Borderland State Park lets you play lord or lady of the manor for a day. This 1,800-acre former estate centers around the impressive Ames Mansion, a 20-room stone masterpiece built in the early 1900s.

On clear Memorial Day weekends, you can see all the way to New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. The park features more than 20 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy strolls to challenging climbs.

Foresters argue the pros and cons of various models of sustainable forestry, but the overall goal is the same: Timber ...