brewery | Hikes and Hops

Franklin, PA

Travel north of Pittsburgh to the Kennerdell Tract of Clear Creek State Forest to tackle this beautiful loop on a ridge over the Allegheny River. The hike features towering hemlock trees, a stunning overlook, and stream cascades, all of which make it a great hike to tackle during the winter season. Afterward, venture to the town of Franklin to grab a brew and a bite at Trails to Ales. With a cozy taproom and delicious food, you’re sure to stay a while!

THE HIKE: Allegheny Gorge and Dennison Overlook

Length: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 650 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2-2.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets

This trail crosses into state gamelands so please be aware and wear hunter orange during all hunting seasons. Check out this post for more information about hiking safety during hunting season.

Where to Park: 41.26884167688875, -79.87212916994663. Park at the end of Dewoody Road in Polk, PA. There’s a large dirt parking area that may be difficult for small, 2-wheel-drive vehicles to traverse. Avoid parking on Kennerdell Road in the small pull-off where parking may not be allowed.

The Route: This route winds through dense forests, following a charming stream. There are several bridge crossings over the stream and a steep climb to an overlook of the Allegheny River. This route traverses the Kennerdell Tract of Clear Creek State Forest.

From the parking lot on Dewoody Road, cross back over Dewoody Road and start down the access road. Be aware that this section is part of State Gamelands 39. After about 1/4 mile, turn left to get on the Kennerdell Trail which is labeled with a trail sign and marked with yellow blazes. At about 1 mile, you’ll reach a trail junction. Bear to the left to get on Dennison Run Trail which is also marked with yellow blazes. This trail meanders slowly downhill alongside a trickling stream that gently cascades over moss-covered rocks. The surrounding hemlock trees make for a beautiful green expanse at all times of the year.

After just under a mile, you’ll reach the bottom of the hill where the stream meets up with Dennison Run. To the left is Goat Trail, which links up to a whole system of shared-use trails (biking, horseback riding, and hiking) as well as a roughly 10-ft unnamed waterfall that is stunning in the winter. To continue on the route, bear to the right to stay on Dennison Run Trail. From here, the trail is mostly flat, using rustic suspension bridges to frequently cross over the stream. After 0.5 miles, take the right Overlook Trail to head up the hill. This is the hardest climb of the hike, and where the bulk of the elevation gain is! You’re rewarded for your effort by reaching the Dennison Point Overlook, a soaring vista of the Allegheny River and the below town of Kennerdell.

After taking in the majestic views, turn to the left on the Overlook Trail to continue the loop. This section of the trail is flat and easy to traverse. After 0.5 miles, you’ll meet back up with the Kennerdell Trail. It will briefly skirt around a campground before returning to the same trail junction from the beginning of your hike. Now you just retrace your steps along the trail to the access road and finally back to the parking area.

Other Attractions: Drive to the nearby Kennerdell Overlook for a stunning view across the Allegheny River Gorge. There’s also the 29-mile Allegheny River Trail, a rail trail that runs through the over 3,000 ft long Kennerdell Tunnel

*View from the Kennerdell Overlook, a short drive from the trailhead*

THE BEER: Trails to Ales Brewery

Address: 1270 Liberty St, Franklin, PA 16323
Distance from Trail Head: 12 miles, 22 mins
Website: https://trailstoalesbrewery.com/
Food?: Full Menu
Details: Parking lot, NA options, indoor seating only, no pets, kids food menu

Tucked onto the main drag of “Always Eventful” Franklin, PA is Trails to Ales Brewery. The bar & grill opened in 2017 and, since then, has been a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. Franklin itself is a small, historic town, and that is clearly reflected in the Trails to Ales taproom. The exposed brick and tin ceiling harken to a prior era, while the rustic wooden bar creates a warmth and coziness. The Liberty Avenue taproom has a wide range of brews, including year-round favorites and seasonal specialties. They also have house-made hard seltzers and stock some canned NA beers.

After a day of hiking, the extensive food menu is sure to have something of interest. From pub appetizers to pizza to hot stone steak, you won’t be leaving hungry! If you’re looking for a unique experience, check out Trails to Ales II, the brewery’s newest location that also houses its production facility. The huge warehouse-style space is open on most weekends and has a large outdoor space, self-service taps, and live music. I only visited the original taproom, but would definitely check out the new location on my next visit!

As evidenced by the brewery’s name, the business is a love letter to the great outdoors of Venango County. In fact, a percentage of the sales from their flagship beer, Holden’s Dream (a steam beer) goes to support the Allegheny Valley Trails Association. I love it when a brewery is passionate about their local trails!

Our Beer:

Allegheny River Fog – NEIPA – 5.8%
Mud Puppy Stour – Milk Chocolate Stout – 5.5%

Looking for more Hikes & Hops in Northwestern PA? Check out Erie Bluffs & Twisted Elk, Beartown Rocks & Mechanistic Brewing, Cook Forest & Lost in the Wilds Brewing, or Wolf Creek Narrows & Big Rail Brewing.

Looking for more adventures in Pennsylvania and beyond? Check out my new book: Beer Hiking Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Columbia, MD

This is a great local park that J and I used to do at least once a week when we lived in the area. It’s surprisingly woodsy for being right in the middle of the Columbia suburbs and has trails for all levels. There are a lot of breweries nearby that you could pair with this hike but we went with one of our old standbys: Hysteria Brewing! Hysteria always makes really really good beer and has a fun indoor space. Let’s check it out!

THE HIKE: Wincopin Trails

Length: Variable (up to ~6 miles)
Elevation Gain: 335ft
Difficulty: Easy
Time: Variable
Trail use: Hiking, biking, leashed pets
Parking: Medium sized parking lot, overflow on street
H&H: 4/5

*J showing off some of the quarry ruins*

Wincopin Trails are located off Vollmerhausen Road in the greater Columbia area and are managed by the Howard County Parks & Rec. There’s a medium-sized parking lot but it does fill up quickly since this is a pretty popular spot! You can also park along the road or in the middle school lot up the road. Just be aware this will add an extra 0.5 mile on either end of your hike and there’s a rather steep hill.

There’s a few different trail combos that you can do here. Check the trailhead map before you get started! For some reason this map isn’t anywhere online and only a few of the trails show up on AllTrails. Wincopin trails are built along the site of an old quarry. Much of the trails around Savage run along old mills and quarries which make for interesting ruins. At the Wincopin Trails there are old bridge supports that now make for great lookout spots over the river. All of the trails in this system are clearly blazed and there are directional signposts throughout. The Red trail leads from the parking lot and then branches off into others. The Blue and Green trails go along the river while the Red takes you along the ridge overlooking the river. There are some steep inclines that keep the trail interesting. I’ve done this trail multiple times in tennis shoes so hiking boots aren’t a necessity. This trail is popular so if you want to get away, take the less trod White trail that wanders through the woods overlooking the Middle Patuxent River. It’s a fairly easy hike but with little inclines that keep you on your toes.

This is a great hike to see birds, butterflies, and mushrooms! We always see tons of mushrooms here which J loves. I really like this trail because you can come for a quick walk or stay for a fairly long hike. If you were to do all of the trails including the white out and back, it would likely be about 6 miles. This is also a great one to bring the kiddos on! My only complaint about this park is that in certain areas you can really hear the highway sounds from I-95 which kinda shatters the whole woodsy experience.

*The water was a little cold when we went in March!*

THE BEER: Hysteria Brewing Company

Address: 9570 Berger Rd suite j, Columbia, MD 21046
Distance from Trail Head: 3.4 miles, 8 mins
Website: https://www.hysteriabrewing.com/
Food?: Bullhead Pit Beef in the very next suite!
H&H Rating: 5/5

There are a ton of breweries in Columbia so you could easily turn your post-hike into a brew tour or just pick one of your favorites. Hysteria was one of the first breweries we went to when we moved to Maryland and it has stayed at the top of our list! They have a huge wrap around bar with tons of seating and lots of tables and chairs too. And keep an eye out for their furry mascot painted on the walls! They also have some tables in the back with some pub games like corn hole and bucket toss. New for Covid, they’ve also set up some tables and chairs outside in the parking lot. Because they don’t have their own kitchen, dogs are more than welcome and you’ll usually see lots of four-legged friends. If you’re feeling hungry, Hysteria has a great partnership with Bullhead Pit Beef right next store! Or you can always bring your own.

Okay onto the beer. Hysteria makes my favorite Maryland beer. Like ever. You may have heard of it. It’s a little thing called Trash Panda. Even if you’re not into the Hazy IPA fad, you should really try this one because it’s Ah-mazing! And I might be a little biased because once a year they do “Trash Panda Day” and make at least ten different varieties of their headliner beer and it always falls on my birthday. It’s fate! Hysteria also makes some other really good beers and frequently collaborates with other Maryland breweries. I love me a good collab! Last time we went, we got a really nice crisp lager that really hit the spot after a sweaty hike. J went for the black IPA which is a style that I’m still unsure about but this one was pretty good! I love that Hysteria always has something new and interesting on tap while keeping a few favorites around. You can also find Hysteria beer in stores around Maryland!

Hysteria will always be a favorite for us! We need to check out their new taproom in Pasadena soon!

Our Beer:

Be Kind, Please Rewind – Lager – 5%
Ultimate Dreamy Teamy – Black IPA – 7.5%
Trash Panda – NEIPA – 7.2% → Probably my favorite Maryland beer!

SUM UP:

Wincopin trails are managed by Howard County Parks & Rec and are located near Columbia. They are open for hiking, biking, and leashed pets. There’s no fee but the parking lot usually fills up. The trails are nice and woodsy with some interesting architectural ruins and rocky inclines. There are several different trails that can be combined to make a longer hike. Nearby is Hysteria Brewery which allows dogs and has a partnership with the takeout restaurant next door if you’d like food. They make excellent beer and have an eclectic design inside. This is a great option for a weekday hike or if you don’t have a ton of time on the weekend!