Moraine State Park & Union Brothers Brewing

June 12, 2023August 31, 2023hikesandhopsblog 3 Comments

Portersville, PA

Most people associate Moraine State Park with boating and fishing, but did you know that there’s also nearly 30 miles of hiking and biking trails? Glacier Ridge Trail is popular for backpacking but can also be done as an out and back section, choosing how far you want to go. This particular section starts at the parking lot on Mount Union Road and turns around at the 528 Bridge for just over 7.2 miles. After working up a sweat on this trail, back into Harmony for a refreshing brew at Union Brothers either in their full-kitchen taproom or in their cozy outdoor patio.

THE HIKE: Glacier Ridge Trail (Moraine State Park)

Length: 7.25 miles
Elevation Gain: 1350 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 3.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets
Parking: Gravel pull off for a few cars on Mt. Union Rd
Parking coordinates: 40.96781939719753, -80.07996200282916
H&H: 5/5

Moraine State Park is located in Portersville, PA only a few miles away from McConnells Mill State, another of my recent treks. Although these two have been affected by a similar geological history, they are rather unique from each other! Moraine is mainly characterized by the 3,000 acre Lake Arthur, which is why it is (justifiably) known for its draw to outdoor water sports and fishing. However, there’s lots of unique history behind that lake and its nearby trails.

History

Moraine State Park gets its name because of the four separate glaciers that reached their northernmost extent just shy of Moraine State Park. Glaciers are huge ice sheets that covered much of the Earth during the Ice Age. Because of the way glaciers move, they trap and move rock and other debris. When they melt and recede, this debris is left behind, often creating ridges known by geologists as moraines. While hiking through this park, you can see evidence of these glacial deposits in the huge boulders and stone that seem to emerge out of nowhere. As I’ve mentioned before, this glacial freeze and thaw cycle is also what created the incredible Slippery Rock Gorge at McConnells Mill! At one point in time, ice dams caused the creation of glacial lakes throughout the region. Although the current Lake Arthur is manmade, it is a replica of the glacial Lake Watt that once dominated the area.

Because of the unique glacial deposits, settlers to the region found it rich with mineral deposits. The mining industry grew throughout the 1800s until much of the area was depleted of resources and left polluted. For many decades, the area was left completely abandoned. But thanks to the efforts of researcher and naturalist Frank W. Preston (founder of the Western PA Conservancy), who recognized the uniqueness of the land, efforts were made to seal abandoned mains and restore the natural landscape.

One of my favorite things about this blog is being able to learn the history behind the trails I hike. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh most of my life, and never knew that Moraine wasn’t a person’s name but rather a geological term. Learning more about the geological history of the area, really gives greater depth to enjoying the areas we hike. It’s one thing to hike a trail called Glacier Ridge and another to understand why it’s called that!

The Trail

Okay, enough waxing poetic about geology (can you tell that I used to study archaeology?). Let’s get into this trail. Glacier Ridge is a 14.8 mile point to point trail that runs through the woods along the northside of Lake Arthur. It’s part of a small section of the 4,800 mile North Country Scenic Trail that runs from North Dakota to Vermont. Glacier Ridge is popular with backpackers and there are shelters that can be booked through the PA DNR website. Please note that you must have a permit to backpack! For more info about backpacking in Moraine, check out My Trails Are Many for a great overview of her experience. For those just looking to day hike, there are several access points to the Glacier Ridge trail in Moraine: PA 528, Mount Union Road, the bike rental, and McDanels Launch Area. For our trek, we parked at the small gravel pull-off on Mount Union Road which is small, but on a sunny Sunday, we were the only ones there! Be aware that there is also a larger parking lot for the bike trails on Mount Union before you hit this lot but that’s not where I recommend parking!

Immediately after starting the trail, it dips down to a peaceful pond that would be the perfect secluded fishing spot. Honestly, I could have spend the rest of the day lazing around this pond! From there the trail meanders through the woods, sometimes crossing over small bridges and heading up rocky inclines. For most of the trail, you’ll be staying on the blue blazes for the NCT/Glacier Ridge Trail. Do not follow any of the signs for the bike trails or the marina! After about 3.5 miles, the North Country trail splits off and continues north but you’ll want to stay on the Glacier Ridge Trail, which is now white blazed. Now, the trail hugs directly next to the lake, so there’s plenty of gorgeous photo opportunities. Finally, the trail hits the PA 528 bridge which is where we decided to turn around. Feel free to continue on if you’ve got the time and stamina! As always, make sure to leave enough daylight to make the return trek.

Other Things to Do

A trip to Moraine is a great day trip from the city! Aside from hiking, you can also get out on the water. There are 9 public boat docks and engines up to 20 horsepower are allowed. You can also rent pontoons, motorboats, kayaks, canoes, and rowboats. Swimming and fishing are also popular activities at Moraine. If staying on land is more your speed, check out the paved bike trails and also the more intense mountain bike routes. Looking for more to do in Moraine? Check out the PA Department of Natural Resources and the Butler County Tourism site.

THE BEER: Union Brothers Brewing

Address: 365 Mercer Rd, Harmony, PA 16037
Distance from Trail Head: 18 miles, 22 mins
Website: http://unionbrothersbrewing.com/
Food?: Full Menu
Details: Outdoor seating; Dog Friendly Outside

Union Brothers Brewing is a fairly recent addition to the thriving Zelienople beer scene. Friends Zachary Waltz and Jeremiah Cain began homebrewing together and perfected their craft for many years before opening a taproom. But once they did, it quickly outgrew the demand for their lineup of sours and hazy IPAs. The team has already expanded once to a larger taproom and greatly expanded their brewing capacity. From the stunning wall art by local graffiti artist Max Gonzales to its physical location across the street from the Steamfitters Union, Union Brothers is a celebration of the region’s industrial past and present. Both brewers are proud members of their local union and felt the name fit! You’ll find yourself right at home at Union Brothers whether it’s in the hip taproom or sitting around picnic tables and fire pits outside. A full food menu caps Union Brothers off as the perfect place to unwind.

We’ve been to Union Brothers twice now and have had an awesome experience both times. It feels like the perfect neighborhood joint, whether you’re from the area or just passing through. Having an excellent taplist doesn’t hurt either! I’ve heard rumors that Union Brothers is set to expand again soon, having purchased the old nearby Moose Lodge. I’m looking forward to seeing these guys just keep getting bigger and better!

Our Beer:

Short Break – Hazy Pale Ale – 4.7%
Black Forest Hills – Dark Lager – 6%

Looking for more Hikes & Hops north of Pittsburgh? Check out Wolf Creek Narrows & Big Rail Brewing, McConnells Mill & Shubrew, and North Park & Cinderlands

Mingo Creek County Park & Mondays Brewing Co

April 21, 2023June 4, 2025hikesandhopsblog Leave a comment

Washington County, PA

If you’re ever craving some hiking in Washington County, look no further than Mingo Creek County Park. This huge park is perfect for all sorts of outdoor activities and is a popular place for gathering in the summer. Our early spring visit was full of wildflowers, families playing in the creek and tons of people using the paved trail. The natural trail can be a bit harder to find but if you check out the blog post, I’ll show you how to find the elusive Orange trail at Mingo!

THE HIKE: Mingo Creek – Orange Trail

Length: 7.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 700 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2.5-3 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets, horses, bikers
Parking: Large lot throughout park
H&H: 5/5

Mingo Creek County Park is located in Washington County and is managed by the county’s Parks and Recreation division. The park is probably best known for its two red, covered bridges situated about 1.5 miles apart along the Mingo Creek. This park is the perfect oasis no matter what your outdoors activities may be! There’s plenty of creek for fishing and splashing around, lots of pavilions to rent and space to have a picnic. There’s a 3-mile paved walking trail, numerous playgrounds, and even an observatory! But for us, we were on the hunt for the hiking trails. Now I have read on a number of blogs and trail sites that this trail is difficult to find and completely overgrown. I’m here to say that you shouldn’t go by everything you read!

Now, I will say, the signage for the trails is not great. It’s very clear where the paved trail is, but you have to keep your eyes peeled for the natural trail. There are no signs and the trail blazes are very small. We park at coordinates: 40.200415039419916, -80.02756796434414 because I caught a glimpse of a trail going off into the woods. This trail eventually met up with the orange trail and then we had a lovely hike. HOWEVER, if I were to go back, I would suggest parking at The West Entrance (40.1931395787859, -80.05565122282385). The orange trail goes into the woods before the parking area, by the trail sign posting! Now keep in mind that I did this hike in the early spring so it is very likely that others’ experiences of overgrown paths and difficult trail entrances can be the case as the summer wears on! Another potential deterrent for some hikers is the fact that it is a mixed use trail, one of the uses being equestrian. I’ve found some equestrian trails to really suffer from mud but thankfully this one wasn’t too.

Okay now some really good things about this trail! SO many wildflowers! I was thrilled to find Dutchman’s Breeches, trillium, Virginia bluebells, and so many more. This trail was also very secluded and we only saw a few other hikers on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Finally, I liked that the trail offered some incline changes and was a great workout. Someday I’d like to come back and complete the whole 12-mile perimeter loop! And the absolute best part of this trail? Dipping your sore feet into the refreshing stream at the end. This is an ideal hike to pack a picnic to have beside the creek at the end!

Overall, despite some of the negative reviews I had seen, I thought Mingo Creek County Park was absolutely delightful and one of my favorite hikes of the year so far. I know that we’ll be back!

THE BEER: Monday’s Brewing Co.

Address: 1055 Waterdam Plaza Dr, Peters Township, PA 15317
Distance from Trail Head: 8.3 miles, 15 mins
Website: https://mondays.beer/
Food?: Light snacks, BYOF
Details: small outdoor patio, dog friendly outside

So what makes this Peters township brewery unique? I think you can probably guess from the name! Monday’s Brewing is always open on Monday, a day that most breweries are closed. In fact, they offer special deals for service industry workers on Monday, since that is the day a lot of bars and restaurants are closed!

Mondays Brewing Co. is located on Route 19 in Peters Township. They’re in a small storefront that has indoor and outdoor seating. Typically you can find 12 taps, sometimes featuring other local craft beers or beverages. When we visited, they had one guest tap, Arsenal cider, Apis mead and the rest all in house brews. They also have a small cocktail list for anyone that’s not a beer drinker! Mondays like to showcase a wide variety of brews so odds are you’ll find a new favorite on the list!

This one has been on my list for a while and I’m so glad we were finally able to squeeze in a visit! I’m always glad to have another place in the South Hills to find good beer.

Our Beer:

Pink Boots – NEIPA – 6.5%
Tangled Aggression – Red Ale – 6.8%
Haze Agitated – NEIPA – 6.8%
Plaza Beer – Mexican Lager – 5.3%

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

RCT Challenge Training Hike #2

April 18, 2023April 18, 2023hikesandhopsblog Leave a comment

Creighton, PA

Another training hike for the RCT challenge! Let me tell you, my legs were WRECKED after this one. This was officially the longest hike I’ve never done and by far the biggest elevation gain. And I’ve hiked National Parks people! Thank god I’ve had ToryTalksTrails keeping me on task for this training! We’re slowly building miles, gaining elevation, and snacking hard. Has anyone else started their training for the challenge??

THE HIKE: Rachel Carson Trail – Saxonburg Rd to Agan Park

Length: 11.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 2800 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Time: 4.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets
Parking: Small pull off for 3-4 cars. No bathrooms
H&H: 4/5

Once again, Tory and I did a point to point trail, leaving one car at Agan Park and driving the other to our starting point at Saxonburg road. If you’re looking to do this section hike, here are the coordinates:

Saxonburg Road: 40.65513180064524, -79.72686400487738
Agan Park: 40.56013506403363, -79.78197053025322

Having done about 9 miles on our last training hike, we decided to up it to around 11 this time! Now this section of the hike is actually part of the full RCT Challenge, so I won’t actually be hiking this section in June. BUT I still think it’s super helpful to hike as much of the trail as possible to get a good feel for the hills and how much stamina you have!

What this section lacked in stream crossing, it really made up for in elevation. Our feet stayed (mostly) dry but, man were my legs throbbing towards the end! I cannot believe how much hiking with a friend for these long training ones has helped me get through! If I was on my own, I don’t know that I would have kept with it. Like most of the RCT, this section of the trail varies a lot in landscape. There were road sections, wide open fields, heavily wooded areas and lots of steep inclines. I was very grateful not to have a heavy pack on and at times I would have liked a trekking pole to help with balance. Undignified butt scooting definitely was happening! Also plenty of snacks is an absolutely must for this trail! I’m still a newbie with planning hikes so I probably didn’t bring enough to fuel me. I stuck with an apple, peanut butter pretzels, and a granola bar. I will definitely need to add in some electrolytes, especially as it gets hotter!

Have you ever trained for a long hike? What are your go-to trail snacks?

Thanks to my friend Tory for planning out these training hikes! Check out her awesome blog that is full of hiking resources: https://mytrailsaremany.com/. You can also follow her adventures on instagram: @torytalkstrails

RCT: Springdale to Emmerling Park & Leaning Cask Brewing

April 7, 2023May 3, 2023hikesandhopsblog 2 Comments

Springdale, PA

Big News and Big Hills! I’ll be tackling the Homestead Challenge aka the Half Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. That means in June, I’ll be hiking 19 miles in one day. Am I crazy? Maybe! Thankfully, the weather is getting nicer and I’m able to get out for some training hikes! The first section I tackled was the starting point of the half challenge at Springdale High School, close to the Rachel Carson Homestead. A big shout out to Tory from MyTrailsAreMany for getting me out on the trail to start training! This hike is a point to point (one way) hike which is best done with two cars. You’ll trek just under 9 miles and gain 1,365ft in elevation! This hike isn’t for the faint of heart but is a great way to get a taste of the RCT

THE HIKE: RCT – Springdale to Emmerling

Length: 8.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,365 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Time: 3.5 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets
Parking: Large lots at either endpoint. Bring two cars to do Point-to-Point
H&H: 4/5

Training for the RCT Challenge is best done by tackling large sections of the trail. It’s best to do it with a partner or group so that you can carpool to the trailhead and leave another car at the endpoint. If going solo, just be aware that you’ll have to double back on yourself a lot!

My friend Tory from MyTrailsAreMany, reached out about wanting to start training together. She did the Homestead Challenge last year and is going for the Full Challenge this year. Talk about hiking goals! Tory suggested this section of the RCT from Springdale to Emmerling Park because it had some big hills and was the first section of the Homestead Challenge. This was the perfect intro to the Challenge for me because it was the longest hike I’d done so far this year and the hills were NO JOKE. It definitely helped me set a baseline of where I need to improve! J and I were so grateful to have Tory as our guide and time keeper too.

So, as I mentioned, this trail section starts at Springdale High School parking lot, right next to the baseball field. From there, head down Marion Ave where you’ll pass the original home of Rachel Carson. It’s undergoing some renovations right now, but hopefully will be back open soon. Continue to the end of Marion Ave where you’ll see a tree line and finally head into the woods. Always keep your eyes peeled for the yellow RCT blaze. You should almost always be able to see the next blaze from where you are. Be aware that at many spots along the trail there are intersecting paths and it can be easy to get off course. Let the yellow blazes guide you!

This section will lead you through woods, along some streets, through a couple streams, and up and down several big hills. Expect to have some wet feet along the way and remember that undignified butt scooting is always an option on those hills! Lots of water and plenty of snacks are a must for these hikes.

If you’re interested in doing the Homestead Challenge (19 miles) or the Full Challenge (36 miles), there’s still time to enter! You can find the registration page here. If you’re already signed up for the challenge and are looking to start training, the RCT Conservancy has a number of orientation hikes and training hikes coming up or find a friend (like me!) to hike with!

How do you prepare for long hikes? Got any leg strengthening exercises to share with me?

THE BEER: The Leaning Cask Brewing Co.

Address: 850 Pittsburgh St, Springdale, PA 15144
Distance from Trail Head: 0.5 miles, 2 mins
Website: https://www.leaningcaskbrewing.com/
Food?: BYOF, Food Trucks
Details: Outdoor seating, dog friendly

The best thing about leaving our car at Springdale for this hike? Leaning Cask Brewery is only 0.2 miles away! I’ve had my eye on Leaning Cask for ages but it always seemed so far out of the way. Thankfully this hike was the perfect reason to stop. Although I still feel bad for the amount of mud (and probable stank) that we left at the bar. Anyone else ever feel bad for going somewhere after a particularly muddy hike? I really need to start bringing a change of shoes!

Anyway, Leaning Cask is a great post-hike spot because they’ve got a large outdoor seating area as well as frequent food trucks on the weekend. They’ve also got an awesome taplist with so many different beer types, as well as some local wine. Also, true to their name, they’ve got some beer on cask!

Cask ale – Also known as Real Ale, Cask Beer goes through a final fermentation in a cask or barrel. It features a slight carbonation and is served unfiltered at “cask temperature” (around 55F).

The Leaning Cask has been bringing an English pub flair to Springdale since 2016. The owners found themselves heavily influenced by English pub culture and wanted to bring that warmth to their brewpub in PA. You’ll also notice that the two are big dog lovers, as evidenced by many of their beer names. Hence, the pub is friendly to well-behaved and leashed doggos.

Our Beer:

Goldendoodle – Golden Ale – 4.2%
Um…That’s On Fire – American IPA – 5.6%
Celestial Canine – NEIPA – 6%
Pedigree: Blood Orange & Cranberry – Fruited Sour – 6.8%

Also be sure to check out https://mytrailsaremany.com/ for hiking planning guides, tips and gear, and more!

Emerald View Trail & Inner Groove Brewing (Allentown)

March 12, 2023March 16, 2025hikesandhopsblog 2 Comments

Mt. Washington, PA

This loop is the best of urban hiking! It starts out on the wooded Emerald View trail, meandering around Mt. Washington then pops you out right at the overlook! From there, enjoy walking along Grandview Ave and then back through the historic neighbors of Mt. Washington. If you’re feeling extra frisky, you can even continue along the Grandview park section of the Emerald View trail. Or stop for a rest and treat at the Shiloh Street shops! The world is your oyster with this one. One big recommendation though is to end your excursion with a visit to Inner Groove’s Allentown taproom! They’ve got awesome beer, bar games, and an outdoor patio. What more could you want?

THE HIKE: Emerald View Loop

Length: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 660 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2 hours
Trail use: Hiking, Biking, Leashed pets
Parking: Various parking lots and street parking
H&H: 3/5

As much as I love visiting state parks with acres and acres of untouched greenery, there’s also something to be said for our local CitiParks which are doing a lot with the little bits of greenspace they can find! One of my new favorites has been the Emerald View trail on Mt. Washington. I used to see the signs for trail crossings on my commute home from work and always wondered about where it could lead. Well, it was time to finally find out!

Emerald View Park is one of the many green spaces maintained by the City of Pittsburgh Citiparks and their dedicated group of rangers. This park encompasses over 250 acres on Mt. Washington and is a successful story of restoration. In Pittsburgh’s early days, Mt. Washington was heavily mined for soft coal, so much that it became known as Coal Hill. In the 1930s, access to the housing communities on Mt. Washington was created, including some of Pittsburgh’s well-known streets like McArdle, Shiloh, and Grandview. Into the 1970s, the City took greater strides to regulate mining and to take advantage of the beautiful view. The scenic overlooks were built and groups started to advocate for the restoration of the area. Finally in 2007, the park was named as a regional park!

This is such a great park system because there are beautiful wooded areas right in the midst of an urban neighborhood, then suddenly you come out to that iconic view of Pittsburgh! We started our trek by parking at Olympia Park and heading right into the woods at the end of Hallock Street. We stayed on the Emerald View Trail, although there are several other offshoot trails and neighborhood access points. I really loved this section of the trail because we were able to be in such a little slice of nature while also looking out over the hills to see the highways and iconic Pittsburgh neighborhoods. As you start into the big turn to head towards Mt. Washington and the overlooks, you’ll encounter the steepest parts of this hike. It can’t be Pittsburgh without some inclines! Finally, the Emerald View Trail pops out right on Grandview Ave by the Point of View Sculpture (Jim West, 2006). From there, the trail became more of an urban walk as we stopped at the Duquesne Incline and the various overlook spots. My favorite viewpoint is by the St. Mary of the Mount Church! We continued on Grandview Ave until we reached the Monogahela Incline, then started to make our way back towards Olympia Park. This was about a 5 mile loop. If you were looking for more, you could also add in the 2 mile loop in Grandview Park! Or if you want to avoid sidewalks, you could turn around at the Point of View sculpture and retrace your steps back along the Emerald View Trail.

This was a great hike to explore our city a bit more and also to appreciate the wonderful greenspaces that exist in the city limits. This park has definitely inspired me to check out more of the City’s regional and neighborhood parks! Do you have a favorite?

THE BEER: Inner Groove Brewing

Address: 827 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15210
Distance from Trail Head: 2 miles, 8 mins
Website: https://www.innergroovebrewing.com/
Food?: BYOF or takeout
Details: Outdoor seating, dog friendly outside

Inner Groove is a microbrewery based out of Verona, which is quite a trek for me! So I was excited when they opened a taproom in the City of Pittsburgh up in the Allentown neighborhood of Mt. Washington. This taproom opened in May 2022 and boasts a large taproom and nice outdoor side patio. Although they don’t have a kitchen, there are plenty of great places to grab a bite in Allentown. Plus, that also means their outside patio is dog friendly, as I brought a furry friend with me the first time we visited and sat outside! In addition to a large selection of their own beers, they also have local wine and a selection of cocktails.

Inner Groove has been a staple in the small borough of Verona since 2019 when two couples finally realized their dream of opening a brewery together. Inner Groove is known for unique styles and flavors and always has a broad range of beers on tap. As a nod to their name, most of their beers are also inspired by music and feature a music lyric in their names. I love how witty some of them are!

Inner Groove is a great addition to the Allentown neighborhood and I’m so glad that we have another brewery in our area! Be aware that parking is limited and the small lot off E. Warrington Ave can be a little challenging to pull into.

Our Beer: