In an age when sprawl is synonymous with economic development and strip malls and housing subdivisions wrestle for space along car-choked highways, it’s nice to know that there are still places where people live and work with nature.

It’s time to kiss your suburban lifestyle goodbye. Go ahead, forget about your stuffy corporate office. Eliminate the words “rush hour” from your vocabulary forever because we are exploring five of our favorite small towns for outdoor recreation and who knows, you may become the newest resident.

The Borough of Confluence, Pennsylvania (population 873) is “Where Mountains Touch Rivers” and gets its name from the fact that it is located at the convergence of three waterways, the Youghiogheny and Casselman Rivers, and Laurel Hill Creek.

At the upstream edge of town is the Youghiogheny River Lake Dam. The 3,500-acre lake behind it is 16 miles long and up to one-half mile wide. Constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers, it began operations in 1948. Recreational opportunities at the lake include: fishing, power boating and water skiing. Several camping areas are located at the lake and the outflow area of the dam.

Also, there is a 10-mile hiking and biking trail that extends between Confluence and Ohiopyle it is part of the longer Youghiogheny River Trail. Thousands of bicycle enthusiasts, along with hikers, enjoy the scenery here as they travel the trail along the river. To the east of Confluence, in Forbes State Forest, is Mt. Davis. At 3,213 feet above sea level, it is the highest point in Pennsylvania. A picnic area and several hiking trails are located in the vicinity.

The Middle Youghiogheny River starts in Confluence. This pristine river flows to Ohiopyle through the Middle Yough Gorge, an unpopulated area bounded by state park and state game lands. The river has beavers, otters and mink, as well as different varieties of shore birds and ducks. Fishing is superb for both trout and bass. The Gorge offers a family float trip with small rapids and lots of flat-water for swimming and fishing.

The Middle Yough Gorge is a challenging canoe trip for the novice canoeist. Containing seven class II rapids and lots of moving flat water, people come from all over to test their canoeing skills on the river. Kayakers use the Middle Yough Gorge for beginner to novice level boating.

When the water level is high enough, the Casselman River is also suitable for rafting and kayaking. It has class I to class III rapids north of Confluence and offers beautiful scenery along the route.

Also, two of Pennsylvania’s most famous resorts are located near Confluence. Skiing, golfing, and much more are available at Seven Springs Mountain Resort and Hidden Valley Four Seasons Resort.

Oakland, MD

Oakland, Maryland with its population of 1,741 residents is situated on the rolling tablelands of the Appalachian plateau and recreation is certainly a major draw. “It’s a great place,” says Glenn Tolbert, Oakland Main Street Manager. “We are right in the middle of everything, from fly fishing pristine waters, to whitewater rafting, to skiing.”

North of town is Deep Creek Lake. Built in 1925, it is the largest freshwater lake in the state. It is 12-miles long and has 65 miles of shoreline with expansive waters covering nearly 3,900 acres, the lake is especially attractive to boaters. Other activities include fishing, water-skiing, and swimming. Deep Creek Lake State Park has a swimming beach, a nature center, and offers hiking and camping.

Right outside Oakland in Mountain Lake Park is Broadford Recreation Area. It boasts a 138-acre lake with 700 feet of beach, a boat ramp for rowboats, and extensive picnic grounds. Owned and operated by the town of Oakland, a nominal admission fee is charged and planned events and activities are held most weekends throughout the summer. Yet another smaller lake is 5 miles northwest of town at Herrington Manor State Park. The park features a 53-acre lake with swimming beach, boat rentals, tennis courts, volleyball, and hiking trails that transform into cross-country ski trails each winter.

World-class whitewater is also located nearby. Squeezed into a narrow gorge, the Scenic and Wild Youghiogheny River, or “Upper Yough,” challenges experienced paddlers with its 20 Class IV and V rapids. The river is also gaining popularity for its fly-fishing.

As both the birthplace of commercial whitewater rafting in the Eastern United States and Pennsylvania’s largest state park (19,052 acres), the borough of Ohiopyle (population 81) is unique. It derives its name from “ohiopehhla”, an Indian word meaning “white, frothy water.” The focal point of the area is the Youghiogheny (yaw-ki-gay-nee) River, or “Yough” (yawk) as it is commonly called, that attracts thousands of boaters seeking thrills paddling its cold green waters and exciting rock strewn rapids. The river is actually divided into two sections by a magnificent waterfall in the center of town. The lower section is seven and a half miles with Class III and IV rapids. The middle section is nine calm and scenic miles, perfect for a family-oriented float, or laid back fishing expedition.

While the river is certainly an incredible feature of the town, it is by far not the only one. The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail begins here and extends 70 miles along the mountaintops to Johnstown. In addition, the Yough River Trail, a converted railroad bed that is extremely popular with cyclists, passes through town following alongside the river. Once completed, the trail will connect with others to form the Great Allegheny Passage, a continuous pathway from Washington, DC to Pittsburgh, PA.

Crystal clear waterfalls are numerous around the area, and present a great place to relax. One Pittsburgh family, the Kaufmans, found one along Bear Run four miles north of Ohiopyle so enticing, they commissioned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to build a vacation home beside it. Of course, he took that idea one step further and placed the home atop their beloved waterfall, creating the masterpiece Fallingwater.

The city of Petersburg, population 2,363, rests near the confluence of the North and South Forks of the South Branch of the Potomac River. The rivers have long been known for its incredible fishing and state record breakers are common. Trout fishing is popular throughout the spring and bass in the summer months. Canoeing is a past time here as well.

Petersburg is also an eastern gateway to the 900,000-acre mountainous Monongahela National Forest. “We truly are America’s best kept secret,” says Smoke Hole Caverns owner Jerry Hedrick who has lived his whole life in the area. “I can’t think of anywhere that has as much natural beauty,” he says.

There are miles of hiking trails in the area, the North Fork Mountain Trail consistently ranks high for scenery and terrain. It climbs to the top of North Fork Mountain and travels along the edge of sheer cliffs that offer spectacular views of the valley below. Falcons are usually found soaring in the thermals of rising air that quickly ascends the vertical rock cliffs. Another popular hiking trail nearby goes up to an observation platform near the top of Seneca Rocks, a knife-like sandstone cliff that attracts some of the East’s hottest rock climbers. Climbing routes of all abilities are found on the cliffs and at the valley floor are climbing schools that teach the ins and outs of the sport. A labyrinth of caves speckle the region underground and entice experienced spelunkers to hike and climb. Two commercial caverns, Smoke Hole and Seneca, are open to the public for tours daily.

Petersburg presents outdoor recreation in nearly any direction you choose. One area that always seems to stand out is a 10,215 remote mountaintop Wilderness. In the mid-1800s, the Dalhe family used the open grassy fields here called “sods” for grazing sheep, it now bears the name Dolly Sods Wilderness.

The region, located high on the Allegheny Plateau, is known for its extensive rocky plains, upland bogs, and sweeping vistas. In the lower elevations, you’ll find a forest of northern hardwoods and laurel thickets. Higher up, groves of wind-stunted red spruce stand near heath barrens where azaleas, mountain laurels, rhododendron, and blueberries grow. The bogs are unique depressions of sphagnum moss, cranberries, and the insect-eating sundew plant--an ecosystem you’d expect to see in northern Canada. Beaver ponds dot the Wilderness and the headwaters of Red Creek spill out of the area.

Nine trails crisscross this Wilderness. They are relatively rough and wet most of the year. This is easily the most popular Wilderness in West Virginia, and the amount of foot traffic proves it. Maximum group size is 10 people.

At 3,080’ Davis, West Virginia boasts itself as the highest incorporated town in the state. It is indeed the elevation that plays a key role in making this locale one of our favorites. Winter comes early here and usually hangs around the mountaintop dropping an average accumulation of over 160” of natural snow each year, more than Erie, PA or Cleveland, OH. Two alpine ski resorts, Timberline and Canaan Valley, are within minutes of town and so too is Whitegrass Cross-country Ski Touring Center, giving locals and visitors alike opportunities for a variety of trails and terrain.

The area has long been known as one of the finest mountain bike destinations in the East. Ride virtually in any direction from town and you will encounter unimaginable single-track, forest roads, tough climbs and thrilling descents. “It has damn good riding. It offers all levels of terrain and a variety of environments, from gnarly rocky, to open meadows, to mountain streams,” says avid mountain biker and Canaan Valley Resort Manager Steve Drumheller.

The town of Davis with its 799 residents is also blessed with beautiful Blackwater Falls State Park. Its namesake’s brackish waters plummet five stories then twist and tumble eight miles through the rocky canyon below. The “black” water is a result of tannic acid from fallen hemlock and red spruce needles. Park accommodations include a 54-room lodge, 26 cabins, and a 65-unit tent and trailer campground. Recreational activities featured at Blackwater Falls include swimming at Pendleton Lake, hiking trails, horseback riding, fishing, bicycling, cross-country skiing, sledding, and much more among the mountain laurel thickets and groves of dense spruce trees.