6 Hike + Brewery Pairings in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley
Sponsored by the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail.
There’s something particularly satisfying about finishing a great hike and settling in with a cold beer afterward.
In Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, that post-hike reward is easy to build into the day. Every brewery on this list is just 10 to 35 minutes from its paired trail.
I recently hiked six trails from Natural Bridge to the Virginia-West Virginia border, pairing each one with a nearby stop on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail.
The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail connects 18 breweries across Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, all within an easy hour’s drive of one another.
Every brewery paired with a hike below is a Beerwerks stop, so you can hike, sip, and work toward completing the Beerwerks Passport along the way.
Complete all six pairings and you’ll already have six of the eight brewery stamps needed to earn a commemorative Beerwerks Trail T-shirt.
Shenandoah Valley Hikes + Breweries at a Glance
These six hike-and-brewery pairings make it easy to turn a morning on the trail into a full Shenandoah Valley day.
| Hike | Length / Difficulty | Brewery | Drive From Trail | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Bridge | 3.2 miles / easy | Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery | 10 mins | Natural wonder + big brewery views |
| Bluff Mountain | 4.3 miles / moderate | Devils Backbone Outpost Taproom & Kitchen | 30 mins | Summit views + AT hike |
| Humpback Rocks | 2.0 miles / strenuous | Basic City Beer Co. | 15 mins | Iconic hike + lively brewery |
| Blue Ridge Tunnel | 4.6 miles / easy | Redbeard Brewing Co. | 20 mins | History + downtown Staunton |
| Natural Chimneys | 1.9 miles / easy | Alpine Goat Brewery | 25 mins | Family-friendly + mountain views |
| High Knob Fire Tower | 2.8 miles / moderate | Pale Fire Brewing Co. | 35 mins | 360-degree fire tower + Harrisonburg |
#1: Natural Bridge State Park + Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery
The pairing: Natural Bridge State Park → Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery
Hike: 3.2 miles | Easy | Best natural wonder hike
Drive to brewery: 10 minutes
Why go: Iconic Virginia scenery + a brewery patio with sweeping mountain views
Natural Bridge State Park is home to a popular hike with a wow moment that comes almost immediately.
The Cedar Creek Trail passes beneath the awe-inspiring 215-foot-tall limestone arch, then follows the shaded creek to 30-foot Lace Falls.
It’s an easy, scenic walk. The 137-step climb back to the visitor center will most certainly earn you a post-hike beer.
This was my fourth visit to Natural Bridge, and the massive limestone arch still stops me in my tracks. It’s spectacular in every season.
As you pass underneath, look up for the spot where George Washington reportedly carved his initials in 1750.
Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery feels like a natural reward after the hike, set high on a 27-acre farm with Blue Ridge Mountain views.
Trade the shaded Cedar Creek gorge for a seat on the brewery’s beautiful outdoor patio and order a small-batch Belgian-style farmhouse ale.
The crisp, refreshing Belgian Blonde is a crowd favorite in Natural Bridge, earning a silver medal at the Virginia Craft Beer Cup in 2022.
#2: Bluff Mountain + Devils Backbone Outpost Taproom & Kitchen
The pairing: Bluff Mountain → Devils Backbone Outpost Taproom & Kitchen
Hike: 4.3 miles | Moderate | Best AT hike
Drive to brewery: 30 minutes
Why go: AT summit views + award-winning beer on a Blue Ridge-facing deck
The hike up Bluff Mountain follows a southbound stretch of the Appalachian Trail, climbing steadily toward the 3,330-foot summit.
A short spur trail leads to Punch Bowl Shelter, where a picnic table makes for an easy lunch stop.
At the top, remnants of an old fire tower make a perfect perch for west-facing Blue Ridge Mountain views.
A marker honors Ottie Cline Powell, a four-year-old boy who wandered away from Tower Hill Schoolhouse and was found here in 1892.
Bluff Mountain has always felt especially quiet to me. Both times I’ve hiked it, I had the trail entirely to myself.
Afterward, keep the mountain views going at Devils Backbone Outpost Taproom & Kitchen in Lexington.
Settle onto the spacious deck overlooking the Blue Ridge with a Vienna Lager, the brewery’s smooth amber flagship.
After 1,400 feet of climbing, you’ve earned that beer—and probably an order of the brewery’s Backbone Nachos, too.
#3: Humpback Rocks + Basic City Beer Co.
The pairing: Humpback Rocks → Basic City Beer Co.
Hike: 2.0 miles | Strenuous | Best payoff views
Drive to brewery: 15 minutes
Why go: A Blue Ridge summit + craft beer in a sprawling industrial space
Humpback Rocks makes you work for the view. The trail climbs steeply, gaining about 700 feet before reaching the rocky summit.
The payoff is spectacular: sweeping views across the Shenandoah Valley and toward Shenandoah National Park.
This is one of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s most popular hikes. On weekends, arrive before 8 a.m. if you want a parking space.
At the summit, rocky outcrops create plenty of places to sit and take in the views. Just don’t expect to have them to yourself.
An out-and-back is the most direct route, but you can also connect with the Appalachian Trail for a 4.3-mile loop.
Afterward, it’s a short drive to Basic City Beer Co. in Waynesboro, named for the historic community once known as Basic City.
The brewery draws water from an artesian aquifer for its beers, a fitting finish after a morning spent high above the Shenandoah Valley.
Order the flagship Bask, a tropical, fruit-forward double IPA, and settle into the brewery’s sprawling industrial-meets-modern taproom.
#4: Blue Ridge Tunnel + Redbeard Brewing Co.
The pairing: Blue Ridge Tunnel → Redbeard Brewing Co.
Hike: 4.6 miles | Easy | Best for history lovers
Drive to brewery: 20 minutes
Why go: A historic railroad tunnel + small-batch beer in downtown Staunton
The Blue Ridge Tunnel is unlike any other hike in Virginia. The trail passes through Afton Mountain inside a nearly mile-long railroad tunnel.
Built between 1850 and 1858, the tunnel is completely dark and stays in the 50s year-round—a refreshing escape on a warm day.
Bring a headlamp and consider an extra layer. I started at the East Trailhead in Afton, which has a large parking area.
The West Trailhead in Waynesboro has parking, too, though parking is far more plentiful at the East Trailhead.
I especially enjoyed the educational placards detailing the tunnel’s history, construction, and chief engineer Claudius Crozet.
Afterward, trade the dark tunnel for the beer garden at Redbeard Brewing Co., a nano-brewery in Staunton’s historic Wharf district.
Redbeard brews on a small three-barrel system, with 10 to 15 taps typically spanning American, English, and Belgian styles.
Can’t decide? Order a flight of four five-ounce pours. In fall, look for Moriarty, a bourbon barrel-aged stout that draws a crowd.
#5: Natural Chimneys + Alpine Goat Brewery
The pairing: Natural Chimneys Regional Park → Alpine Goat Brewery
Hike: 1.9 miles | Easy | Best for families
Drive to brewery: 25 minutes
Why go: Towering formations + European-style beer with mountain views
Natural Chimneys Regional Park feels part hike, part geology lesson, with seven towering limestone formations rising above the Shenandoah Valley.
An easy 1.9-mile loop climbs to an overlook above the chimneys, then winds through the woods toward the North River.
I especially liked the overlook, where you can look down on the formations and take in sweeping Shenandoah Valley views.
The River’s Edge Trail was another highlight, though the rainfall-fed North River can run low—or even dry—during drier stretches.
Afterward, keep the mountain scenery going at Alpine Goat Brewery in Weyers Cave.
The farm brewery channels Austrian beer-hall culture with wide-open fields, Blue Ridge views, and a spacious outdoor biergarten.
Order the Lackner Lager, a flagship doppelbock brewed in honor of owner Eric Pisk’s Austrian family.
Or go lighter with a crisp kölsch, then settle into the biergarten and soak up the mountain views.
#6: High Knob Fire Tower + Pale Fire Brewing Co.
The pairing: High Knob Fire Tower → Pale Fire Brewing Co.
Hike: 2.8 miles | Moderate | Best for 360-degree views
Drive to brewery: 35 minutes
Why go: 360-degree views + award-winning beer in downtown Harrisonburg
High Knob Fire Tower packs a big payoff into a relatively short hike, climbing 682 feet to a historic stone lookout.
The final stretch gets rocky and steep, but 30 wooden steps lead to a wraparound catwalk with sweeping mountain views.
Built in 1940 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the stone tower sits at 4,107 feet near the Virginia-West Virginia border.
I especially liked stepping inside the glass-enclosed tower and imagining what it was like to stand watch from here.
Afterward, head into downtown Harrisonburg for Pale Fire Brewing Co., tucked inside the renovated Ice House on South Liberty Street.
The taproom pairs craft beer with local art, books, and frequent live music, making it an easy place to linger after the hike.
Order a Red Molly, an Irish red ale with cherry notes and a hint of sweetness that has earned multiple state and national medals.
After climbing a historic fire tower, settling in with an award-winning pint feels like a fitting finish.
Keep Exploring the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail
These six hike-and-brewery pairings are only the beginning.
Work your way through all six and you’ll already have six of the eight stamps needed to complete the Beerwerks Passport.
From there, choose two more—or keep going.
The Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail includes 18 breweries, plus places to stay, events, and more ways to build a weekend around great beer and the outdoors.
Plan your Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail trip →
Erin Gifford has completed more than 300 hikes in Virginia. She is also the author of three hiking guidebooks from Falcon Guides. Need help finding a hike? Check out the Trail Finder feature or send Erin an email at [email protected].
