Top 10 Fall Hikes

6. Malibu, CA
Point Mugu State Park (818-880-0350; www.parks.ca.gov)
So you think there are no seasons in Southern California? Spend an hour in Big Sycamore Canyon, and you'll find fall. No surprise, this place has sycamores, lots of 'em, and in November, their leaves should be turning. Running for 8 miles from the coast and climbing more than 500 feet, the trail can make an ambitious holiday trek. Head just a couple of miles in and you'll hear the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet. $10 per vehicle; off Pacific Coast Hwy at Sycamore Canyon Campground in Point Mugu State Park.  –Matthew Jaffe

7. Scottsdale, AZ
Pinnacle Peak Park (26802 N 102nd Way; 480-312-0990; www.scottsdaleaz.gov/parks/pinnacle)
Prep for pumpkin pie with this popular 3.5-mile round-trip hike, which winds through Pinnacle Peak Park, past north Scottsdale's boulder-strewn landmark, and among saguaros, creosote, and jojoba. You'll catch plenty of desert – and city – views. Peer down at the rolling golf greens and some of the town's swankiest mansions where, no doubt, the caterer carves the turkey. –Nora Burba Trulsson

8. Santa Fe, NM
Borrego-Bear Wallow Loop (Santa Fe National Forest, Hyde Park Rd; 505-438-7840)
Aim for the mountains above Santa Fe for this well-signed 4-mile loop mere minutes from town. Shepherds once brought sheep to market along the ponderosa pine-lined route, but now it's frequented by locals and their beloved dogs. Begin on Borrego, then cross Big Tesuque Creek by an aspen-ringed meadow. Head down-stream along the Winsor Trail to the Bear Wallow Trail, where another stream crossing kicks off the climb back to the car.  –Julian Smith

9. Denver, CO
Deer Creek Canyon Park
Up-and-down with little flat ground is what you'll find at Deer Creek Canyon Park, in the foothills southwest from Denver. The 1.6-mile Meadowlark Trail is a favorite for its million-dollar views and the deer among the thick Gambell oak. Climbing 830 feet, the trail's consistent 10 percent grade can feel like a StairMaster, but stop for breaks and take in the late-fall panorama – you'll agree that this trek trumps the gym any day. –Ted Alan Stedman

10. Salt Lake City, UT
Bonneville Shoreline Trail (Sunnyside Ave; www.bonneville-trail.org/steiner.htm)
Round here, most folks pray for snow by Thanksgiving – so break out the snow-shoes or cross-country skis, just in case. Otherwise, sneakers do just fine on the Steiner Centennial section of the 85-mile Bonneville Shoreline Trail. For a brisk 3-mile out-and-back, start on the north side of Sunnyside Avenue. After a short uphill, the trail levels out and opens up to grand valley views. Continue north to Red Butte Garden, then pivot and marvel at the Wasatch Mountains on the walk back. –Virginia Rainey