Coraopolis, PA

In the midst of house hunting and unpredictable weather, it’s been hard to get out and hike! Thankfully we were able to snag this fun little hike in between rain last weekend. I’ve passed Robin Hill park a ton of times (we even looked at having our wedding there), but I never knew that there were so many trails to explore! We were able to get a great trek in and then relaxed at Cobblehaus Brewery in Coraopolis. They had an Irish Red Ale that was perfect for the St. Paddy’s Weekend!

THE HIKE: Robin Hill Park Loop

Length: 3.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 400 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1-1.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, nature walks, leashed pets
Parking: Lots of parking. May fill up when house is rented out for events
H&H: 4/5

Robin Hill Park is a 140 acre park found in Moon Township right off of Thorn Run Road. It is maintained by the Moon Township Parks and Recreation. It’s most well known for the gorgeous Georgian Manor onsite that is used for weddings and other events. The house was built in the 1920s by the Nimick Family and was left to the Township in 1971 to be a place for “Nature Lover’s”. But this beautiful house is only one part that this park has to offer! Surrounding the house are meticulously maintained gardens that look especially gorgeous in Spring. Sady, we were a few weeks too early to catch them in their prime! Also on the property is a log cabin from the 1800’s. This cabin originally was home for a family about 7 miles away from what is now Robin Hill Park. It was carefully dismantled in the late 1970s and brought to its new location by the Moon Township Historical Society. It was originally built in 1825 for the Coventry family who lived there for 50 years before it passed along to the next family, who stayed there for three generations. 

I bring up the log cabin not just because it’s a really cool piece of history, but also because it’s where our hike begins! The best way to find the majority of the trails at Robin Hill is to start on the 0.6 miles Log Cabin Trail that starts just behind the cabin. You’ll pretty quickly find yourself in the peacefully quiet woods with not much activity around, except for the birds and chipmunks! Robin Hill trails are a little hard to follow since there are several short trails that you have to link together to get a decent hike in. There are trail signs through but not all of the trails are well blazed so you sometimes have to guess where you are. However, it’s not a huge park so I wasn’t too worried about getting woefully off track. I generally think we took the following trails: Log Cabin → Christmas Fern → Ravine → Thorn Run (Turn around), Thorn Run → Ridgeback → W Beech → Manor House and parking lot. All together it came to about 3.5 miles. There were a couple dicey spots to be aware of though! Firstly, one of the trails looked like it was freshly cut and not in a good way! It seemed like someone had come through with a backhoe to clear out so the trail was very wide without proper drainage. Also the Thorn Run trail follows a small creek which was beautiful but the trail often meandered over the creek without bridges or easy stepping stones. Since it wasn’t very cold, I didn’t mind getting my feet wet but I know J disliked the frequent crossings. 

Overall, I really appreciated how quiet this area was. We only saw one other group of people out and it was easy to find space for ourselves. I would really like to come back here when the greenery is coming in! I can’t wait to not walk through boring brown woods anymore! I also think this would be a fun hike to get younger kids interested in the outdoors without being too strenuous. Just be prepared for some pretty muddy boots at the end!

THE BEER: Cobblehaus Brewing Company

Address: 1021 5th Ave, Coraopolis, PA 15108
Distance from Trail Head: 2.3 miles, 6 mins
Website: http://www.cobblehaus.com/
Food?: BYOF or Food Trucks
Details: No Pets, Indoor Seating Only
H&H Rating: 4/5

I’ve always had a soft spot for Coraopolis. I went to high school in the area and I’ve always hoped the business district would take off. When I heard there was a brewery going in, I had high hopes that this meant a new era for Main Street! Now several years later, it’s so nice to see how Cobblehaus has become a staple of the community. I love how they support the nearby restaurants by encouraging their patrons to get dinner delivered to the brewery. Also Coraopolis has some really great little antique and thrift shops if that’s your thing! Anytime I’m in town, my mom and I have to stop in Off the Avenue for some unique finds. Also if you finish up your hike and beer isn’t your thing, I highly recommend the Anchor and Anvil coffee shop. They do great lattes and breakfast sandwiches! 

Okay so back to our brewery. Cobblehaus has been making their old-world styles since 2017. In fact, their tagline is “Old World styles, New World Twists”. This a great place for anyone that craves those old European-style beers like Belgian Tripels and German Hefeweizens. I don’t usually seek out those robust Belgian styles, but J loves them! I also really wanted to get my hands on the DogHaus Red, a collab between Cobblehaus and our friends at BrewDog Pitt. I’m glad we made the trip because the DogHaus Red definitely was my favorite brew of the day! J also really liked the Denny Got Evil. It has a very subtle spice in the aftertaste. 

Cobblehaus is a really unique venue because it has a bunch of separate little rooms in addition to the main taproom space. I think the building used to be a doctor or dentist office and they’ve kept all the original exam rooms which now make for cozy spaces if the bustling taproom isn’t to your liking. Also be sure to check out Thursday Trivia Night, it’s a fan favorite and the place can be packed! 

SUM UP: Robin Hill Park is a small park in Moon Township that boasts surprisingly peaceful trail systems along a small stream. There are plenty of small connector trails if you’re only looking for a short stretch of the legs or for a longer afternoon hike. The trails are fairly flat with a few sections of steep inclines, so I would rate it moderate overall. Be careful in the Spring, the trails can be rather muddy! Afterward, head down the road to downtown Coraopolis and check out Cobblehaus Brewing. They focus on old world style, so if you like doppelbocks or Belgian tripels, this is the place for you! Order some food from a local restaurant and stay a while!