Hikes in NE US - with beer.

May 18, 2014 6:05 PM

Hikers of Metafilter, help me out! I would like to find a day hike somewhere in the northeast US (within a few hours of SE Pennsylvania), with a pretty specific requirement of 'a decent place to eat and have a beer halfway through the day.' Does this place exist?

I feel like this must exist - a good (for fairly obvious reasons, not TOO strenuous) hike where you can start out in the morning, make some good progress, and find a pub-type place for lunch when you're a few hours in. (And yes, I realize the answer to this question is 'England,' but I'm in Philadelphia, so we're working with what we've got.)

I felt like I'd heard rumors about the Billy Goat Trail in Maryland, but searching is not coming up with anything obvious. Anyone know of anything that fits the bill? Anywhere in general mid-Atlantic region would be ideal, but I certainly wouldn't sneer at the knowledge of somewhere further afield, either!

posted by catesbie to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (9 answers total)

I'd head up to Cooperstown, NY and swing through the Cafe at Ommegang Brewery.
posted by gauche at 6:09 PM on May 18, 2014

BIlly Goat runs along the Potomac. You could hike it, get in your car and drive somewhere nearby for lunch, but there isn't anything on the trail itself.

You could easily route a hike in Shenandoah National Park to put at the Skyland restaurant for lunch. There is pub that serves beer there.
posted by COD at 6:23 PM on May 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Not exactly what you're asking, but out when I hike with my friends, we just pack our beers and find a picturesque point about midway to enjoy them. Note: this is not strictly legal, but in the grand scheme of things pretty harmless (provided of course that you take everything with you, empty bottles, caps, etc...).
posted by pyro979 at 7:50 PM on May 18, 2014

The Billy Goat Trail has three sections connected by the C & O Canal towpath. You can access Old Angler's Inn from the towpath. Their beer garden might only be open weekends. It is in between section A (the most strenuous section) and section B.

There is limited parking for the trail/canal across MacArthur Blvd from Old Angler's. You can also park at Carderock (closest to section C) or the Great Falls Tavern visitor center (closest to section A; costs $5).

When hiking the Billy Goat trail I do my best to limit time on the towpath or at least break it up; it is a pretty boring walk. I have heard that the trail & towpath are extremely popular on the weekends.
posted by gembackwards at 8:28 PM on May 18, 2014

Maybe you can look at the beer trails on this site and put them up against a map.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 9:24 PM on May 18, 2014

I think long trail brewery is on a trail or something... in vermont somewhere.
posted by illuminatus at 9:36 PM on May 18, 2014

What about the two canals running along the Delaware River in Bucks county and NJ. Lots of little towns are on the canals. Also there is Valley Green Inn on Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon.
posted by sepviva at 5:37 AM on May 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

I would think you could arrange something around the Inn at the Long Trail. Obviously it is on the Long Trail, and while a trip to Long Trail brewery would be a lot of fun, it isn't on the Long Trail.
posted by koolkat at 6:16 AM on May 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

The Columbia Trail in western NJ goes through Long Valley, where you can stop at the Long Valley Brew Pub. It's a rail-to-trail, so it's mostly gravel and flat but goes through the awesome Ken Lockwood gorge and is really pretty.

You can get on the trail at Califon and head up the 6 miles to Long Valley or start 5 miles further south in High Bridge (and go through through the gorge) depending on how long you want to hike, etc.
posted by moogs at 7:57 AM on May 19, 2014