Whether you are looking for something to do with the family on the weekend, or are empty-nesters out for a leisurely fall outing, Clinton County offers a range of great fall activities and places to check out. 
Here are a few of our favorites.
Apples and Pumpkins
Head out to Taphorn Orchards in Beckemeyer to pick crisp apples—and get some of their delicious apple butter and cider. They also have fields of pumpkins, perfect for a jack-o-lantern or two.
And speaking of pumpkins, Carlyle is hosting its Taste of the Lake, 2017 Pumpkin Patch event on October 14. It’s a day of food, fishing, music, and fun with pumpkin decorating, games, inflatables, face painting, and more! The Bass Pro Shops Crappy Masters tournament will also be going on this day (more information will be in next week’s blog ).
Taphorn Orchards
September-October, 2017
Bartelso Road, ½- mile south of Old Highway 50, Beckemeyer, IL
618-227-8839
Taste of the Lake
Saturday, October 14, 2017
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Hosted by The Fishhouse
3551 Dam East Access Road, Carlyle, IL
618-304-5273
Biking and Hiking
With daytime temperatures in the 60’s and low 70’s, autumn is ideal for hitting the trails around Clinton County. Eldon Hazlet State Park has more than nine hiking trails, offering options for shorter or longer treks. For a nice 10-mile hike, try the Carlyle Lake Prairie View Trail, running from the Visitors Center east across the Kaskaskia River Dam. For bikers, the Carlyle Lake Multi-Use Trail is a nice 10.3-mile link between the Carlyle and the lake, offering a chance to stop for a bite to eat at either end.
Fall Color Drives
Plan a drive while fall leaves are at their peak of color, and enjoy a tour along the Carlyle Lake Wine Trail. It includes the five wineries located here in Clinton County: Crooked Creek Winery (Centralia), Hidden Lake Winery (Aviston), Bretz Wildlife Lodge & Winery (Carlyle), Roundhouse Wine Company (Centralia), and Twelve Oaks Vineyard (Carlyle). Most have tasting rooms and some have music and other events on the weekends.
Bird and Deer Hunting
With Carlyle Lake and two state parks in the area, Clinton County is a big draw for hunters. There are more than 9,000 acres in the parks designated for game hunting, and ideal conditions at Carlyle Lake, Illinois’ largest man-made lake and a haven for migrating birds. These are the dates for the 2017 hunting season:
Fall Turkey/Shotgun, October 21-29, 2017
Fall firearm/Deer, November 17-19, 2017
Second Firearm/Deer, November 30 – December 3, 2017
Fall Turkey/Archery, October 1, 2017 – January 14, 2018
Archery Deer, October 1, 2017 – January 14, 2018
You’ll find more fun places to go and things to do on our Clinton County website. We’ll look forward to seeing you here!