport and whether Dr. Juice really makes a herring more sexy to a large chinook.

The Willapa fishery should peak in the next week or so, then fizzle. Hitch up the boat.

King fishing also should be good on coastal rivers such as the Lewis, Cowlitz and Kalama, and occasionally good right in Puget Sound.

LEAF YOUR TROUBLES AT HOME

It's already fall in many high areas of the Cascades, and the mountain range's vaunted gold and burnt orange coloring will creep downward rapidly in coming weeks.

A best bet: The Mountain Loop Highway region, particularly the South Fork Stillaguamish River drainage. Its rainbow of color can be seen from the trail or the road.

Take Highway 9 north from Bothell, then Highway 92 to Granite Falls, where the loop begins. Be prepared for snow. Stop for trail and road information at the Verlot Ranger Station, open weekends 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (it may be closed weekdays for construction, so call first). Ask for directions to Hempel Creek and Big Four picnic areas. Continue north to Darrington and follow Highway 530 to Arlington and Interstate 5.

Some good color hikes in the same area include the Perry Creek Trail, which winds four miles (one way) past a scenic waterfall to 6,000-foot Mount Forgotten. Trailhead is on Forest Service Road 4063, 15.2 miles from the Verlot Ranger station. Another good bet is Heather Lake Trail, a two-mile hike near Verlot. Details: Verlot Ranger Station, 206-691-7791. Or call the Darrington Ranger Station, 206-436-1155.

WHITE-KNUCKLE WHITE WATER

River rafting largely comes and goes with the spring melt. But one Washington river draws regional attention for its wild fall rides.

The Tieton, near Yakima, is a Class II to Class III river with enough whoops, spills and thrills to satisfy the most whacked white-water enthusiast. But it's not too raucous for the occasional rafter, either.

Tieton rides are at their best now, with release of water from the Rimrock reservoir upstream. But river-running will continue for several weeks.

Single-day rides, which average three hours, are offered by many local rafting companies, with an average price of $50 to $75, including wetsuit (mandatory). See white-water rafting guides in the Yellow Pages.

PEDAL OLD METAL

Mountain bikers ranging from radical to relaxed will find the scenery on the Snoqualmie Pass Trail a great remedy for gridlock nerves. The Rails To Trails project begins at Cedar Falls near Rattlesnake Lake and runs over Snoqualmie Pass and through a 2.5-mile tunnel before ending at Hyak.

It's 23 miles one way, but riders can enter and exit at several access points along the route, which parallels Interstate 90.

The trail ends at several places where trestles have washed out. But all are passable by side trails. Contact the U.S. Forest Service office in North Bend (622-8378) or Washington State Parks (206-753-2027) for maps and information.

Or consult trail guides such as "Washington's Rail-Trails," by Fred Wert for The Mountaineers.