3 of the Best Fall Fishing Getaway Destinations

If you have college-age kids, they may not have to be back to school until mid-September. And for those with younger children, Columbus Day offers a three-day weekend in most places; it’s the perfect time to pack everyone up for one last great adventure. And there’s no better way to get out and enjoy these gorgeous fall days than in an RV.

If you’ve never tried RVing before, no problem. Finding an RV just right for your needs is easy and finding rental locations is super simple.

Want more reasons to try an RV? Since you carry your accommodations with you, there’s no need to worry about making hotel reservations. Kids get hungry along the way, no problem. Find a nice picnic area, pull in and you can make lunch right where you are with fresh ingredients you gather along the way at roadside stands or local famers’ markets.

RVing is easy, fun and it provides a wonderful way for the family to truly be together one last time before school gets serious. And for couples, there is no better time to get away. Here are three of our favorite adventures for the early fall where you’ll find great fishing, hiking, camping and more. So go on, get out there and enjoy yourself.

Adirondack Adventure

East Coaster’s have a jewel of a getaway in the Adirondacks. And it’s just a few short hours from Albany. Lake Durant Campground is the perfect jumping off place to explore the great fishing and outdoor activities surrounding the Blue Mountain Lake area.

The 327-acre lake offers great fishing and public campsites offer plenty of privacy and are large to accommodate RVs up to 30 feet in length. The best thing about this location, however, is that some of northern New York State’s best Tiger Muskie and bass fishing is right here.

Things to Do

Fishing: Great angling for Tiger Muskie, and smallmouth bass abounds among the lily pads of Lake Durant itself. The campground has a boat ramp and canoe rentals are also available. But don’t just stop there. Great angling for trout and panfish abounds in the many lakes surrounding the area.

Hiking: Take a hike up to one of the area’s fire towers for spectacular views.

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Paddling: Canoes and kayaks available at the marina on nearby Blue Mountain Lake. Take a picnic lunch and paddle to of the small islands that dot the lakes here.

Biking: Lots of places to explore by bicycle or mountain bike.

Adirondack Museum: One of the finest small museums (and totally undiscovered) in the U.S. Great art, boat and Adirondack-style twig furniture on display. The gift shop is incredible with a full 30-foot wooden sailboat and there are plenty of indoor and outdoor activities for the kids.

Getting There
2 hours from Albany
4 ½ hours from NYC

Colorado’s Best

Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is famous for its great skiing, hot springs, restaurants and nightlife, but just 26 miles north is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets — Steamboat Lake.

Located at the base of Hahn’s Peak, 1,055-acre Steamboat Lake offers world-class trout fishing. Campgrounds at Steamboat Lake offer full RV hook-up facilities and the lake has a full-service marina as well as boat ramps so access is easy.

And if you bring the family they’ll enjoy the great, hiking, mountain biking, and boating opportunities.

Things to Do

Fishing: The coves of Steamboat Lake are known for their giant rainbow trout, and with 1,053-surface acres of water, there are ample places where you can have water all to yourself. Best of all, you’ll be surrounded by some of the prettiest views of the Continental Divide in Colorado.

For those in search of more solitude, just a few miles up the road you’ll discover pristine Pearl Lake. This place really is a gem — a true getaway from the day-to-day world that’s just off the highway a few miles. Campsites are non-electric, but perfect for RV travelers.

Fishing in the lake is limited to flies and artificial lures only (no livebait) and wakeless boating only, so you’ll experience quiet days and nights. Best of all the lake harbors excellent fishing for cutthroat trout and grayling. Some of the best fishing occurs in late August right on into the fall, so your timing for a visit couldn’t be better.

There are lots of things to do with the family as well:

Hiking: Miles of trails surround the entire area.

Paddle board/kayak: Rentals available at the full-service marina on Steamboat Lake.

Sailing/water skiing: Steamboat Lake offers both.

Pearl Lake: Want an even more remote experience? Nearby Pearl Lake offers a peaceful getaway in a lush forest setting. Campsites here non-electric but perfect for RV enthusiasts.

Getting There
3 ½ hours from Denver; 38 minutes from Steamboat Springs, Co.

Discover Copper Harbor, Mich.

Located at the at the western end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Copper Harbor is one of the best spots to RV in America. And as we move into early fall, anglers will discover this is an incredible place to fish.

Splake, a crossbreed created between a lake trout and a brook trout, are the big fish here. Fish generally run up to 15 inches or so, but 10-pound trophies are occasionally caught. Small spoons in blue/silver and orange/silver work well on feisty splake, locals like Little Cleos.

These fish are great fighters, but they also are delicious and perfect for grilling back in camp.

Scenic, sheltered, Lake Fannie Hooe has a boat ramp, fishing pier and picnic area. The lake also harbors walleye, splake and smallmouth bass and is an ideal spot for float tube and kayak anglers.

Just across the road, you’ll find the mouth of Fanny Hooe Creek. There is a cobble and sand beach with a view of the lighthouse across the bay. It’s a great place to fish, as the warmer flow from Lake Fanny Hooe attracts splake, lake trout, steelhead, coho and king salmon — literally everything that swims in the harbor and Lake Superior. And fall is when the big boys from the lake come in to feed.

Nearby Lake Manganese and Manganese Creek offer brook trout fishing, and don’t miss scenic Manganese Falls, which tumbles 45 feet into Lake Fanny Hooe.

When you’re ready to take a break from fishing, there are lots of other activities to discover here:

Things to do

Historic Fort Wilkins State Park: Offers excellent RV camping on site with paved pads for big towable RVs. Fort Wilkins is a fully restored 1844 military outpost and features one of the first lighthouses on Lake Superior.

Mountain Biking: The town offers world-class trails for the hardcore but there are plenty of beginner rides as well with rentals available in town.

Paddleboarding: Keweenaw Adventure Company in Copper Harbor is a center for paddleboarding and kayaking.

Hiking: Take a trail through 500 acres of virgin white pines, which is one of the few remaining stands left in North America. These trees, which grow to 150 feet tall, provided masts for sailing ships back in the day.

Explore a lighthouse: Just a short boat ride out from the quaint harbor.

Local craft brewery: At the end of the day, everyone congregates at the Brickside Brewery, a very friendly microbrewery that handcrafts artisan brews.

Getting There
3 hours from Marquette, Mich.
5 hours from Duluth, Minn.

Experience the full Weekends Away site to explore more of the hiking, biking, camping, and water sports opportunities at each of these destinations along with information on how to book your own RV vacation.

Visit Now: http://outdoorchannel.com/weekendsaway/