Seasons don’t follow a set schedule or shift on a specific calendar date. Changes creep across landscapes, sometimes imperceptibly slow, other times suddenly apparent. One day holds the lingering heat of summer, while the next delivers a frosty chill. These variations bring autumn’s brilliant colors and cause wildlife to scamper about in earnest preparation for what’s ahead. Leaves flickering like candlelight, birds’ migratory flight and the arrival of the unexpected all make fall feel so special. Cooler temperatures and fewer people on the trails also make it an amazing time to trail run.

Most of Central Oregon’s forests are coniferous. The trees have needles that display only very slight seasonal changes, so it can be hard to even notice any differences. Larch trees are the exception, glowing golden in the fall before dropping all of their needles. Several larches light up the forest just outside Camp Sherman along the Lake Creek Trail and in the Deschutes Land Trust’s Metolius Preserve. The trails in the area are relatively flat and can be connected to other trails to make routes of varying lengths. The Lake Creek Trail connects to Suttle Lake, which makes an excellent destination.

More deciduous plants with broad leaves grow along the edges of water as opposed to the middle of ponderosa or lodgepole pine forests.

Lake shores and stream banks are some of the best places to observe seasonal transitions. Foliage gleams in the luster of late October sun. The breeze rattles the leaves, separating them at their stems. They flutter and float, before scattering to the ground. Seek out the splash of color along any of Central Oregon’s rivers, creeks or lakes.

Spectacular colors line the shore of Suttle Lake in particular because of the vine maple, which turns bright hues of red and orange. The colors may have passed their prime, especially with the recent extremely cold temperatures. But Suttle is still worth a visit this time of the year. The campgrounds are closed by late fall so the shores are much quieter and the lake itself calmer than during the busier summer months. The trail loops around the whole lake at just over 3.5 miles. There are other trails in the area to add on and create a longer run. Park at the foot of the lake to the east near Suttle Lodge or at the head of the lake to the north at the Link Creek boat ramp.

Autumn’s lessons

This time of year invites contemplation. There are lessons to learn from the fleeting beauty of this season. There’s a time to let go. Trees put energy into growing leaves, creating crowns of foliage which allow them to make sugars that help them grow. Yet when the cold weather arrives, the trees no longer need the leaves and let them go. The bare branches, when covered with snow won’t be so heavy and may prevent the tree from losing a limb. Certainly, there are things in our lives that once served a purpose but are no longer needed. Maybe it’s material items, maybe it’s a particular emotion, thought pattern, or habit that doesn’t contribute to growth anymore. It’s time to let them go and create space for whatever is needed right now.

The variable weather conditions in the fall can teach us to embrace the unexpected. The seasonal swing of temperatures can be drastic, especially in the High Desert. The first snowfall can be a surprise and the frigid temperatures on dark mornings can freeze fingers. Rather than resist these changes, welcome them for what they offer. A dusting of snow makes the forest sparkle. And a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa will warm those fingers back up. Each season brings novelty to the surrounding world. Change can be beautiful.

A trail run provides the opportunity to observe the subtle shifts from one season to the next and the time to be reminded of the lessons of the landscapes.