At the end of each school year, when my homework starts accumulating into a bottomless pile, and I fall into bed closer and closer to sunrise each night, all I can think about is simply getting out of school; I don’t have enough spare brainpower to imagine exactly what I’ll do with my two months of freedom. Once it finally arrives, the first thing I do is not flop down on the couch for a VH1 marathon, but think to myself: I have to get away. To me, there is no better way to express my newfound liberty than to stand surrounded by oldgrowth trees or alpine meadows, the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, and no sound in my ears except the gurgle of a creek or buzzing of grasshoppers.

If you’re like me, you mourn the beginning of school because it means you go back to the desk, back to breathing recycled air all day, and back to abiding by a schedule you had no hand in setting. But don’t weep yet! The months of September and October are the best time of the year to enjoy the wilderness. Best of all, you’ll especially appreciate any chance to get outside because of the contrast provided by a stifling, sedentary school week.

Hiking is especially enjoyable in early fall because trails are less crowded, gorgeous seasonal color abounds, and the weather has cooled off enough to reduce the risk of heat stroke halfway up the trail. And even if you’re the VH1/Xbox type, don’t assume hiking is only for the athletic and the adventurous. Start small, and you’ll find you can enjoy the outdoors without being a hardcore backpacker. You’ll be surprised at how much strength you gain along the way.

If leaving the city to hike a trail still seems like a waste of gas, you can start by exploring some of Seattle’s own beautiful parks, which provide a healthy dose of nature just steps away from noisy streets. Seward Park, in Southeast Seattle, Discovery Park, in Magnolia, Lincoln and Schmitz Parks in West Seattle, and the Arboretum in the center of the city are full of quiet trails amid towering trees. These trails are conveniently located and available year-round, but are often just as satisfying to walk as the more distant, often snow-bound mountain hiking trails.

If you’re ready for more of a challenge, then hop in the car and venture a little further. Since our fair state contains practically every type of nature imaginable, it’s stuffed to bursting with amazing hikes. If you want to get serious, I’d suggest picking up a hike book or two. A good choice is Ira Spring and Harvey Manning’s 100 Hikes in … series, which covers the alpine lakes, North Cascades, South Cascades & Olympics, Mt. Rainier, and Central Washington. For now, here’s a little taste of some of my favorite hikes in the state.

Twin Falls

The perfect beginner’s hike. Only about 45 minutes away on I-90, this trail is usually pretty crowded, often with groups of rambunctious children experiencing hiking for the first time. Its popularity is mainly due to the fact that you don’t have to hike long or hard to catch a glimpse of natural beauty; views of the lower falls come after only a mile, and a half mile later you reach a high bridge providing a dizzying view of the river pools between the two falls. From there, you can turn around and head back to the parking lot, or continue on for views of the upper falls and a quiet lunch spot.

Getting There: Drive East on I-90 and get off at Exit 34 (468th Ave SE). Turn right on 468th, and after a half-mile, go left on Southeast 159th St. The parking lot and road end are a half-mile later.

Denny Creek Water Slide

Another beginner’s hike, this option is popular with young families because of its location close to Seattle, minimal elevation gain, and its spectacular reward of a natural water slide only 1.25 miles from the trailhead. On a hot Indian Summer day in September, you don’t have to be six years old to enjoy sliding through a cool creek flowing over slick rocks.

Getting There: Take I-90 East to Denny Creek Exit 47. Turn left and cross the overpass, then right on road No. 58. After passing Denny Creek campground, turn left onto road No. 5830, and then follow the signs to Melakwa Lake trailhead.

Tiger Mountain

A 5-mile round trip, Tiger Mountain is a slight step up from Twin Falls and Denny Creek in terms of difficulty, but still quite manageable for the inexperienced hiker. It’s close to the city and open all year except in cases of very heavy snowfall. And if you can endure the steep climb in the last half mile, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the entire county: downtown skyscrapers, the Space Needle, Sea-Tac airport, ships and ferries in Puget Sound, and miles of wilderness and lakes. Hike it on a clear day for full impact.

Getting There: The trailhead can sometimes be difficult to find due to poor signage. Get off I-90 at Exit 25 and turn right onto Highway 18. After 4.5 miles, at Holder Gap, take the left-hand gravel road for exactly 2 miles, where an easyto– miss pull-off bears a sign with the letters “TMT” designating it as the Tiger Mountain Trailhead.

Snow Lake

With about 25,000 hikers a year, the Snow Lake trail is one of the area’s most popular. It’s bound to be mobbed on summer weekends — all the better reason to attempt it later in the year (though it’s only hikable through October). It’s a 7-mile round trip, so if you’re ready for more of a workout than the previously-mentioned hikes offer, Snow Lake is a good one to try. The trail climbs through meadows and then along a ridge overlooking the lake, then drops down to the lake’s shores, where good picnic spots are abundant.

Getting There: Get off I-90 at Exit 52 (Snoqualmie Pass), turn left onto the Alpental road and go 2 miles to the skiarea and trailhead parking lot.

Mount Si

A popular climb for those looking for more of a challenge, as well as the feeling of actually climbing a whole mountain instead of just meandering along a trail. It’s an 8-mile round trip with 3,450 feet of elevation gain and beautiful views of the Snoqualmie River below. On the clearest days, one can see as far as Seattle with the Olympics beyond.

Getting There: Take I-90 to Exit 31 (North Bend), and drive into the center of town, then turn east on North Bend Way. 1.2 miles later, take a left on 432nd Southeast (Mt. Si road), cross the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River, and turn right at the first intersection. After 2.5 miles you’ll arrive at the parking lot, picnic area, and trailhead.

Lake Serene

This hike is a lot farther out than those along I-90, but the drive along Highway 2 is an interesting one. The highway cuts right through the quaint towns of Monroe, Sultan, Startup, and Gold Bar, which descend in order of size, and crosses the Skykomish River. The hike up to Lake Serene is an 8-mile round trip, but if you aren’t up for some intense switchbacks, you can make Bridal Veil Falls your destination — a misty waterfall sweeping down a smooth rock slope a half-mile off the main trail. Or you can simply detour and then continue up to the lake, which sits surrounded by tall, craggy peaks.

Getting There: Take I-5 North and then take Highway 2 East from Everett. At milepost 35, before crossing the Skykomish for the second time, turn right on Mount Index road and after 0.3 miles turn right again into a parking area. After your hike, you might want to continue a few miles farther east on Highway 2 and take the turn-off to Index, a quiet, isolated mountain town along the river, just to explore.