Savor the shades of the season

Some call it “leaf peeping” while others wax poetic about taking in “fall's splendor.”

However you describe it, getting outside to enjoy autumn's colorful leaves is a great pleasure of the season.

Here are a few ways to enjoy nature's big but all-too-brief show — whether you prefer to walk, ride, soar or float.

By foot

Indian Cave State Park offers some of the prettiest fall vistas, Wagner said. The hilly park offers 20 miles of pristine forest hiking trails, with some overlooking the Missouri River. (Horseback rides and living-history demonstrations also are available on weekends.)

Those who would rather drive can find scenic overlooks within the park above the canopy of the many elm, hackberry, bur oak and cottonwood trees.

“I call it the Little Ozarks,” Wagner said. “I think it's the park's ambience that lends itself to that.”

The park, south of Brownville, is about a 90-minute drive from Omaha. The best way to make a full day of it, Wagner said, is to stop first near Nebraska City at Union or Kimmel Orchards and then at Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum. The latter park is home to more than 260 species of flowers, shrubs and trees.

The Wabash Trace, which goes from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the Missouri state line, offers nice views for hikers and bikers.

By air

Floating above the Elkhorn and Platte River Valleys adds a bit of adventure and a bird's-eye view of the fall foliage.

Steve Lacroix, owner of Scenic Winds Balloon Tours in Omaha, often takes couples, and sometimes families, for rides over west Omaha neighborhoods.

“People are really surprised by how many small lakes and ponds are there,” Lacroix said. It's pretty, “especially when you see the colors of the trees reflected in the water.”

Tom Peterson, owner of Dreamtime Balloon Adventures in Omaha, said it's not unusual to see wild turkeys, deer, skunks and even coyotes. He enjoys a flight route that lifts off from Springfield and floats above Plattsmouth, Cedar Creek and the Platte River.

Since flights and lift-off locations are subject to the day's winds, passengers need to be flexible with scheduling. A typical flight includes 45 to 60 minutes in the air and leaves either 30 minutes before sunrise or two hours before sunset. The total time commitment is three hours, and the cost starts at about $200 per person.

To find local pilots, visit www.nebraskaballoonclub.org.

By bike

The Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail, stretching 195 miles from Norfolk to Valentine, is a popular fall ride with cyclists, said Jon Downey, vice president of the Elkhorn Valley Cycling Club. This year the section between Norfolk and O'Neill is undergoing repairs because of flooding. However, the 117-mile section from O'Neill to Valentine remains open.

“It's a 10-foot-wide limestone trail with very little change in elevation,” he said. “You can get on and ride to your heart's content.”

For a trail map, visit outdoornebraska.ne.gov.

For mountain bikers, the five miles of single track at the Maskenthine Lake State Recreation Area, about 10 miles east of Norfolk, offer an adventurous ride and access to on-site camping at $5 to 14 per night.

By water

While tubing on the Niobrara River near Valentine certainly slows down because of autumn's chill, area outfitters still rent canoes. Prices vary depending on the outfitter and duration of the trip.

The Niobrara River Valley is one of Nebraska's most beautiful areas, said Greg Wagner, a Nebraska Game and Parks spokesman, with cottonwood, sumac, paper birch and quaking aspens, and plenty of wildlife. Smith Falls State Park offers a good spot to camp.

“Treat yourself, and experience the river when there are not many people on it at all,” he said.

By rail

Riding the rails on the Fremont Dinner Train on a Sunday afternoon offers views of wooded areas as well as a three-course meal.

Passengers leave at 1:30 p.m. for an 18-mile round trip, returning at 4 p.m. The current schedule continues until January, when Sunday trips are typically reduced to one per month. (Some evening rides also are available.) Children are welcome on the Sunday excursions, and the proper attire is described as business casual. Adults' tickets, including the meal, are $42; children's tickets are $20 to $25.

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