What to do: Autumn is perhaps the best time to get outdoors, and 1,085-acre Cowans Gap State Park in the Allens Valley of Fulton County is easy to get to and fun to explore. The fish are still biting at the park's centerpiece, the 42-acre Cowans Gap Lake, even if swimming, boat rental and concessions areas were closed in September. The park has 10 miles of hiking trails and 10 rustic cabins -- three rooms, four-person overnight capacity -- that stay open for rental through the fall.

Contact: 717-485-3948.

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