Few things are as satisfying after a long day on the trail than relaxing over an ice-cold beer. In the United States and beyond, avid hikers have mapped out the best routes for imbibing during and after some of the world’s most renowned hikes, making it possible to both have your hike and drink beer too. These breweries and pubs — some trailside and others within a short distance of your route — will send you down the line to the next stop feeling satiated or provide a cozy, overnight respite from your journey. Here are the five coolest beer hiking trails to set out on.
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Beer Hiking Is a Thing, and It’s Awesome. Here's Where to Do It.
1. Five-Seidla-Trail, Germany
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Found in Franconian Switzerland, one of the oldest and most visited holiday areas of Germany, the Five-Seidla-Trail is a 20-km round-trip trek that will take you to five different Franconian breweries located in four villages along the way. Make sure to pick up a stamp card, “Stempelkarte” in German, at your first stop to have validated at each brewery. Not only will this beer-drinkers diploma prove your bragging rights for completing the trail and drinking all five seidlas (German for half-liters) of beer, but it will also earn you a discount on a souvenir mug once your journey has ended. Give yourself all day for this hike as you’ll want to take your time enjoying both the breweries and the beautiful Bavarian countryside. The breweries on this tour include:
- Stop 1: Klosterbrauerei Weißenohe
- Stop 2: Friedmanns Bräustüberl
- Stop 3: Brauerei Hofmann
- Stop 4: Thuisbrunner Elch-Bräu and Gasthof Seitz
- Stop 5: Brauerei Lindenbräu
2. Ice Age Trail, Wisconsin
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The Ice Age Trail meanders across Wisconsin for more than 1,000 miles, hugging the edge of the state’s beautiful landscape, which was shaped by continental glacial ice more than 12,000 years ago. It takes anywhere from seven to 12 weeks to complete this hike from start to finish, but lucky for you, there are some well-known breweries to seek shelter in along the way (or raise a toast at after completing a rigorous day hike). The trail is maintained by the Ice Age Trail Alliance. It’s recommended to check the website for trail conditions and purchase a guidebook with detailed trail maps to help you along your journey. All of these breweries are located along the southern portion of the trail. If you’re not game to spend two to four months hiking the entire trail, you can opt to do a shorter section between the cities of Verona and West Bend in order to hit each of them then call it a trip:
- Stop 1: Hop Haus Brewing Co.,Verona
- Stop 2: Delafield Brewhaus, Delafield
- Stop 3: Gray Brewing Co., Janesville
- Stop 4: Riverside Brewery, West Bend
3. The Appalachian Trail Pub Crawl, Eastern US
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The Appalachian Trail is located in the Eastern United States, stretching 2,200 miles between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine as it winds through 14 different states. It’s estimated to take between five and seven months to complete the whole trail with a success rate of only about 20 percent. While most of the hike is in wild or forest lands, lucky for you, it also passes through plenty of civilization full of locals who appreciate a nice cold one. The adventurous imbibers at hiking website The Trek routed this epic pub crawl along the way:
- Stop 1: The Rock House Lodge at Outdoor 76 in Franklin, NC
- Stop 2: Smoky Mountain Brewery, Gatlinburg, TN
- Stop 3: The Damascus Brewery, Damascus, VA
- Stop 4: Boiling Springs Tavern, Boiling Springs, PA
- Stop 5: The Deer Head Inn, Delaware Water Gap, PA
- Stop 6: Wits End Tavern, Unionville, NY
- Stop 7: Kingsley Tavern, Kent, CT
- Stop 8: Purple Pub, Williamstown, MA
- Stop 9: Ye Olde Tavern, Manchester Center, VT
- Stop 10: Salt Hill Pub, Hanover, NH
- Stop 11: Lakeshore House Lodging & Pub, Monson, ME
- Stop 12: The Blue Ox Saloon, Millinocket, ME
4. Colorado Trail, Colorado
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Connecting 500 miles of the Rocky Mountains from Durango heading northeast to Denver, the Colorado Trail passes through six national forests and takes dedicated hikers six weeks to complete. Most of the trek is above 10,000 feet with the highest point being 13,271 feet, so be ready for the added obstacles that come with hiking at higher altitudes. In addition to the elk, moose, mountain lions, and osprey you may stumble upon, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to drink beer. Beer drinkers lounging in their natural habitat may be found at these spots along the way:
- Stop 1: Mad Jack’s Mountain Brewery, Bailey
- Stop 2: Broken Compass Brewing Company, Breckenridge
- Stop 3: Periodic Brewery, Leadville
- Stop 4: High Alpine Brewing Co., Gunnison
- Stop 5: Ska Brewing Co, Durango
5. Pacific Crest Trail, Western US
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Running 2,650 miles through California, Oregon, and Washington, the Pacific Crest Trail stretches all the way from Mexico to Canada and passes through forests, mountain ranges, and desert landscapes. The full journey includes 25 national forests and seven national parks. Along with the Appalachian Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail helps make up what is considered the “Triple Crown” of hiking and takes about three to five months to complete. Even if you only do a day hike or weekend backpacking trip, you can relax with a brew along the way at these spots:
- Stop 1: Dru Bru, Snoqualmie Pass, WA
- Stop 2: Walking Man Brewery, Stevenson, WA
- Stop 3: Thunder Island Brewing Co., Cascade Locks, OR
- Stop 4: Mammoth Brewing Company in Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Stop 5: Nickel Beer Company, Julian, CA
If you’re lucky enough, you may come across a “Trail Angel” in one of these watering holes — locals that are known for purchasing food or drinks for hikers and have even offered travelers rides or places to stay. 