Clear Creek SP – Beartown Rocks & Mechanistic Brewing

January 31, 2023hikesandhopsblog 1 Comment

Clarion, PA

Our final excursion during our New Years Weekend in Clarion was Beartown Rocks in Clear Creek State Park. I loved this hike because we had the trail almost completely to ourselves and I felt so at peace following the creek. The weather for us during this hike wasn’t the greatest for us, being a bit cold and rainy so this trail was a bit treacherous at times. We encountered a lot of mud and slippery spots. Is it really winter hiking if you don’t fall a few times? The tumbles were worth it though for the view at the Rocks. These were really incredible geological features that I highly encourage you to take the time to explore! After a chilly, muddy hike, the best way to warm up is with a brew at Mechanistic Brewing in downtown Clarion. I can’t imagine a better way to end a winter hike than with their Spruce Tip IPA!

THE HIKE: Beartown Rocks

Length: 4.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 700ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Trail use: Hiking and leashed pets
Parking: Large lot at trailhead with pit toilets
H&H: 5/5

Clear Creek State Park is located in Jefferson County and encompasses just shy of 2,000 acres. Due to its proximity to Cook Forest, it’s a great addition to a weekend in the PA Wilds! The land that makes up Clear Creek was a key part of the lumber industry in the 1800s for Northwestern PA. Its access to the nearby Clarion River made it a prime area for logging. Eventually water power was replaced by steam power and logging tapered off in the area. The land was sold in 1919 to the state and within a decade it became a camping destination. Like many parks, Clear Creek benefited from FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps which planted trees, built facilities, and trails in the area. Several of the buildings from this era are still in use and are on the National Register of Historic Places. The state park abuts the Clear Creek State Forest in which the majority of this hike actually takes place.

Beartown Rocks can be accessed by car via Corbett Road. This is a dirt State Forest road that may not be maintained during the winter months so travelat your own risk! There are also trails around the area if you prefer to hike to Beartown Rocks. We parked at the Clear Creek State Park at the swimming beach lot off Route 949. The parking lot is really big and has pit toilets so it was an ideal place to start our hike! The Beartown Rocks trail begins across the street and is very clearly labeled. You’ll be following this same trail all the way to the Rocks! This is a moderately difficult hike as there are some small stream crossings (no wet feet!) and a few steep inclines. I thought it was the perfect end to our hiking weekend because we saw so many different types of forests from conifer-lined streams to rhododendron covered hills! This is another area that I would love to come back when the flowers are blooming.

The Rocks themselves are well-worth the heart-pumping final descent. These unique features just seem to rise up out of the ground completely unexpectedly. They are likely remnants of the last Ice Age, due to the speckles and pitting on their surface. There is a nice platform on the top of the largest rock that allows you to see out over the valley. It was hauntingly beautiful in winter especially since we hadn’t seen a soul the whole hike. There was a dense fog hanging over the treetops that was beautiful. I think this would be a lovely fall hike too! To get back to the parking lot, just retrace your steps but be careful! Some of those steep inclines were really slippery going back down! I will fully admit that I took a few tumbles. Thankfully not into this river this time (ahem, here’s looking at you, first day hike in 2021).

This was an excellent hike and a big shoutout to MyTrailsAreMany for suggesting it! I would have never found this one on my own and I’m so glad we went out of our way to check it out. Crossing off another PA State Park!

THE BEER: Mechanistic Brewing Co.

Address: 538 Liberty St, Clarion, PA 16214
Distance from Trail Head: 24 miles, 32 mins
Website: https://www.mechanisticbrewing.com/
Food?: Food Trucks or BYOB
Details: Outdoor seating, dog friendly outside

Mechanistic Brewing is another craft beer taproom in the heart of Clarion. It’s right off the main drag and boasts a super cool taproom and lounge. They don’t have an onsite kitchen, but often host food trucks in the warmer seasons and welcome BYOF. They have a huge outdoor patio space and welcome all to their taproom, families included! Their tagline is “Beer as a mechanism to bring people together”. Well I love that! We couldn’t have had a nicer time at this taproom. All of the staff were so nice and we had some great chats about the area and their beer. By far, the standout for favorite beer was their Little Full, Whole Lotta Sap IPA which was made with spruce tips. I was hesitant because I haven’t liked piney beers in the past but this one was so good! It smelled incredible and managed to balance the pine with a sweet hazy beer. It was delicious and honestly I couldn’t imagine a better beer to have after walking in the woods! I didn’t realize it until I was doing some research for the blog, but the two staff holding down the fort at the bar the day we visited were actually the owners, a husband and wife team! No wonder the place had such a lovely neighborhood vibe. If it wasn’t so far, I’d be back all the time!

Our Beer:

Little Full, Whole Lotta Sap – Spruce Tip West Coast IPA – 6.1%
Snow Angel – IPA – 5.6%
Belgian Saison – Farmhouse Ale – 4.6%
Cali Blonde – Blonde Ale – 4.4%

Cook Forest SP – Forest Cathedral & Lost in the Wilds Brewing

January 23, 2023January 23, 2023hikesandhopsblog Leave a comment

Shippensville, PA

Another incredible hike in Cook Forest State Park is the Forest Cathedral. These trails meander through the old growth section of the woods which means you’ll see some enormous conifer trees! There’s a lot of interweaving trails here but we took the Longfellow loop for a nice 2 mile trek. The terrain is a bit bumpy at times and you can expect some areas of elevation. Also, if you’re hiking in the winter, you’re likely to encounter ice on these trails as the dense trees keep the sun from warming up the forest floor. Crampons are a must! This is a great trail to slow down and see what you can see.

THE HIKE: Forest Cathedral – Cook Forest State Park

Length: 1.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 272 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 1 hour
Trail use: Hiking, Leashed Pets
Parking: Large lot at log cabin with pit toilets
H&H: 5/5

Another of our hikes from our New Year’s trip to Cook Forest State Park was the Forest Cathedral area. This area is full of ancient conifers that stretch far into the sky. Even in winter, their green needles dapple the sunlight and create a soft, quiet underbrush. Some of these trees are the tallest in the eastern US! These trees make up what is called an “Old-growth Forest” and are some of the oldest trees in Pennsylvania. This area is so unique and of ecological significance that it is a National Natural Landmark.

There are several ways to get to the Forest Cathedral, with the most easily accessible starting at the Log Cabin learning center on Forest Road, just up the road from the Cook Forest Visitor Center. Although the cabin itself was closed for the season, there were bathrooms available and a large parking lot. From here, we hopped on the Longfellow trail which immediately led us into the dense forest. We were stunned by the majesty of the enormous trees and also humbled by the downed trunks. It can be a little intimidating to imagine the force wind and storms would have to have to take down one of these giants! The trail was quiet but with some inclines and bumpy terrain. We had a lovely time in the winter, but the icy trails can be dangerous! We followed the Longfellow trail until it reached the stream. At this point, another small trail leads up to Forest road where there are a few other parking spots. If you follow this trail, you will be on the North Country Scenic Trail. From here, we meandered along the easy and wide Tom’s Run trail which follows the stream. Under normal circumstances, you can follow this trail over the stream and it will lead back to the Log Cabin parking lot. However, they are currently replacing the footbridges so we had to bushwhack our way to the parking lot. Not my favorite thing to do but sometimes you have to be resourceful!

This trail was so beautiful in the icy winter but I would also love to see it during the height of rhododendron season. I think the juxtaposition of the towering hemlocks and white pines with the exuberant blooms would be beautiful! Overall, Forest Cathedral is a must-do hike in PA and I hope you get the chance to see it!

THE BEER: Lost in the Wilds Brewing

Address: 21964 PA-66, Shippenville, PA 16254
Distance from Trail Head: 15.3 miles, 23 mins
Website: http://lostinthewildsbrewing.com/
Food?: BYOF, Food Trucks in summer
Details: Outdoor seating, Dog friendly outside, Bike trail nearby

Lost in the Wilds is a fairly new brewery in Clarion county that has pretty much everything you’d want in a watering hole in the woods. They’ve got a bright sunny taproom with a wide selection of house-made beer and other local booze, a huge outdoor space that often hosts concerts and food trucks, and are located right on Route 66 Trail which is popular for walking, biking and even cross country skiing. I found this space to be so incredibly inviting and I loved that there were people from all walks of life in the taproom enjoying a brew. It definitely felt like a gathering place for the community!

Despite being pretty new, Lost in the Wilds has already garnered some big attention! They were featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette among a list of “Notable Restaurants and Breweries along Bike Trails” and Travel Mag gave them a nod on their list of “10 Must-Visit Pennsylvania Breweries”. It sounds like things are going to just keep getting better here!

With their large outdoor space, Lost in the Wilds is very family friendly and invites fuzzy friends on the patio and grounds only. Since they have no kitchen, you’re also welcome to bring food or order from a food truck. Check out their website for the list of trucks starting in April.

Just be aware that Lost in the Wilds is taking a January Break! They’ll be back open and doing their thing on January 26th.

Our Beer:

Bear Fox – NEIPA – 7%
Cran Cherry Sour – Cranberry and Cherry Sour – 6.5%
Oatmeal Stout – Stout – 6.8%
Hot Cocoa Stout – Stout – 5.7%

Cook Forest SP – Fire Tower, Seneca Viewpoint via North Country Trail & Clarion River Brewing

January 10, 2023March 9, 2025hikesandhopsblog Leave a comment

Clarion, PA

One of my absolute favorite hiking traditions has been getting out for a First Day Hike. Whether you go on your own or join a group, this is the perfect way to kick off the New Year and set some intentions for the rest of the year. We joined a First Day Hike in Cook Forest State Park that had a surprisingly large turnout! It was great to see so many different people joining in. This hike started at the Ridge Campground and included Seneca Viewpoint and the Firetower. We then went on a walk along the Clarion River on the North Country Trail.

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

THE HIKE: Fire Tower, Seneca Viewpoint & River Trail – Cook Forest SP

Length: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1100 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2.5-3 hours
Trail use: Hiking, Leashed Pets
Parking: Large lot at trailhead with pit toilets
H&H: 4/5

This holiday and work season ended up being rather busy for us. We didn’t do much hiking in December and honestly didn’t see each other a lot. So we decided on a whim to book a cabin in Cook Forest State Park for the New Year. The cabin had a wood burning fireplace, no wifi, and very little cell signal. It was perfect!

There’s actually a lot to explore in the Cook Forest area, including the nearest large town of Clarion. One thing to be aware of though is the camping season. Since we went in January and on a holiday, a LOT of places were closed. Make sure to do a little research before you leave to see what might be open! Some things are very spread out so I’d hate for you to make the drive only to find out that a certain place is closed for the season! Thankfully, the great outdoors is never closed! However, make sure to always be prepared for the weather. Luckily, our visit coincided with a warm spell that brought temps in the low 50s and melted a lot of the snow and ice. I was surprised though how much ice there was still on the forest floor! You never know when you’ll wish you brought crampons!

So as I mentioned, this was our first day hike! If you’ve never done one before, a lot of parks will have a ranger-led hike on January 1st to get people outdoors together. I couldn’t believe how many people showed up for this loop! Special thanks to the Friends of Cook Forest for leading this hike. This was an easy loop that meandered along the Fire Tower road up to the Seneca viewpoint and then to the Firetower. We parked at the Ridge Campground where there were several spots right by the first pavilion. Walking along the dirt and gravel road was easy but if you’re looking for a different route, you can also get on the Baker/North Country Trail and follow that to the viewpoint area. It might be a little longer though since you have to start in the Forest Cathedral area. This is probably the trail we would have chosen if not joining the first day hike group.

The total loop along the Fire Tower Road was around 3 miles. We lingered at the Seneca Overlook and J was even brave even to go up the Fire tower! That was a no thank you from me. From there, we left the group and continued along the baker/North Country Trail down to the Clarion River. Despite how warm it had gotten, it was crazy to see the ice chunks floating down the river! I can only imagine how frozen everything was over Christmas. This trail was so peaceful and we only saw one other family. My absolute favorite part though was seeing a beaver on the trail!! I’ve only ever seen evidence of their chomping so it was so cool to see the actual animals on the trail. He slunk away as we got closer and disappeared into the water.

From here you can really continue along as far as you want. We followed the trail to the Henry Run Sawmill Waterfall. This is a really unique feature that doesn’t appear on the park map! Henry Run is a small tributary of the Clarion River and this section was dammed during the logging boom of the late 19th century. Although the mill no longer exists, the rock wall from the dam is still standing and creates a beautiful little waterfall. Around this time it has started to get misty, so we decided to turn around before we got too soaked. On the way back, we got on the River Trail which leads back up to the Fire Tower Road without going all the way back to the overlook area. Beware though, this is a really steep climb back up! Our hearts were definitely pumping by the time we made it back to the road.

There’s also an alternative way of visiting these sites, which I learned of thanks to Tory at My Trails are Many and Jim at UncoveringPA. You can come at these trails from a different way if you park at the trailhead on Gravel Lick Road. We wanted to go this way but Gravel Lick road was closed for the winter! From there, you just get on the Baker/North Country Trail and go along the water. From this way, the waterfall will be the first site you encounter. From there, you can continue along until you see the Fire Tower and Seneca Overlook. This would be a great place to take a break before turning around! This would end up being about a 5-mile out and back trek to see the waterfall, fire tower, and overlook. Check it would below:

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/henry-run-falls-fc03d48?u=i

Stay tuned for more of our hikes in Cook Forest!

THE BEER: Clarion River Brewing Company

Address: 600 Main St, Clarion, PA 16214
Distance from Trail Head: 30 miles, 50 mins
Website: http://clarionriverbrew.com/
Food?: Full Menu
Details: Outdoor seating (seasonal)

After spending the day hiking along the Clarion River, it almost feels inevitable that you should grab some food and a beverage from Clarion River Brewing Company! This brewpub is located in downtown Clarion right on the main street. The venue is split into two sections: the bar area and a large dining room, although you can have a meal in either. With hearty sandwiches and burgers, I’m sure this is a popular place when school is in session! We were lucky to pretty much have the place to ourselves when we were in town. Clarion River brews in house but also features other local brews on their taplist. Unfortunately when we visited, they were in between brewers so they didn’t have any of their own headliners on the menu. No worries, we were able to get a flight of all their in-house stuff and sampled some other local brews too.

Their food was filling and just what we needed to warm up. Like most breweries with a full kitchen, I wouldn’t say it was stellar but it got the job done! I hope that their hunt for a new brewer moves forward without a hitch so they can get their taplist back! Overall, Clarion River Brewing was worth the stop if you’re in town, but I would definitely suggest including it as part of brewery crawl so you can sample the other area offerings

Our Beer:

Betta Weatha – Cream Ale – 5.1%
Fuzzy Wuzzy Was A Beer – Peach Milkshake IPA – 6.5%
Ol’ Chap – ESB – 6.1%
Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut, Sometimes a Stout – Vanilla Coconut Stout – 5%

SUM UP: Cook Forest State Park is a great weekend getaway from Pittsburgh. The area is full of campsites and cabins and has lots of little restaurants during the season. The state park is a beautiful area for hiking, famous for its old growth forest. This hike takes you to the old Fire Tower, a beautiful lookout at Seneca Rocks, and a secret waterfall! The 5 mile loop is rated moderately challenging due to some steep sections and proper footwear is recommended. Check the weather before heading out! Afterwards, warm up with a brew a burger at Clarion River Brewing if staying in Clarion or the Clarion River Lodge if camping or staying in a cabin in the State Park. You can’t go wrong with a weekend in the PA Wilds!

Peter’s Mountain & ZeroDay Brewing Co.

August 29, 2022August 29, 2022hikesandhopsblog 1 Comment

Harrisburg, PA

Well it looks like I have to eat my words from last week because here’s another Appalachian Trail hike! We went to Harrisburg last weekend and got to have another excursion in Rocksylvania. This time we tackled Peter’s Mountain Ridge, just north of the capital. The hike starts out a bit dicey with a dash around a street and railroad then takes you straight up, up and up! This hike is not for the faint of heart. Thankfully there are plenty great breweries in the area to quench that thirst you’ll work up! Some friends of ours introduced us to ZeroDay Brewing in the heart of Harrisburg. They had great brews and a full menu if you’re famished after those rock scrambles!

THE HIKE: Peter’s Mountain via Appalachian Trail

Length: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 974 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2-2.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, Leashed Pets
Parking: Park in commuter lot across road
H&H: 3/5

As with all of my posts about the Appalachian Trail, I like to start out with a bit of a background on the trail just in case some people are new to hiking! The Appalachian Trail (or AT for short) runs for about 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine and is very popular with backpackers and day-hikers alike! The AT stretches for almost 230 miles in PA, from the Mason-Dixon Line to the New Jersey border. The PA section is affectionately called Rocksylvania for its extremely rocky terrain in central PA. Throughout the whole length of the trail, it is marked by white blazes, so you can always find your way!

Now that we’re back in PA, I have a dream of doing the whole PA section in day hikes (not a backpacker here!). So far I think we’ve gotten about 4 miles out of 230. Clearly we’re making strides! See what I did there…

Okay back to last weekend’s hike. Since we were in town for a concert, we wanted a hike that wasn’t too far from our hotel and that we could tackle in about 2 hours. Peters Mountain was the perfect choice, being a 4 mile loop and only about 20 minutes north of downtown Harrisburg. The ascent to Peters Mountain starts at the Clark’s Ferry Park n Ride where you’ll have to cross a large street and train tracks to get to the trail head. We didn’t love this part but the road wasn’t too busy so the sprint across traffic was doable. Just keep your fingers crossed that a train isn’t coming by because you might be waiting for a while! From there it’s up up up. Follow the white blazes for the AT as you go along switchback, quickly gaining elevation. The highway noise is quite loud and you can hear it most of the way up the hill. It was quite off-putting at first but eventually it faded to the background.

I’ll be honest, this was another tough hike for us! The humidity was pretty high and the majority of the elevation is gained in the first 1.5 miles of the hike. Take breaks when needed and bring plenty of water! I couldn’t believe how quickly we went through our water. One great thing about this hike was how low the foot traffic was! I thought this would be a popular spot on a weekend but we only saw one other couple. I also love the rock scrambles along the ridge of the mountain. I just wish that we had been able to do this hike later in the year. We could only catch glimpses of the vistas through the trees but I can imagine that it’s gorgeous in the fall/winter.

Be aware that this area is HIGHLY infected with spotted lantern flies. We tried to kill as many as we could but their numbers were just overwhelming. There had to be 100s along the ridge. It was so sad to see how they were destroying certain trees. They leave a gross black sludge around the base of large trees and I can’t imagine how devastating this might be for our forests! Also be prepared for lots of gnats and flies. Summer hiking always seems to mean constantly swatting! Oh and we saw a huge black snake slithering into a tree trunk on our way back down the mountain. Frankly I deserve a medal for not screaming. In fact I was so silent that J was confused why I was suddenly backing up.

So overall, this hike was just middle of the road for me. I love the switchbacks and rock scrambles, but I hated the bugs, running across a busy road to the trailhead, and the loud highway noises. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if we had been able to see the vistas at the top! Oh well, this just has me excited for fall hiking!

THE BEER: ZeroDay Brewing Company

Address: 925 N 3rd St, Harrisburg, PA 17102
Distance from Trail Head: 14 miles, 20 mins
Website: http://zerodaybrewing.com/
Food?: Full Menu
Details: Outdoor seating but no pets
H&H Rating: 4/5

One of the best parts of doing hikes in central PA is getting to meet up with friends along the way! One of my best friends from college lives in Philly now so we try to split the difference whenever we can. They’re also huge craft beer fans and were more than happy to introduce us to their favorite breweries in the Harrisburg area! One of the places they took us to was ZeroDay Brewing Company. ZeroDay has several locations in the Harrisburg area so be sure you know which one you want to go to! We went to their main taproom location and it had a great vibe. Lots of beers on tap and plenty of seating all around. I love when I go to a brewery and see so many different types of people, all enjoying the same space!

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what “Zeroday” means. Well little did I know at the time but it’s actually a connection to hiking! From their website Zeroday means “a day taken during a journey in which no miles are logged, usually because the traveler has stopped in a town to resupply, rest and reinvigorate”. The name was actually inspired by one of the founder’s Appalachian Trail thru-hike and they see the name as a reminder to everyone to take a pause and “enjoy some of the side trails like offers because the views are almost always worth it”! Now that’s something I can get behind!

Zeroday has expanded quite a bit in the years since their founding. Their original taproom is now their production facility and they offer three other bar locations throughout Harrisburg. The location we went to is their urban taproom only a few blocks away from the Capitol and features tacos from the Mexican kitchen La Catrina. They also have two outposts in Harrisburg, one at Broad Street Market where people can enjoy the farmers market and one at the Midtown Cinema which also has a gourmet hotdog menu.

Also a fun fact, Zeroday’s Head Brewer is a woman named Hannah! What are the odds?!

Our Beer:

Pine Palace – West Coast IPA – 6.4%
Mango Habanero – Spicy Pale Ale – 6.66%
Sunday Soiree – Mimosa Pale Ale – 5.6%
This Pilsner is My Love Language – Pilsner – 5%

SUM UP: The Peter’s Mountain ascent on the Appalachian Trail is a moderately difficult day hike just outside of Harrisburg, PA. There is amply parking in the Clarks Ferry Park n Ride but be aware that you will have to cross a large road and train tracks to reach the trailhead. ON this hike, expect to encounter steep inclines, switchbacks, and some rock scrambles. If you go in the fall and winter, you will have expansive views of the river valley. Sturdy boots are essential and hiking poles might be helpful. Afterward, head back into Harrisburg for a bite and a brew at ZeroDay Brewing. This is the perfect stop post-hike because one of the founders is actually an AT thru-hiker!

Frick Park & East End Brewing

June 18, 2022March 12, 2025hikesandhopsblog 2 Comments

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 March 2025, they’ve finished all 90 neighborhoods. So go check out East End Brewing, and know that you’re supporting a local business that really cares about their roots!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention their Mt. Lebo taproom on Washington Blvd that opened in 2024. Dangerously close to my house (we’re talking walking-distance people!), this spot has all of your favorites from the brewery, East End Chewing, and head brewer Brendan’s Barmy sodas and NA seltzers. In the summer, check out their Charleroi pop-up right on the bike trail (formerly run by Roundabout Brewing). After 20+ years, East End Brewing is still doing it right.

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!

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

Post updated on March 12, 2025