beer | Hikes and Hops

Williamsport, MD

Okay so this one is a throwback hike but I couldn’t not share it! According to the Alltrails app this is the #1 hike in Maryland. Like seriously, the #1 in the whole state! J and started doing a ton more hiking last year (thank ‘Rona) so we set ourselves a challenge to do 20 hikes in 2020. Since getting outside was pretty much the only thing we could do, we ended up hitting our goal pretty quickly. We wanted our 20th hike to be a big one so we tackled a section of the Appalachian Trail leading to Annapolis Rock and Black Rock. It was amazing and so worth it and you should all hike it. Plus it was a great excuse to hit up a brewery I had heard tons of good things about.

I had heard A LOT about getting to this hike early so we got there around 8am. J and I are not morning people so this was quite a struggle for us. Thankfully we managed to get ourselves up and moving. By the time we finished up our hike, the lot was absolutely PACKED so we’re not kidding about getting there early!

THE HIKE: Annapolis & Black Rock via Appalachian Trail
Length: ~7.4 miles
Elevation Gain: ~900ft
Difficulty: Moderate (Some rocks and mostly uphill the first mile)
Time: 3-3.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, running, leashed pets allowed
Parking: Limited parking, get there early!
H&H: 5/5

At the time, this was the longest hike we had ever tackled, but despite some inclines and rocky terrain, neither of us felt like this trail was particularly difficult. It was the perfect mix of challenge and payoff at the overlooks. The first overlook you’ll come to is Annapolis Rock. This is actually about 0.25 miles off of the Appalachian Trail so keep your eyes open for the signpost! The view is really incredible but we found that the popularity of the trail meant that the overlook was crowded. We didn’t stay too long and decided to head onto the next overlook. Black Rock really was a delight. It has all the views of Annapolis Rock with far fewer people. In fact, we were the only ones at the overlook when we arrived! We spent a lot of time taking pictures, clambering over rocks, and just taking in the incredible views.

The great thing about this hike is being right on the Appalachian Trail. If you need a bit more, keep on going! Or if you’re feeling done after one overlook, that’s cool too. This hike took us close to 3.5 hours, so make sure to bring plenty of water and maybe some snacks too. We did this hike in the dead of summer but it’s completely shaded the whole time so that helps to keep down the heat. Also watch out for ground hornets! I got a nasty sting through my pants on our way back down. A less than gentle reminder that I need to pack a small first aid kit. Overall, this was a fantastic hike to celebrate our 20th outing and I will absolutely do it again! I’d love to start at a different point along the AT and end at Black Rock again. I’m hoping to hike all of the AT in Maryland. I’ve got a ways to go!

THE BEER: Cushwa Brewing Company
Address: 10210 Governor Lane Boulevard #2010, Williamsport, MD 21795
Distance from Trail Head: 14.2 miles, ~20 mins
Website: http://cushwabrewing.com/
Food?: Full Menu – Rad Pies (in house restaurant)
H&H Rating: 4/5

I had been hearing good things about Cushwa Brewing Company since moving to Maryland, but they always seemed pretty far away. Thankfully, this hike proved the perfect opportunity to bring us to the area! The drive from the trailhead to brewery is a little longer than my past combos, but it’s a very easy route and Cushwa is definitely worth it! They have indoor and outside seating and offer up a surprisingly large tap list. They have offerings for every palate but seem to focus in on the Pale Ale/ IPAs. Which was perfect for me! They also offer local wine, cocktails, and beer slushies in the summer.

Probably the best thing about Cushwa (especially after nearly an 8-mile hike) was the in-house pizzeria, Rad Pies. And let me tell you, they were fricking RAD. Seriously, every hike J and I pack sandwiches or veggies and hummus in hopes that we don’t order food at the brewery. Ya know, health and all. But honestly when a brewery is slinging some Rad Pies, what were we supposed to do?!

We’ve been back to Cushwa twice now and it’s been really solid both times. There’s also a brand new brewery in the same plaza called Homaide that we absolutely need to check out next time. Maybe when we’re back to do another section of the AT.

Our Beer:

Fraction of Fiction – NEIPA – 6.6%
Cush, Jr. – Table Beer – 4.2%
Me, Myself & Citra – NEIPA – 6%
Tenuous Pawn – Brown Ale – 6.6%
French Fog – Saison – 6.4%

SUM UP: Annapolis and Black Black via AT is a 7.5 mile, out-and-back trail that is moderate in difficulty. It is very popular so parking can be limited. The two overlooks are breathtaking and make any difficult inclines worth it. About 15 miles away is Cushwa Brewing Company which has a delicious in-house pizzeria and offers up a solid beer selection. Perfect after a morning out on the trail!

H&H Overall Rating: 4/5

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