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4 Oregon Brewery and Hiking Trail Pairings
By Craig Hill and Matt Wastradowski, authors of Moon Pacific Northwest Hiking
In Oregon, you’re never too far from a brewery. One of the joys of hiking is kicking back with a beer afterward. Here are some of the best trail-brewery pairings.
Enjoy sweeping Rogue Valley views, Cascade peaks, and seasonal wildflowers, and then head into Ashland’s Caldera Brewing Company, which boasts a tap list of 40 house-brewed beers.
To try: Lawn Mower Lager and Pilot Rock Porter.
Lower Macleay Trail to Pittock Mansion, Portland and the Willamette Valley
Pair some of Portland’s best skyline views with one of the city’s best breweries. After a hike up this trail inside city limits, head just a mile away to Breakside Brewery, which boasts a variety of hop-forward ales and crisp lagers.
To try: Breakside IPA and Breakside Pilsner.
Crux uses nontraditional brewing methods to make a variety of beers. Photo courtesy of Crux Fermentation Project.
Tumalo Mountain, Bend and the Central Oregon Cascades
This hike affords views of Mount Bachelor and its surroundings, and in nearby Bend you can unwind on the lawn at Crux Fermentation Projectwhile soaking in more views of Cascade peaks, including the Three Sisters.
To try: Cast Out (IPA) and PCT Porter.
Hurricane Creek to Slick Rock Gorge, Wallowa Mountains and Blue Mountains
Hike into the heart of the Wallowas amid a bucolic blend of alpine forests, crystal-clear rivers, and towering peaks. Afterward, in nearby Enterprise, enjoy sweeping views of the Wallowas from the outdoor bar at Terminal Gravity Brewing.
To try: Terminal Gravity IPA and Terminal Gravity ESG.
Towering peaks, sparkling coastline, and vast old-growth forests: wherever you turn in the Pacific Northwest, adventure awaits. Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and hit the trails with Moon Pacific Northwest Hiking.
Matt Wastradowski is an Oregon-based travel writer who loves writing about the great outdoors, the Pacific Northwest's craft beer and cider scene, and regional history for the likes of Willamette Week, Northwest Travel & Life, and Portland Monthly. In between stories, he enjoys sipping Oregon-made beers on brewpub patios, perusing the stacks at independent bookstores, sampling farm-fresh fare, and hiking through the state's stunning landscapes. Matt has written three Oregon-based guidebooks about hiking, outdoor attractions, and more for Moon Travel Guides.
Craig Hill’s passion for the outdoors started as a child when his dad routinely dragged him away from the TV and took him to explore the mountains, forests and beaches of Washington. After studying writing at Washington State University, he turned down an opportunity to attend graduate school at the University of Missouri to work as a sportswriter. But even as he covered some of the biggest events in sports, he couldn’t shake his desire to be in the mountains. So, in 2004, he strapped on his old hiking boots and walked away from a promising career and took over as the outdoor writer for The News Tribune in Tacoma.
Today, he has a strong track record in Washington’s outdoor community. The National Park Service honored him in 2011 for his contributions at Mount Rainier National Park. Craig serves as the outdoor sports chairman for the Tacoma-Pierce County Sport Hall of Fame and lives in Puyallup, Washington.
