The Best True Brewery Trails in the Country

Brewery "trails" may follow designated routes, but oftentimes, there’s not much actual trail involved. They’re usually brochure-designated asphalt routes that recommend driving—not walking—between stops. (This may work for the first two stops, but the plan goes south quickly without a designated driver.)

Lately though, a few places are trading up and opting for scenic routes by bikes or boots instead, pairing the outdoors with ample ales. Following true brewery trails lends a European feel to the outing, evoking the backwoods of Bavaria where mountain paths dip into quaint towns with pubs aplenty. These sudsy routes are worthy of your next American craft brew quest.

The Boulder Ale Trail

Boulder, Colorado

The Centennial State is known for its 14ers and its beer, so it’s not surprising that Coloradoans have combined these local passions in a nearly 15-mile trail between Boulder and Longmont with a dozen breweries for en-route thirst quenching.

An unofficial extension of the Longmont-to-Boulder (LoBo) Regional Trail, the trail begins at Boulder Beer, the state’s first craft brewery. The Hazed Hoppy Session Ale, Mojo IPA, and Shake Chocolate Porter are all award-winners and worth a taste. The trail then treks north across open plains, farmlands, and rural subdivisions. A few taprooms and breweries are right off the trail (like VisionQuest and J Wells), while others are a few blocks away from the path (like Avery and Powder Keg Brewing Company). Wrap up the day at Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids and Solids in Longmont, with more than 40 beers on tap and a full restaurant.

Only going one way? Hop on public transit via the RTD to get back to your starting point.

Riverton Trolley Park Trail

Portland, Maine

Portland’s trail network spans some 70 miles across the city, with most trails blazing paths through revitalized commercial districts. This short-but-sweet two-mile riverfront trail winds through woods and open fields in the heart of the city. The hilly route connects to Industrial Way where a trio of breweries—Allagash Brewing Company, Fountain Brewing Company, and Austin Street Brewery—serve pints just a block off the trail.

The Long Trail

Vermont

Vermont’s Long Trail lives up to its name: It’s a 272-mile footpath (not to mention side trails) that follows the Green Mountains’ ridge from the Massachusetts-Vermont state line to the Canadian border. It’s also oldest long-distance hiking route in the U.S. and doubles up with the Appalachian Trail for a hundred miles or so.

That kind of mileage calls for a beer, and luckily there are plenty of breweries along this stretch. One of the best is the Long Trail Brewing Company in Bridgewater near Killington Peak, whose German-inspired pub will have you feeling like you’ve been transported to the Alps. Its IPAs, stouts, and porters all have a local following, and there are also plenty of Cranberry Gose fans. If you’re hiking the entire route, there are also breweries of note near the trail in Bennington (check out Northshire Brewery and Madison Brewing Company) and Waterbury (pull up a stool at Prohibition Pig).

Joe Rodota Trail

Sebastopol, California

The paved 8.5-mile Joe Rodota Trail follows an abandoned Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway spur from Sebastopol to Santa Rosa, California, through the heart of wine country. The route meanders past farms, vineyards, the Laguna of Santa Rosa, and in the right season, colorful bursts of wildflowers.

You can bookend this day hike with sips at two noteworthy breweries just off the trail: HopMonk Tavern in Sebastopol and Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. HopMonk serves an IPA hopheads will crave, and Russian River is known as a must-stop for beer geeks. If you’re there during the first two weeks in February, be sure to sample Pliny the Younger, a Triple IPA worth trekking for.

Appalachian Trail

Virginia

If you’re really looking to stretch your legs with a backcountry hiking trip, there are several breweries along the Appalachian Trail as it makes its way from Maine to Georgia, but these two in Virginia are especially noteworthy. First up is the Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton, where the state’s craft brew scene was born. The owners grow their own hops (the fields are just outside), and serve a variety of strong pints, but the Blue Reserve in particular uses only their homegrown hops.

About 230 miles south is an AT landmark—the Damascus Brewery—which you’ll find by following the trail right down Main Street. They brew some 30 beers with eight on tap at any given time, and their cider is a popular thirst quencher after a long day (or week, or month) on the AT.

Pacific Crest Trail

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

On its path from Canada to Mexico, the Pacific Crest Trail descends into the scenic Columbia River Gorge at Cascade Locks. From here, you can follow the trail for as long as you like (you have 2,650 miles to enjoy, after all) in either direction, but a good place to start is at Thunder Island Brewing. This riverfront brewery caters to the PCT set, even encouraging visitors to buy a pint for a thirsty thru-hiker. If you happen to be one of those tired hikers, opt for a crisp Kölsch or a Scotch porter.

Follow the trail over the Bridge of the Gods and into Stevenson, Washington, and pull up a barstool at the aptly named Walking Man Brewing. The brewery uses old-school open fermentation for its beers, including the award-winning Barefoot Brown and Homo Erectus Double IPA.

Originally written by RootsRated for Craghoppers.

Featured image provided by Allagash Brewing