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Fox Chapel Trails & Old Thunder Brewing

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Blawnox, PA

Guys, I can’t believe the trail network around Fox Chapel and O’Hara Township! There’s so much going on but honestly not a lot of good info out there about it. We were confused about what trails were open to the public and which needed a permit to access. SO we started at the O’Hara community park and just worked our way up! This is a great way to check out this area because you can go as long as you want and you don’t have to worry about getting the permit for the Fox Chapel trails. Plus the community park is so close to Old Thunder Brewing in Blawnox which is definitely worth a visit. They’ve got delicious beers in a very cool old post office building. I’ve got your next hiking day planned out!

THE HIKE: O’Hara Community Park & Salamander Trail

https://www.fox-chapel.pa.us/park-commission/pages/parks-trails

Length: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 200ft
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 2 hours
Trail use: Hiking, No Pets
Parking: Large lot at community park
H&H: 3/5

This hiking outing is perfect for anyone that needs some time outdoors but doesn’t have the energy or time for a big excursion. Somedays you just need a flat, easy path and this is a pretty good one! Although there are many interwoven trails in the Fox Chapel trail system, I knew that some required permit access. However, it wasn’t very clear from information available online which parking areas were permit-only. IT seems that permits are obtained easily enough by going to the public library to get one, but that does require some advance planning especially if hiking on a day when the library is closed! It also appears that the permits are free, you just need to fill out a form prior to your hike. If anyone has any further info about hiking in Fox Chapel, please let me know! 

Entrance to the Salamander Trail

Because of the confusing permits, we decided to start our hike at the O’Hara Community Park which is a lovely park with playgrounds, sports courts, and a paved walking trail. This is the trail we started on and it’s great for all abilities. You follow the paved path along the small creek and start heading out of the park. The paved trail ends and you head towards the treeline where there is a sign for the Salamander trail. This is a natural wooded path and probably more like the trails you’re used to walking. It runs along a creek for a delightful babbling to accompany your trek. Just remember your bug spray, this area can get a bit buggy! There’s a small loop on this section of the trail so we took the high road on the way out and the lower creekside on the way back. 

As you’re hiking along, be aware that the trail crosses over the road a few times. BE very careful on these crossings! After the Salamander Trail, the trail meanders along a road towards towards McCahill Park. This was probably my least favorite section, as I’m not a big fan of hiking along the road. Thankfully, the road was quiet and very few cars drove past. Eventually it turns back into the woods at Scott Park where it continues along the creek. This was a great spot with some benches to sit and have our lunch! Finally we followed the trail to the Riding Meadow Park which was where we decided to turn around. If you like longer hikes, it’s very easy to cross the road here and continue to Riding Meadow. There are a lot more trail systems in this area that will eventually lead all the way to the Audubon Society’s Beechwood Farms. Just make sure to leave enough energy to make it back to your car! 

It’s hard for me to rate this trail because on one hand I enjoyed all of the wooded areas where it was quiet and peaceful. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the sections along the road and the final connecting trail to Riding Meadow was pretty overgrown. I always check for ticks after hiking, but I was especially careful this time! This felt more like a nature walk than a hike, which is totally fine as long as that’s what you’re in for! And I do wish the Fox Chapel areas were more accessible. It makes me sad when access to nature is blocked so only certain people can enjoy it. 

Just another quick note about these trails. You might have noticed that I omitted the name of the initial trail in O’Hara Park. This trail contains a word that First Peoples consider derogatory and offensive. There are several places that use this word that First Peoples have been advocating for a name change. In fact, a very popular resort in Lake Tahoe recently changed its name to Palisades Tahoe in acknowledgement of the racist and offensive origins of its original name. I hope that eventually this small trail in O’Hara will understand the harmful connotations of its name and make a change! 

THE BEER: Old Thunder Brewing

Address: 340 Freeport Rd, Blawnox, PA 15238
Distance from Trail Head: 2 miles, 6 mins 
Website: Oldthunderbrewing.com
Food?: BYOF & Food Trucks
Details: Outdoor seating but no pets
H&H Rating: 5/5

Okay so Old Thunder Brewing seriously blew me away! As you guys know, I go to a lot of breweries. I’ve been to the good, the bad, and everything in between. But I knew as soon as we pulled up to this venue that it was going to be something good! The Old Thunder Brewing taproom has been open for just over a year, but you wouldn’t know it by walking in! It’s in a converted post office building that has been lovingly updated while keeping much of the original features. It has a huge indoor taproom complete with bar seating and tables, as well as a patio space out front. I think my favorite feature was the original postmaster’s safe that they left on the wall!

We started out with a flight here because after viewing the menu, we knew we wanted to try a little of everything. Old Thunder offers a nice mix of Pale ales/ IPAs along with some traditional styles like their headliner 340 Lager. I think my favorite by far was the False Kingdom which, luckily for me, is another of their headliners! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for this one at my local beer store! 

Old Thunder doesn’t have their own kitchen but they keep an updated list of food trucks on their website and encourage visitors to patronize other local shops by ordering takeout. This brewery also prides itself on being a family friendly place and there were lots of well-behaved kiddos when we went! Overall, I was super impressed with Old Thunder Brewing. It’s not often that you get both really good beer and a super cool building!

Our Beer:

  • False Kingdom – IPA – 6.8%
  • Reasonable Voices – Pilsner – 4.8%
  • 340 Lager – Helles – 4.8% 
  • Big Blox – DIPA – 8%
  • Featherweight Queen – Stout – 4.5%
  • Character Development #1 – Barleywine – 9.5%
  • Steps Ascending – Pale Ale – 5.2%

SUM UP: For this hike, we headed out to the Fox Chapel area to explore the long trail system. Our hike started at the O’Hara Community Park and meandered all the way to the Riding Meadow Park. This is a good trail system for nature walks and you can add as much or as little distance as wanted. Be aware that some areas of the trail require a permit to park. Afterwards, head over to Freeport Road to check out Old Thunder Brewing in Blawnox. You’ll get to have top-quality beer in a converted historic post office. All in all, a great hiking excursion!

Frick Park & East End Brewing

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East Liberty, Pittsburgh, PA

The other weekend, we got to bring a furry friend on our hike! And what better place to bring a dog than Frick Park. This park is absolutely huge with miles and miles of paved and natural paths. There’s also a good sized dog park which our four-legged companion was a huge fan of! We Pittsburghers are very lucky to have such beautiful urban parks and Frick Park is the cream of the crop! Afterward, keep back and relax at the ever popular East End Brewing. Their huge patio is the perfect place to bring your pooch after a nice long walk.

THE HIKE: Frick Park Loop

Length: Variable – 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 500 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Trail use: Hiking, Running, Mountain bikes, Leashed Pets
Parking: Large lot at the Frick Environmental Center
H&H: 5/5

Okay so don’t get too excited, J and I did not get a dog! We were watching our friends’ sweet dog, Shiloh, while they were out of town. He’s a great walking companion and definitely had much more stamina than us! We knew that Shiloh loves the dog park at Frick Park so it seemed like the perfect place to do our weekend hike!

Frick Park was established by the bequest of Henry Clay Frick after his death in 1919. He stipulated that 151 acres of land near his Clayton Mansion (now the Frick Arts & Historical Center) should be given to the City of Pittsburgh to create a park. More land was added to the park and when it finally opened in 1927, it became the largest of the City’s regional parks.

Frick Park is very unique because of its sloping, wooded spaces that have remained relatively undisturbed, creating a rich habitat for plants and animals. This park is very popular with a variety of outdoor enthusiasts, including bikers, cyclists, and hikers. In addition to the nearly 20 miles of trail, Frick Park also boasts several playgrounds, ball fields and courts, and the previously mentioned dog park! 

For our hike, we parked at the Frick Environmental Center which is one of the few park entrances with a parking lot. If you go to another entrance, there’s usually street parking available! We were intending to follow the Frick Park Loop from Alltrails, but we mostly just let Shiloh lead the way. If you do follow this loop, be aware that it was impacted by the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse, so you will have to avoid that area. The main trails we took were the Clayton loop, Falls Ravine, and Riverview Trail. Frick Park is surprisingly woodsy and there are so many trails that it’s easy to get away from the crowds. We did a nice balance of wider trails and a few more secluded wooded tracks. Hiking with our furry nephew is always an adventure because he’s a hound so every little chipmunk or squirrel immediately puts him in hunting mode. Thankfully after 4 miles and a trip to the off-leash area, he was finally too tired to do much more than bark half-heartedly at the squirrels. I definitely think they were laughing at him. 

After a day in Frick Park, what better place to rest and relax than East End Brewing? Let’s check it out! 

THE BEER: East End Brewery

Address: 147 Julius St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Distance from Trail Head: 2.1 miles, 6 mins
Website: http://www.eastendbrewing.com/
Food?: Full Menu
Details: Outdoor seating & dog friendly
H&H Rating: 5/5

East End Brewing has been a staple in the Pittsburgh brewing scene since it opened in 2004. Their location in East Liberty/ Larimer has a large taproom as well as plenty of outdoor seating. And no need to pack snacks, their in-house kitchen (delightfully dubbed East End Chewing) offers up the perfect doughy companions to their hoppy beers. We noshed on a pretty amazing soft pretzel! Since we had Shiloh with us, we were so happy that this brewery is proudly dog friendly! We set ourselves up in a corner, made sure to bring a blanket and Shiloh was out for the count. Honestly, I couldn’t blame him. After the top notch brews and aforementioned carbs, I would have happily dozed off. Petition to get East End to install hammocks? Or how about a BYOH (Bring Your Own Hammock) event? I digress…

Anyhow, let’s talk beer. Guys East End is good. Like real good. It was super hot the day we went so I stuck with some lighter beers (both in ABV and flavor) but that didn’t stop J from getting the Belgian Tripel. The man loves his Belgian brews! I honestly cannot say enough good things about the Watermelon Gose. I would be happy drinking that the entire summer, it’s just such a dang good porch beer! Also I really liked the Wheat Hop, it was super fruity and refreshing. I brought some home to my wheat beer-loving mom and it definitely got her stamp of approval!  

Another project of East End that I’m loving is their “You Are Here” Series. To celebrate 15 years in the brewing biz and to honor the neighborhoods of the the Burgh, they are making 90 different beers for the 90 neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Here’s what they have to say about the project:

“We’ve been thinking a lot lately about our last 15 years of brewing beer in Pittsburgh, what it means to be a “local brewery”, what it means to brew beer for locals to enjoy, and how people become connected to this notion. Pittsburgh is a city of neighborhoods, each with their own identities, and fiercely loyal populations.
So to celebrate the wonderful diversity of neighborhoods that is Pittsburgh, we’ve decided to brew a brand new beer for each and every one of them. And yeah, that’s a long list. We went through a lot of back and forth with a lot of people on the number until finally the good folks at the City of Pittsburgh came to our rescue with the Official Number: 90.”

What a cool project! I didn’t even know some of these neighborhoods existed, so here’s my challenge to get to know my own city better! As of June 2022, they’re up to 65 neighborhoods. So go check out East End Brewing, and know that you’re supporting a local business that really cares about their roots!

Our Beer:

  • Stanton Heights – Belgian Tripel – 9.2%
  • Wheat Hop – Fruity Wheat Beer – 4.5%
  • Pedal Pale Ale – American Pale Ale – 5%
  • Seedless Watermelon Gose – Sour – 4.1%

SUM UP: Frick Park is a large urban park in the East End of Pittsburgh. While not the oldest park in Pittsburgh, it is the largest and best known for its woodsy trails filled with wildlife. This park is very popular for walking, bike riding, sports, birding, and more! If you like to be outside, this is the place for you! There are miles of intersecting trails for any length of trek. After you’re done soaking up the great outdoors, wander over to East End Brewing for some delicious brews and food in a neighborhood-driven environment. Hikes & Hops like this make me so happy to be back in Pittsburgh!

Conkle’s Hollow & Double Edge Brewing Company

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Hocking Hills, OH

Happy Belated Mother’s Day! Today I’m happy to share a lovely hike that I got to do with my Mom in Hocking Hills! One of the best things about this area is that you can see some amazing sights on a relatively short hike! My family tackled the roughly 2.5 miles Rim Trail at Conkles Hollow Nature Preserve on a beautiful sunny morning. This is a great hike for the whole family and is a really good loop for non-hikers. There’s also a shorter gorge trail that’s wheelchair and stroller friendly so this really is a place for everyone. Let’s check it out!

THE HIKE: East and West Rim Loop – Conkles Hollow Nature Preserve

Length: 2.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 427ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Trail use: Hiking Only, NO PETS
Parking: Large parking lots. Vault Toilets
H&H: 5/5

Conkle’s Hollow is a small Nature Preserve located within Hocking Hills State Park. It is a rocky gorge that’s considered to be one of the deepest in Ohio! As you travel along the rim trail, you’ll be walking along cliff edges that raise 200ft up! The gorge itself is fairly narrow so you can even see hikers on the other side of the rim! This area is very unique because the towering cliffs mean that little to no sunlight reaches the bottom of the gorge. 

Family Hike!

A local legend of Conkle’s Hollow insists that robbers had hid their loot somewhere in the hollow but were never able to retrieve it due to a felled tree. Who knows if the tale is true, but if I needed a place to hide out, one of the caves in this area would definitely work for me!

When hiking at Conkle’s Hollow, try to arrive early if going on the weekend. Although there is a large parking lot (with vault toilets), it’s extremely popular so it will fill up! We arrived around 10am on a beautiful Saturday and easily found parking. However, we finished up, the lot was completely packed and people were parking along the street. 

Now I said that Conkle’s Hollow is great for non-hikers. However, I want to clarify that you need to be reasonably steady on your feet and able to climb steps to do this hike. The first bit of the trail follows some steep steps and then continues uphill for a bit so be prepared to get your heart pumping! Most of this trail does follow along a cliff edge so you’ll see plenty of warning signs. Make sure to stay away from the edge and be smart about your hiking! It’s only dangerous if you’re not respecting the trail. Plus, the trail is one-way so you don’t have to worry about stepping to the side to let other hikers pass. 

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this trail! Although it was only 2.5 miles, we spent hours here because we constantly had to stop and take in the beauty! There were so many incredible rock formations and small waterfalls. Plus we were nearing peak wildflower season so I always wanted to stop and look at every plant. Most of the crowds seem to only do the shorter gorge trail so we thankfully had a lot of the rim trail to ourselves. You can always add in the Gorge trail before or after your hike to get the full experience! 

My family had an awesome time on this hike! I would definitely do this again and I thought it was a perfect hike for people who want to experience Hocking Hills without doing a long, strenuous hike. If you’re looking for other short hikes in the area, check out Cantwell Cliffs (1 mile) or Rock House (0.8 mile).

THE BEER: Double Edge Brewing Company

Address: 158 W Chestnut St, Lancaster, OH 43130
Distance from Trail Head: 24 miles, 31 mins
Website: http://www.double-edge.beer/
Food?: BYOF/ Food Trucks
Details: Outdoor seating & dog friendly

Double Edge Brewing Company is located about 15 miles outside of the Hocking Hills area in the super cute town of Lancaster. It’s a bit of a drive from the trailhead but definitely worth it! The first thing that struck me about this little brewery was the community! People were all talking to each other, clearly making friends with neighbors at the next table. How lovely! 

Double Edge has been a staple of downtown Lancaster since 2017. Their taproom is pretty big with a nice relaxed vibe. There’s also plenty of outdoor seating if you’d rather soak up the sun! Their taproom offers a wide variety of house made beers as well as local wine and cider. Check their events for food trucks on the weekend and live music! 

My favorite beer of the day might surprise you. It was actually the Aunt Sally Key Lime Sour! I really love a good sour, especially after being outside all day. This one really hit the spot and I liked that it kept the ABV low. This is definitely a great beer for some afternoon drinking! Good beer and a good spot; we’ll definitely be back someday!

Our Beer:

  • Seven Seas – West Coast IPA – 6.1%
  • Moondog – Porter – 5.7%
  • Comet Session – Session IPA – 5.2%
  • Aunt Sally – Key Lime Pie Sour – 3.6%

SUM UP: Conkles Hollow is a beautiful nature preserve near Hocking Hills, Ohio. The 2.5 miles Rim trail is a great trek for all ages but has some elevation and steps that wouldn’t be good for very young or unsteady folks. It’s just challenging enough to feel proud of yourself at the end and rewards you with gorgeous views along the way. After your hike explore more of the Hocking Hills Region, like Rock House or Cantwell Cliffs. Finally, round out your day with a cold brew at Double Edge Brewing in Lancaster. You’ll be sure to make a new friend at this inviting neighborhood brewery!

Raccoon Creek State Park & Coal Tipple Brewery

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Burgettstown, PA

This past weekend, we braved the gloomy, damp weather to go for a hike in Raccoon Creek State Park. In case you don’t know, Raccoon is one of the largest parks in the state and it’s only about 40 mins away from downtown Pittsburgh! The park features waterfalls, a lake beach, fishing, and a gorgeous wildflower reserve. I highly encourage a visit during the springtime when the wildflowers are at their peak! After your hike and hopefully lots of pictures of delicate wildflowers, drive to Coal Tipple Brewery (located at Kramer’s Greenhouse), a small local brewery that offers fresh beer and a down home vibe. Also they’ve got a popcorn machine, so really what more could you want?

THE HIKE: Forest and Lake Loop

Length: 4.25 miles
Elevation Gain: 620ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time:  2-2.5 hours
Trail use: hiking, leashed pets
Parking: Gravel lot with Port-a-Potty
H&H: 4/5

Ah Spring in Pittsburgh! Grass is growing, trees are blooming and it’s…snowing?! Yup, springtime here doesn’t really mean sunshine and daffodils. It means waiting for a break in the chilly rain to finally get a hike in. Luckily, J and I managed to time our trip to Raccoon Creek State Park just perfectly so that we got there right when the rain let up for a few hours. My raincoat has been my best friend on our recent outings! 

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. 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. 

For our trek, we decided to do a 4 miles loop that incorporates sections of the Lake Trail (blue blaze) and the Forest Trail (white blaze). If you go any time soon, be prepared for MUD. Spring is a very muddy time in the Pittsburgh region and there’s no avoiding mud on the trails. Just remember to wear good shoes and walk through the mud not around it! The Lake trail was by far the muddiest section of this trail but we managed to keep our feet mostly dry! I really liked the Forest trail portion, since it had some elevation changes and it was so cool to see the woods slowly turning green. I would call this a moderately difficult hike since there were some steep inclines and some stream crossings. 

After we had finished our hike, we hopped over to the other side of the park to visit the wildflower reserve. A few years ago, I did a short hike here with my parents and it was a great beginner hike. There’s a lot to see and it’s fairly flat. This time around, J and I only wanted to do a short loop to check in on the wildflowers. It’s definitely a week or two too early for peak blooms but I was so excited at the number of little ones popping out! We took so many pictures and used iNaturalist to try to identify them! So much fun! 

THE BEER: Coal Tipple Brewery

Address: 1905 Steubenville Pike, Burgettstown, PA 15021
Distance from Trail Head: 9.3 miles, 13 mins 
Website: http://www.coaltipplebrewery.com/brewery
Food?: BYOF (Popcorn machine!)
Details: Outdoor seating & dog friendly
H&H Rating: 4/5

Coal Tipple is a delightfully tiny brewery located at Kramer’s Greenhouse. They also have an onsite winery (Raccoon Creek Winery) so really this place has got it all! There’s usually only one or two people working and it feels like having a beer in someone’s dining room. I love it! They also have a small window in the taproom that looks out into the brewing garage so you can see the guys at work.

For such a small operation, Coal Tipple has quite the selection of beer!  They had 8 beers on tap with quite a range of styles. We went for the Pit Pony Wheat and the White Hat Stout. I’m not really a fan of this trend of light stouts, but this one wasn’t bad! The Pit Pony was very refreshing and they can serve it with blueberries, if that’s your thing. We also split the Dead Canary which is an American IPA that really packs a hoppy punch. Aside from their beer, another thing I like about Coal Tipple is their popcorn machine! They have complimentary bags of popcorn for their guests which really hit the spot. Every time I come here, I just love to sit back and relax. And if the owners are in, say hello! They’re super nice and love to chat with their guests. And of course, while you’re in check out their farm market, bakery, and plants. Honestly, what more could you need? 

Our Beer:

  • Dead Canary – American IPA – 7.28%
  • White Hat Stout – White Stout – 5%
  • Pit Pony – Wheat – 5%

SUM UP: Raccoon Creek State Park is a large park about 40 mins away from Downtown Pittsburgh. It offers 44 miles of hiking, a large lake for swimming, boating, and fishing, and plenty of sites for camping or picnicking. The Forest and Lake Loop is a 4-mile trek that shows off the best of Raccoon, including a walk along the lakeside and meandering trails through the woods. There are some steep sections, so I’d rate it as moderate. Also in the Spring and Fall, check out the wildflower reserve and see how many different types of flowers you can spot! After your time in the woods, head over to Coal Tipple Brewery for small batch brews in a quaint farm market. You can even pick up some wine and greenery too! This is an ideal spring day trip!

Devil’s Hollow Conservation Area & Fermata Brewing Company

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Ambridge, PA

The creek crossing that led to some very damp feet

This is a story of the hike that wasn’t meant to be. Sometimes you just aren’t as prepared for nature as you wish you were! We originally were going to do the Walker Park Trail in Leet Township only to find about 0.5 mile in that there was a large stream crossing with no stepping stones. We went for it, not wanting to give up so soon, and got our feet completely soaked. Not 0.1mile later the trail veered over the stream again and we had to turn around. No trail is worth getting feet completely soaked multiple times in 40F weather! So instead we went up the road to the small Devil’s Hollow area which is managed by the Allegheny Land Trust. It’s a short trail but it was beautifully peaceful and had a great hill that got our blood pumping! And it’s conveniently very close to the newly opened Fermata Brewing in Ambridge!

THE HIKE: Devil’s Hollow Conservation Area

https://alleghenylandtrust.org/green-space/devils-hollow/

Length: 1.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 346 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time:  45 minutes
Trail use: hiking, leashed pets, trail running
Parking: Small lot for three cars
H&H: 4/5

With all the lingering winter weather (why is it always crappy on the weekends?!) we’ve been finding it difficult to get out and hike! I’m so ready for those warm spring days. This past weekend, we decided to check out a small trail in the Leetsdale area. It had great reviews on AllTrails and looked like the perfect Sunday hike! Well it started out alright, we parked at one of the picnic shelters and used the stepping stones to cross the little creek. The first 0.5 miles traveled along the creek in a very peaceful woods. But then we hit problems. The trail meandered over the creek again but this time there were no stepping stones. The creek had gotten wider and there was no easy place to cross so we just picked a spot and went for it. Annnnnd got wet up to mid-shin on a 40F day. Not ideal. So then a few minutes later when the trail crossed the creek again, we decided to turn around. It just wasn’t the right kind of day for soaking wet feet! 

Easy stepping stone on this crossing, not so later on!

So we went back to the car after only getting about 1.5 miles in and decided to go up the road to Devil’s Hollow Conservation Area. This is a 97 acre area managed by the Allegheny Land Trust and there is parking for about 3 cars at the trailhead. This area was donated to the ALT in 2016 from the Little Sewickley Creek Watershed Association. It’s surrounded by private lands, so be aware that some trails may split off into private property. Try to stay on the main trail marked by ALT signs. 

I really enjoyed this trail! We did the loop counterclockwise which I highly recommend because it starts with a steep incline and ends with a long gentle downslope. I feel like the opposite way would make for a rough descent at the end! This trail does gain over 300ft in elevation in the first 0.5 mile so be prepared! Some areas of the trail were muddy at the very end but nothing impossible to navigate. 

Because this trail loops along a steep hillside, it creates a really interesting “silent” area. The hills block out any surrounding noises so it feels completely silent as you hike, broken only by squirrels rustling in the leaves and birds chirping in the trees. We didn’t see another person the whole time on the trail! I highly recommend this trail, and if you’re looking for a longer route, just complete the loop more than once! You might find something new along the way. 

THE BEER: Fermata Brewing Company

Address: 918 Merchant St, Ambridge, PA 15003
Distance from Trail Head: 5 miles, 12 mins 
Website: http://www.fermatabrewing.beer/
Food?: Food Truck or Local Restaurants or BYOF
Details: Indoor Seating only (Unsure about pets)
H&H Rating: 5/5

I was so excited to go to this brand new brewery in Ambridge! They had only been open 7 days when we visited and the place was THRIVING. Fermata Brewing Company joins Altered Genius as resident brew masters on Merchant Street in downtown Ambridge. 

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! We sat with our beer and watched as the guys cleaned up from a brewing day. How cool to have a front seat to the beer making process? And if you’re a music lover, this is gonna be the place to be! There will be open mic nights, live music and much more so keep an eye on their social media to stay up to date! 

And of course, the most important part: How was the beer? It was pretty dang good! My fav of the day was definitely the Living in the Limelight. It was a crisp pale ale that really hit the spot after working up a sweat out in the woods. I also liked the surprising Cold Brew Collusion, which gave me all the lovely wheat flavors with a smooth coffee finish. Delightful! 

Our Beer:

  • Living in the Limelight – Pale Ale – 5.7%
  • Cold Brew Collusion – Coffee Wheat Beer – 5.6%
  • Wayward Son – Wheat Beer – 5.6%
  • You Too – Dry Irish Stout – 3.9%

SUM UP: Devils Hollow Conservation Area is managed by the Allegheny Land Trust and offers a 1.6 mile loop. But don’t be fooled by the length! This trail has a steep incline that really gets the blood pumping and bumps this up to a moderate hike . This is a low traffic area and there are three parking spots at the trailhead. The trail is so peaceful and quiet plus you can see a lot of birds! After your hike, check out downtown Ambridge’s brand new brewery: Fermata! They’ve got a great beer list in a huge, yet homey taproom. They don’t have a kitchen but they’ve got QR codes for all the local restaurants so you can order in or see if a food truck is on the schedule! This is an awesome addition to Ambridge and keep your eyes open for their music schedule!