Soon after graduating from college in 2005, I was hired as a clerk with my hometown newspaper. As part of that job, I was tasked each week with developing story ideas for our weekend entertainment guide. Most weeks, it was easy enough to suggest fairs, festivals, and other events that might pique the interest of our diverse readership.

But one autumn afternoon, a few colleagues and I huddled to fill a mid-October gap in our coverage. After what felt like hours of brainstorming, one of our team members suggested local fall foliage destinations. Most of the team nodded along, but I recall nearly snorting hard enough to rupture my sinus. My eyes bulged, the whites of my eyes the size of beach balls.

I could only sputter, “Are we sure there isn’t paint drying somewhere that we could also write about?”. As a snarky 20-something who knew everything about everything, I couldn’t believe we’d lower our standards to covering, of all things, leaves.

After all, I grew up in a suburban neighborhood with a 75-foot maple tree in my front yard; to me, fall foliage didn’t mean vibrant pops of color or the dawn of a new season—it meant raking leaves on soggy October Saturdays when I could have been playing video games inside. Understandably, I was overruled.

The rest of the team loved the idea, we ran the story, and several readers would chime in with gratitude afterward. Still, I silently fumed—knowing in my heart of hearts that we could have written about grass growing and would have been just as well off. And then I started hiking in 2006.

At first, I spent that spring admiring wildflowers in the Columbia River Gorge. (Speaking of vibrant pops of color …) That summer, I spent time on Mount Hood and at the Oregon Coast, trying to escape toasty temperatures in the Portland area.

And that autumn, I wandered into the mid-Willamette Valley—where, at last, I understood the obsession with fall foliage.

I walked through forests of ash around Willamette Mission State Park, their leaves an electric yellow. I hiked at Silver Falls State Park, where vine maple covered the forest floor in bursts of orange and red.

And I found other trails around Salem that offered a quieter experience than what I’d experienced elsewhere over the previous few months; the views might not have been quite as dramatic, but I enjoyed watching wildlife and breathing in the fresh forest air whenever possible.

So if you’d like to enjoy that outdoor experience this autumn, here are 10 ways to embrace the magic of fall in the mid-Willamette Valley—from dramatic fall foliage hikes to quiet nature walks and quick escapes from the big city.

I used to think it took a morning’s drive to escape big-city life and get into nature—and then I started hiking around Salem. Here are a few of my favorite outdoor destinations in and around Oregon’s capital city.

Minto-Brown Island Park:

In a way, Minto-Brown Island Park hides in plain sight; the 1,200-acre park is larger than Central Park in New York City but remains something of a local secret at the western edge of the Salem area. Nearly 30 miles of trails cover the park, from wide-open meadows to paths that hug the southern bank of the Willamette River. It’s a gem all year long—but never more than in fall, when red, orange, and yellow leaves put on a vibrant show.

Orchard Heights Park:

The West Salem park offers a surprising escape from the hustle and bustle. Orchard Heights Park hosts a one-mile, partially paved loop through a lush forest where trees tower overhead and occasionally droop over the trail—creating a magical tunnel that transports me out of the city and into the wilderness.

Pringle City Park:

Just south of downtown Salem sits the city-owned Pringle City Park, totaling 4.4 acres and offering roughly 0.5 mile of walking paths. Even with traffic surrounding the wooded park on two sides, it’s easy to feel the soothing effects of the outdoors when ambling along the scenic Pringle Creek.

Marion County occupies a curious place in Oregon. It covers most of the Salem area, sure—but it extends along the Highway 22 corridor and to the crest of the Cascades, showcasing a wide range of exciting landscapes. And while wildfires have decimated wide swaths of the region, several hiking trails remain charming destinations. Here are a few of my fall favorites.

Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge:

Once the site of a dairy farm, today the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge is home to a wide range of habitats, several species of wildlife—and, of course, a few miles of hiking trails for enjoying it all. The mostly flat paths pass through prairies, riparian forests, agricultural fields, marshes, and other habitats while affording views of bald eagles, American white pelicans, osprey, and other birds. (In all, more than 200 species of bird have been spotted on the refuge.) This time of year, colorful ash trees stand out from the Ankeny Overlook.

Champoeg State Heritage Area:

At the far northern edge of Marion County is Champoeg State Heritage Area—most famous for being where Oregon’s first provisional government was established in 1843. (Prior to that, the prairie had been home to members of the Kalapuya tribe, who'd hunted, fished, and gathered camas bulbs for thousands of years.) I’m a sucker for history, but that’s far from the only reason for visiting Champoeg; several miles of biking and hiking trails crisscross the park, making it easy to choose an outing suited to time constraints or energy levels. The Townsite Trail, for instance, offers the rare opportunity to spy western bluebirds while hugging the Willamette River (which doubles as the Marion County line). And if you're hiking with kids, they'll enjoy the historic structures that showcase the different cultures that have long called this area home.

Silver Falls State Park:

When you saw that park appear in this piece, you probably thought I’d name-check the Trail of Ten Falls, perhaps the most famous hiking trail in all of Oregon. It’s a beautiful hike, to be sure—but I enjoy leaving the crowds behind with a relaxing, three-mile round-trip jaunt along the Smith Creek Trail in Silver Falls State Park. The trail mostly remains accessible year-round, but fall makes a fine time to explore; big-leaf maple trees put on dazzling foliage displays, otherworldly mushrooms begin to appear on tree trunks and along the trail, the moss-draped old-growth feels a bit thicker than in summer, and wildlife sightings are more common with the lack of crowds.

Willamette Mission State Park:

The 1,300-acre park sits at the western edge of Marion County, bordering the Willamette River just a half-hour north of Salem. The Kalapuya tribe lived, hunted, foraged, and fished here for centuries before Jason Lee brought his Methodist mission to this site in 1834; today, nearly 15 miles of trails cover Willamette Mission State Park, showing off Willamette Valley wetlands, riparian forests, and other fascinating habitats. Portions of the park can flood in winter and spring, making fall a great time to hike through forests of ash and cottonwood; for leaf-peepers, golden-hued ash trees are the seasonal highlight here.

Not every weekend requires a demanding hike into the heart of a far-flung wilderness; some Saturdays, I want to stick close to home and unwind with an easy outing. (And if I can gawk at colorful fall foliage, spot wildlife, and breathe in a bit of fresh air, all the better.) When the mood strikes, here’s where I go around Monmouth and Independence.

Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site:

Did you know that, in 1922, Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site became the first state park established in Oregon?

I didn’t either when I first stopped by the quiet park at a bend in the Luckiamute River, just a few minutes south of Monmouth. An interpretive panel explains the park’s unique place in Oregon history, while a short, half-mile loop—covered with colorful big-leaf maple trees—circles the parking lot area. (Calling it a hike might be a stretch, but the path nevertheless offers the chance to stretch your legs and enjoy some fresh air.) Keep an eye out for spur trails that offer access to the quiet Luckiamute River, home to cutthroat trout and winter steelhead.

Willamette River Trail:

The Willamette River ambles lazily through the heart of our region, and several walking paths offer up-close views. Chief among them: the 3.3-mile Willamette River Trail, which begins in downtown Independence and follows the riverbank just north of town.

The mostly flat, soft-surface trail passes through a quiet riparian forest, where bald eagle and great blue heron sightings aren’t uncommon. (And since no hike’s truly over until I’m sitting down for a post-jaunt beer, The River from Gilgamesh Brewing makes a fine stop for well-balanced ales and lagers. Nearby Jubilee Champagne and Dessert Bar offers fresh-baked goods to sate my sweet tooth, as well.)

Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area:

Sitting just 15 minutes south of Independence, the 615-acre Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area packs a lot of what makes the mid-Willamette Valley so enchanting into just four miles of hiking trails. Big-leaf maple trees put on displays each fall, dovetailing with regular migratory bird sightings on a quiet stretch of the Luckiamute River. And in the park’s southern tract, Western pond turtles inhabit a pond (and onetime gravel pit).