Hikes | Hikes and Hops

For my first official combo, we’re keeping it close to home with one of my favorite standbys: Bacon Ridge Natural Area and Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery. This is a really nice hike for people of all levels and Chesepiooc has a wide range of beer so there’s always something for everyone.

THE HIKE:

Bacon Ridge Natural Area
Length: 6.0 miles (lots of opportunities to make it shorter or longer)
Elevation Gain: 528ft
Time: 2.5 hours (again, could be longer or shorter)
Trail use: Hiking, biking, leashed pets allowed
Parking: No entry fee. Small lot but parking is allowed along road
H&H rating: 4/5

Bacon Ridge is a pretty popular spot but don’t be alarmed if the parking lot is full! You are allowed to park along the road by the trailhead, just be careful crossing the street! This trail is very popular with the mountain bike community so stay alert on the trail. People are usually quite friendly and happy to share the trail but remember that bikes can go pretty fast downhill! Stay alert especially if you bring little hikers with you.

J and I decided to the long loop of Bacon Ridge but there are plenty of shorter trails or options to turn around. I would suggest following a trail map (I prefer the AllTrails app) since the trails are not blazed and it can be easy to get off track. The trail does have some elevation change but since it was made primarily for mountain biking, all hills are pretty gradual and there are no steps or stream crossing. Along the route there are several benches for taking a rest or to enjoy nature. What this trails lacks in overlooks, it makes up for in biodiversity. My partner J has been learning a lot about trees and we spent a lot of time identifying different species. Here is the Certified Good Tree of this hike:

Another point of interest along the way are the rusted cars only about 0.5 miles from the parking lot. Spilling over the hillside are rusted out abandoned cars that look to be from the 1950s. Really fascinating, if not a little bit creepy to me!

Over all Bacon Ridge is an excellent exercise hike that can be as long or as short as you want. There’s ample parking, no fee, a portapotty at the entrance and conveniently only 15 mins away from….

THE BEER

Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery

Address: 2408 Crofton Blvd Crofton, MD 21114
Distance from Trail Head: 8.6 miles, ~15 mins
Website: https://www.brewcrab.com/
Food?: BYOF or Food Truck
H&H Rating: 5/5

Chesepiooc is easily one of my favorite breweries in Maryland. And it’s not just me! They were voted the #1 brewery by WTOP in 2020, which is well-deserved. Chesepiooc specializes in small batch ales so they’re able to have a lot on tap and it’s always so good. They also specialize in cask ales, which means that the beer is cask-conditioned, unfiltered and served at cellar temperature (usually 50-55F). Cask ales remind me of a cozy Scottish pub and if you haven’t had one before, you should check it out! Hmm I’m sensing a longer post about cask ale in my future! Chesepiooc doesn’t do flagship beers, so everything is completely unique and might even change week to week. So if you like something, better get a growler!

Chesepiooc is located off of Route 3 in Crofton and has both indoor and outdoor seating. They don’t have a kitchen so feel free to bring some snacks or grab sustenance from the food truck that’s usually there on weekends (side note: if the Tacos Friday food truck is there, you MUST get a tacos, they are stupid good). Also, no kitchen means it’s very dog friendly! The tap room is very roomy and they’ve got picnic tables out front for those who like the fresh air.

Some of our favorite Chesepiooc beers* are:

Muscles from Brussels (Barrel-Aged) – Belgian Strong Ale 9.8%
Here Comes the Sun – NEIPA – 6.8%
Salt of the Earth – Porter – 5.7%
Taco Friday Lager – American Lager – 5.8%

*Remember, it’s small batch beers so these might not be around when you visit. But I’m positive you’ll find something you like!

SUM UP: Bacon Ridge is a natural preserve with trails for all lengths and abilities. It’s popular with mountain bikers so stay alert! Nearby is Chesepiooc Real Ale Brewery which is a local favorite that makes unique small batch beer and often has a food truck.

H&H overall rating: 4/5

Hike First, Then Beer

I am so excited to finally share Hikes & Hops with the world! I’ve had this blog idea in my mind for a while and I’m so relieved to finally see it through. This blog is going to highlight two of my favorite things: craft beer and the great outdoors! For a while now, one of my favorite weekend pastimes has been going hiking and rewarding myself with a nice cold brew at a local brewery. I’ve found that there’s nothing more satisfying than a delicious cold brew after a ramble out in the woods. With this blog, I’m going to share some of my favorite local breweries and hikes combos. Sound like your thing? Fantastic!

For a long time, my partner and I have spent our weekends out in the woods and then going to the nearest brewery to relax. We’ve made our way through most of Maryland and have ventured a wee bit into West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We’ve done difficult hikes, nature walks, and urban hikes so you’ll find something here for everyone. A few times a year we also like to do a hiking trip to a new state or national park so stay tuned for that.

*Marker on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland*

Hiking is one of my favorite pastimes because it’s free! Sure sometimes you have to pay a fee, but for the most part you can just throw on some shoes and go to the woods. Honestly, my partner and I started hiking because we live in a very expensive area and didn’t have a lot left over for activities. Hiking became our way to get out of the house and explore our area without taking on a big price tag. Of course, we would make the sacrifice for some good beer afterward! We’ve had so much fun finding new breweries and getting to know the people there. I hope that the blog convinces everyone to not only get out in nature but also to support their local breweries!

In addition to sharing hiking and beer combos, I also want to share tidbits about nature and the beer scene as we go. So expect to find short posts about featured plants or animals, hiking advice, and all things beer!

A couple disclaimers: My partner and I are definitely not avid hikers. I like to think of ourselves as day-ramblers so most of these hikes will be beginner-friendly with a few exceptions for “big” hikes. In my posts, I’ll give suggestions of easy or more difficult hikes nearby so that people of all levels can enjoy it. I’ll also give you a head’s up if a hike is particularly difficult or has obstacles like rocky paths or stream crossing. And remember, the great outdoors are for people of all shapes, sizes and abilities! Also nothing in this blog is sponsored; I go to breweries because I like them, not because they pay me. And remember all opinions expressed here are my own!

So put on your hiking boots, grab a growler, and let’s go!