Tucked high in the mountains west of Lakeview, Aspen Ridge Resort isn't somewhere you end up on accident. The paved (ish) forest service road to this working cattle ranch starts from the back of a Sno-Park at the summit of Quartz Mountain, winding 10 miles through the Fremont National Forest before delivering you to an alpine clearing straight out of A River Runs Through It. Nestled in the forest along its edges, a cluster of cabins and one main lodge make up Aspen Ridge Resort. For 20 years, owners Karen and Steve Simmons have helped city slickers embrace a slower pace of life with horse riding, hiking, and pure and simple porch sitting. It's the perfect place to spend a long weekend watching Oregon's autumn unfurl across a spectacular landscape. But it's a limited time offer: when Old Man Winter arrives (typically early December), Aspen Ridge Resort's doors close for the season.

Take a tour with our slide show. 

Nestled in a hidden valley—home to ranchers since the 19th century when the area was known as Vistillas—Aspen Ridge Resort offers 14,000 alpine acres to explore.

Image: Courtesy Aspen Ridge Resort