November | 2023 | Hikes and Hops

Wellsboro, PA

The Pine Creek Gorge is one of the best places in the state for stunning vistas, especially in the fall! Also known as the PA Grand Canyon, Leonard Harrision State Park is one of the best places to view this beautiful natural area. The Turkey Path Trail switchbacks down the hillside from the overlook to Pine Creek for a unique experience of seeing both the top and bottom of the Gorge. This hike is difficult though so after your challenge, you’ve earned a beer at the Wellsboro House. This restaurant and brewery in the small town of Wellboro, packs charm and small-town hospitality into a surprisingly robust taplist and delicious kitchen menu.

THE HIKE: Leonard Harrison State Park: Turkey Path

Length: 3 miles
Elevation Gain: 958 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets
Parking: Large lot at park office, facilities
H&H: 5/5

One of the must see areas in the state is the PA Grand Canyon. This deep gorge was carved out by a 47-mile section of Pine Creek. Several areas have been preserved as National Natural Landmarks, including the section encompassed by Leonard Harrison State Park. This park covered over 500 acres on the east side of the rim, with Colton State Park on the west side.

The canyon has long been an important spot for the region. In prehistoric times, it was used as a major travel route, much of which followed the same path as the modern Pine Creek Rail Trail. A logging boom led to the settling of the area where the creek was used to transport the felled trees. Later, train tracks replaced the old Native American paths along the creek and transported millions of tons of cargo along the rail lines. Like many areas in the state, this industry caused mass deforestation and a huge loss of habitat. It took many years before the deciduous forest began to recover and nature species like elk, otters, bald eagles, and beavers returned to the area. The park is named for businessman Leonard Harrison who built a career in the logging industry, but then protected the overlook areas of the gorge and eventually donated the land to the state in the 1920s for the building of a state park.

The park underwent renovations in 2023 and now sports a new visitor center. This hike starts with a steep trek along steps and natural paths down into the gorge to view waterfalls and get up close to Pine Creek. Afterward, be prepared for a heart pumping hike back up the hillside. From there, it’s an easy one mile loop to view the stunning overlook that peers deep down into the gorge.

THE BEER: Wellsboro House Restaurant & Brewery

Address: 34 Charleston St, Wellsboro, PA 16901
Distance from Trail Head: 11 miles, 19 mins
Website: http://thewellsborohouse.com/
Food?: Full Kitchen
Details: Indoor and outdoor seating

The owners at Wellsboro House opened their popular restaurant back in 2008 after lovingly restoring the 1862 building it is housed in. Then in 2013, they began adding house- brewed beer to their menu, officially becoming the Wellsboro House Restaurant & Brewery. Demand quickly forced them to grow their operations and now they brew in a historic train depot just across the street from the main restaurant. This is fitting as Wellsboro has a long connection to the

A visit wouldn’t be complete without a taste of Dan Smith’s Chocolate Stout, made with real chocolates from the popular Dan Smith’s Chocolates in Brookeville, PA.

Our Beer:

Dan Smith’s Chocolate Stout – Stout – 5.5%
South of the Border Porter – Porter – 6.6%
Bavarian Steam Beer – Wheat Beer – 6.6%
Pumpkin Wheat – Wheat Beer – 5.6%
Juicy Lucy – NEIPA – 7.5%
Nessmuk Lager – Amber Lager – 6.6%

Beaver County, PA

After several months of weekend trips, Hikes & Hops was happy to finally do a local hike. Raccoon Creek is one of my favorite state parks near Pittsburgh. Despite having hiked many miles here, I always end up back at the Wildflower Preserve. While this is stunning in the spring, I also highly recommend a fall visit for those beautiful autumn wildflowers and the warm colors along the creek. This was a perfect hike to do after work followed by a beer at Fermata Brewing in Ambridge!

THE HIKE: Wildflower Preserve Loop

Length: 2.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 187 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1 hour
Trail use: Hiking Only, no biking, no pets
Parking: Large lot at trailhead, bathroom facilities in office
H&H: 5/5

Raccoon Creek State Park is one of the biggest state parks in Pennsylvania! At over 7,000 acres, it boasts 44 miles of trail, a 100-acre lake open for fishing, boating, and swimming, and multiple campgrounds and picnic areas. No wonder it’s so popular! While in summertime, Raccoon Creek State Park is quite busy at the lake, my favorite time to visit is during the spring and fall. Raccoon is famous for its Wildflower Reserve which has some of the greatest biodiversity of wildflowers in the whole state. In fact, along just 4.5 miles of trail, there are over 700 species of plants. Wildflower blooms peak in late April through early May and then again in August through early September.

The wildflower preserve gets a lot of attention in the Spring, but I think there’s a lot of beauty to be seen in the Fall as well! During this time of the year, keep a look out for goldenrod, asters, and more. In early October, the lowlands along Raccoon Creek were also stunning with bright yellows and oranges emerging in the trees. This is also a great area to look for mushroom and amphibian friends!

From the parking lot, there are several trails that can be taken. My preferred path is to start on the Jennings Trail which starts uphill towards the Hungerford Cabin. After passing the cabin, the trail heads into the forest and circles downhill toward the creek. Eventually, turn to the right to get on the Meadow Trail to reach the creek. There’s an easy spot to go out onto the creek bed and skip some stones or just take in the enormous trees. Eventually the Meadow trail rejoins the Jennings trail for a short while. Finally turn left on the Max Henrici Trail to ascend back up the hill and complete your loop. This is a great easy trail to see a lot in a short trek. If this wasn’t quite enough for you, head further into the park and check out the Mineral Springs waterfall or the Lake loop.

There aren’t very many breweries near Raccoon, so I’d suggest hopping over to Ambridge to put your feet up at Fermata Brewing Company!

THE BEER: Fermata Brewing Co

Address: 918 Merchant Street, Ambridge, PA 15003
Distance from Trail Head: 21 mins, 13 miles
Website: fermatabrewing.beer
Food?: Food trucks or BYOF
Details: indoor seating only, frequent live music

Somehow it has been over a year since we visited Fermata! Fermata Brewing is the newest addition to the Ambridge Brew scene having opened back in March 2022. The place is still jamming (literally) and pouring some fantastic beers!

The name Fermata is actually a musical term, which is fitting since all of the partners are music lovers! In written music a fermata is a “pause of unspecified length over a note or rest”. This is a fitting name for the brewery because it invites everyone to pause and stay for a while. Fermata wants to be a place of community in Ambridge where everyone is welcome to come and enjoy great beer and great community. Sign me up! Fermata also pays homage to the history of Ambridge and the American Bridge company from which the town gets its name. The brewery incorporates both the fermata symbol and a bridge in their logo as a shout out to their origins.

One thing I really loved about this place was the immediate sense of chill when we walked in. There were so many places to sit and relax and we felt welcomed by the staff. The decor is so cool, with photos and maps harkening back to the old days of Ambridge side by side with classic music records and memorabilia. I also love that the brewing area is right out in the open! If you’re a music lover, this is the place to be! On the Saturday night we visited, the place was packed and a live band had everyone jamming. Keep an eye on their social media to stay up to date with upcoming shows!