Beer – CapNY

CapNY Road Trip Through Rural Schenectady County

This drive through rural Schenectady county is a great way to explore CapNY’s natural beauty and pick up some craft beverages along the way. We are finally seeing some sunshine and warmer temps, which makes it a lot easier to get that vital dose of Vitamin D.

How To Get There

There are several routes that will take you on your road trip through rural Schenectady county, from US-90 and US-88 to State Routes 20, 7 and 74. We recommend downloading a map before you go as there are some areas without cell coverage. Virtually visit our recommendation with our Google Earth map if you are unable to get out (View that here).

What To See

Christman Bird & Wildlife Sanctuar y, 3281 Schoharie Turnpike, Delanson, NY 12053. Home to the spectacular Bozenkill waterfall and plantations of locust, cedar, spruce and pine. Explore the two looped main trails and two side trials. Located on the property is a two-story dwelling built in 1868, a stone dairy house, large stone walls, and more.

Schenectady County Forest Preserve, Lake Rd. (County Route 88), Delanson, NY 12053. The Preserve has three trail paths. The pates feature a number of habitats including a native hardwood forest, a red pine plantation and a man-made pond.

Mabee Farm Historic Site, 1100 Main St, Rotterdam Junction, NY 12150. The oldest farm in the Mohawk Valley (1705), Mabee Farm Historic Site offers visitors beautiful vistas and riverside beauty.

Great Flats Nature Trai l. W. Campbell Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306. The Great Flats Nature Trail is a wetland habitat that offers an easy well-defined path through a wooded area. The path leads to wetlands and a small lake, where you can walk on a boardwalk around the lake. The trail is a circular route that has both a long and short option.

Where to Eat and Drink

After all the sites long the road trip through rural Schenectady county, you’ll likely get hungry and thirsty. Fortunately there are many options along the way! Here are a few worthy destinations.

Back Barn Brewing, 7082 Western Turnpike, Delanson, NY 12053. Growlers, pints and cans are available for pick-up Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. Check out what’s currently on-tap on their website at the link. Fun fact about this craft brewery that serves classic beers: Their electricity is 100% solar powered.

Altamont Vineyard & Winery, 3001 Furbeck Rd, Altamont, NY 12009. While their wine alone is worth a stop, don’t sleep on their full array of good for sale online. From yummy grape jelly to small-batch honey to home decor & more, there is so much great stuff to score. Don’t miss out on the view of the vineyards as you head up the driveway.

Wagon Train BBQ, 671 Mariaville Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306. Worked up an appetite from exploring all the natural beauty in Schenectady County? Wagon Train BBQ is ready to tackle any sized hunger. We dare you to try and conquer the Train-Wreck Burger (A burger topped with Swiss cheese, ham, roast beef, coleslaw, horseradish mayo and chipotle ranch) or one of their Wagon Train Combos. Check their IG for daily specials including family meals.

Wolf Hollow Brewing Company, 6882 Amsterdam Rd, Schenectady, NY 12302. Don’t miss out on the great brews on tap at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company. Call ahead or order online for growlers and cans. I recommend the Lock 9am Vanilla Coffee Porter. And don’t forget to check the website to see what food truck is on-site serving up delicious eats on the weekends. I mean because you’ll need to wash something down with all that great beer.

CapNY Road Trip through Rensselaer County

A road trip to Rensselaer county is easier to plan than it is to spell but it’s a county with rich history and beautiful rural landscapes. This road trip includes both natural and man-made vantage points, and you see beautiful vistas that stretch into Massachusetts and Vermont. There’s also a stop at a farm stand, hikes and historic sites. By the end of this trip you might even be able to spell “Rensselaer.” Though, admittedly, I’ve lived here most of my life and still second guess the spelling.

Places to Explore on a Day Trip to Rensselaer County

You can choose your own adventure by starting your road trip to Rensselaer county at any of the stops below. The main routes you’ll be using are I-90 and Rt 787, then Rt 7 and Rt 2.

Dickinson Fire Tower

Dickinson Hill F ire Tower, Fire Tower Road, Petersburg, NY, off Babcock Lake Road. The 60-foot fire tower was constructed in 1924, last used in the 1980s, and is now open to the public. From the top, you can see Grafton Lake State Park, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Taconics, and the Berkshires. You also have the option to do a 2.6 mile hike to the tower.

Fire Tower Parking Directions: When driving, take Babcock Lake Road which runs between Route 7 and Route 2. Turn onto Fire Tower Road in Petersburg. Go to the very end of Fire Tower Road (about 1.5 miles) and do a three-point turn at the end. Drive back up a small hill and on the right you’ll see a blocked off utility road. Park in the shoulder near here. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, there is also a small area off the road where you can park which is across the street from the utility road. Once parked, take the trail past the barrier. You’ll see a plaque about the fire tower on your left. Then make your way up the short, moderately steep incline to the fire tower, which you’ll see in a clearing at the top.

Grafton Peace Pagoda

Grafton Peace Pagoda, 87 Crandall Rd, Petersburg, NY 12138. This stunning Buddhist pagoda was built in the 1980s, inspired by a monk who still lives on site. (You might see her beating a drum on the hilly, winding roadway.) To get to the pagoda, walk up either the stone driveway or take the short, 6 minute wooded hike. Sorry, you can’t bring dogs on the Pagoda grounds.

Petersburg Pass

Petersburg Pass (Trailheads for Snow Hole and Berlin Mountain), 57 Taconic Trail, Petersburg, NY 12138. The drive up to the Petersburg Pass is a popular route for motorcyclists and a good stop for anyone heading into Williamstown and The Clark. There are a slew of hiking trails, including Hopkins Memorial Forest, or the six mile round trip hike to Snow Hole – a crevice known for ice and snow, even in August. To the South is Rensselaer County’s highest point, Berlin Mountain which, at 2,818 feet, is also the state’s highest point outside the Catskills and Adirondacks. It’s a 5.5 mile roundtrip hike to Berlin Mountain in the Taconic Mountains. Leash your dog, and please be mindful of wild animals (I’ve had my share of run-ins around here) and ticks.

Laughing Earth Farmstand

Laughing Earth Farmstand, 3842 Rt 2, Cropseyville, NY 12052. This self-serve farm stand has eggs, honey, vegetables, sausage and bacon. Zack, Annie and Willa Metzger have been proprietors of the 200-year-old farm since the 2015-16 season. Their newly-painted yellow farmhouse and the lovely pastoral setting make this a nice, picturesque stop after a hike.

Historical Spots

Oakwood Cemetery , 186 Oakwood Ave., Troy, NY 12182. Notable for its Hudson Valley vistas and as the resting place for local luminaries including Samuel “Uncle Sam” Wilson, the Oakwood Cemetery is a great, historic stroll. Don’t miss the Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel, built in the 1880s, has Tiffany glass windows and stunning stonework. There are 282 acres in total, with man-made lakes and impressive monuments. The cemetery also holds regular scavenger hunts and other events.

Lansingburgh Historical Society and Museum, 2 114th St., Troy, NY 12182. Lansingburgh is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the state, founded in the late 1700s and once known for its brush and oil cloth industries. To get to the historical society and museum, you’ll be driving by beautiful riverfront mansions and once-grand estates. It was also home to an author you might have heard of – Herman Melville. He lived at the now-museum on 114th Street and wrote his first two novels, Typee and Omoo, at the site. Some also say he named his Moby Dick character Starbuck after nearby Starbuck Island. The architecture in this neighborhood is lovely and Snowman Ice Cream is right nearby.

Crailo State Historic Site, 9 1/2 Riverside Ave., Rensselaer, NY 12144, is a museum of the Colonial Dutch in The Dutch home was built in the early 18th century by Hendrick Van Rensselaer, grandson of the first patroon of the area, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the county’s namesake. the Hudson River Valley. Legend has it that “Yankee Doodle” was written here in 1755.

Places to Eat and Drink

Wrap up your road trip to Rensselaer county with a visit to historic Hoosick Falls. This is where artist Grandma Moses’ work was first discovered by a New York City art collector. You can see much of her work on another road trip to Bennington, Vermont at the Bennington Museum. You’ll find some great food and drink options in and around Hoosick Falls, including:

Brown’s Brewing Walloomsac Taproom, 50 Factory Hill Rd., North Hoosick, NY 12133. Conclude your road trip in this factory turned taproom, opened in 2013, located next to a small waterfall. The menu includes a great range of beer (brewed on site), wine, cider, wings, pretzels, salad, pizza, soup, and dessert.

Unihog, 2 Center Street, Hoosick Falls 12090. Jason VonGuinness built this roadhouse-style restaurant and bar in a former mannequin factory. The decor and vibe are rustic, raucous and rough-and-tumble. Awesome Asian-fusion food by Sumo’s Kitchen. Great local beer selection, and live music most nights. Insider tip: before you leave, ask Jason if you can see his Martin Van Buren tattoo.

Hoosac Package Store, 53 Classic Street, Hoosick Falls, 12090. Another Jason VonGuinness enterprise, this shop offers a great selection of local, national and imported wines and liquors.

Iron Coffee Company, 9 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, 12090. Owner Mike Milliron takes his coffee seriously, roasting daily in the shop, and sourcing his milk from nearby Battenkill Creamery in Salem.

More stops!

There are LOTS of other great stops for future visits. Dyken Pond, Cherry Plain State Park, the Knickerbocker Mansion, Grafton Lake State Park, Barberville Falls (in spring and fall), the Champlain Canal Lock 4 Park. And, of course, the amazing city of Troy, worthy of an all-day visit of its own.

Danielle Sanzone is a freelance writer who worked for a decade at The Record in Troy and is currently in the Digital Initiatives department at the local PBS, WMHT.

Beer nature Road trip

Get Outdoors: Warren County Paddles-to-Pubs

The Adirondacks are one of the best places to spend the summer in Upstate New York. As an avid hiker and paddler, I venture up to Adirondack State Park as often as possible to enjoy the abundance of outdoor activities. My favorite part of a long day outside? Stopping at one of the many Adirondack breweries for a cold one.

Take a trip with me as we go through some of the best Warren County paddles-to-pub spots and breweries. From lakes, ponds and rivers to several craft breweries, you’re never too far away from a paddle or a pub.

We start our Warren County paddles-to pubs adventure at Glen Lake in Queensbury. A non-motorized boat launch for the lake is located at 290 Glen Lake Road. The boat launch also features picnic tables, a restroom and a fishing dock. The two mile long lake is a perfect size for a relaxing day of paddling in a canoe or kayak. If you’re an angler (using a hook and line), Glen Lake is known to have brown bullhead, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, pumpkin seed, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch.

Located just minutes from the boat launch is one of my personal favorite breweries, Northway Brewing Company! A warm atmosphere paired with some delicious beer makes for a perfect post-paddle destination. My personal favorites are the Perfect Day Pilsner and Sunrise Session IPA. Their colorful cans make for a lovely lakeside photoshoot, too!

Paddling Lake George can be intimidating due to the lake’s massive size and heavy traffic. However, if you stay in a more secluded area like the lake’s Northwest Bay, you’re likely to have a calmer paddling trip while still taking in the sheer beauty of the lake. There’s a reason it’s nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes! A Department of Environmental Conservation public boat launch for the Northwest Bay is located off of route 9N in Bolton Landing. Enjoy stellar views of the Tongue Mountain Range as you paddle around Northwest Bay.

If you’re going back into the town of Bolton Landing after paddling, be sure to stop by Bolton Landing Brewery Company, a family-owned microbrewery located on the shores of Lake George. Their spacious outdoor patio is a great spot to socially distance while enjoying a brew. Check out their website to see what’s currently on draft!

Technically Moreau Lake State Park is in Saratoga County, but it’s so close to Warren that I’m including it here. This paddler’s paradise is located between Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls, in the foothills of the Adirondacks. The easily accessible boat launch allows you to be out of your car and in the waters in no time! I love paddling on Moreau Lake for many reasons, but most of all, I love that there are no motorized boats allowed. This makes for calm waters suitable for any paddling skill level. Explore the small ponds off of the lake and you’ll be sure to spot ducks, turtles and a wide variety of fish. Keep an eye out for the loon that lives on Moreau Lake, too!

When you finish paddling, head on over to the newly reopened Common Roots Brewing Company in South Glens Falls. They have a huge selection of beer, and if you’re an IPA lover, Common Roots is definitely the place for you!

Thirteenth Lake in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness: A true backwoods paddling experience minus a long hike to the boat launch. Bonus! The lake also has a network of hiking trails and 13 lakeside campsites.
Garnet Lake: Another calm paddling destination that is ideal for all skill levels. With over six miles of shoreline to explore, this hidden gem will keep you paddling all day long.
There are several boat launches on the Hudson River in Warren County. While paddling the Southern Hudson can be challenging, the calm waters of the Northern Hudson are a paddling dream.

Maria Gigliello is an avid hiker, paddler and writer who enjoys spending as much time as possible doing all three things in the Adirondack State Park. She is just as passionate about beer as she is about responsible outdoor recreation and is always in search of a good view and a brew. You can follow her adventures on her blog, The Dirt.

Beer Kayaks nature

Exploring the Albany Pine Bush Preserve

CapNY is home to one of the rarest habitats in the world – get ready to explore!

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve boasts one of the largest inland pine barrens in the world — one of only 20 in existence!

The sandy stretch of land around the Thruway in the Guilderland/Colonie area is the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. It is a totally unique and ecologically rare piece of preserved land, teeming with rare plants and animals. Come explore the Pine Bush Preserve — am amazing jewel right in our CapNY backyard.

During college I interned at the Albany Pine Bush, where I spent many days in the preserve leading school and camp groups. I know many of the trails like the back of my hand. Yet, I never tire of meandering among the towering pitch pines. There are so many elements to the Pine Bush that make it a unique place. Yet the preserve is not just one chunk of land. The Thruway, Crossgates Mall and suburban neighborhoods split the land up into several parcels. With 12 trailheads and over 20 miles of trail, you have endless exploration options!

Let’s start right at The Discovery Center off of Route 155. Several miles of trail start from here, including a 1 mile loop and a 2.5 mile loop over rolling sand dunes. This is a great part of the preserve to explore if you’re interested in seeing wildlife. In September you’ll catch sight of black, orange and white inland buck moths flying above the scrub oak. Be on the lookout for turtles, deer and a wide variety of birds as well!

Moving down the road to Madison Ave Extension, we come to my favorite trailhead of the Albany Pine Bush. The Madison Avenue Pine Barrens is one of the best spots to feel dwarfed by the distinct pitch pine trees that tower overhead. This gentle, rolling terrain makes for a relaxing walk. Meanwhile, take in the beauty of the land around you. My dog Remy and I love the wide, sandy paths on this trailhead. The full loop at this trailhead is only about .6 miles. Add the purple connector trail for an extended 3.7 mile walk to DiCaprio Park in Guilderland!

Just down the road from the Madison Ave. Pine Barrens is one of the crown jewels of the whole preserve, the Great Dune trailhead. This area contains–you guessed it– the largest sand dune of the preserve, standing at 75 feet tall! Most of the Pine Bush’s habitat is made up of sandy soil, pitch pines, and other species that prefer a dryer climate. However, the Kaikout Kill stream runs through the Great Dune area, supporting ferns and mosses providing some charming greenery. During spring look for the endangered Karner blue butterfly, which only feeds on the leaves of wild lupine. Several loops can be made from here, the longest being just under 2 miles.

Finally, make a stop at the Six Mile Waterworks trailhead! Home to Rensselaer Lake, this section of the preserve allows for fishing, paddling and picnicking. If fishing is your thing you can try your hand at catching bass, carp, pike and pumpkin seed. If you’re a hiker, you can pick up a .5 mile trail from Six Mile Waterworks, leading you to the neighboring Rapp Road Barrens.

There are several more trailheads in the preserve with superb hiking and bird watching opportunities! You can check out all of the trails and what they have to offer by visiting the preserve’s website.

Blessing’s Tavern in Colonie is located on Watervliet Shaker Road, just down the road from the Albany Pine Bush. This local favorite has top notch pub food to refuel after your day of adventuring. You can’t go wrong with any of their sandwiches or wings!

Fiden’s Brewing Company: Mere minutes from several Pine Bush trailheads is Fidens, a local microbrewery. If you’re a fan of IPAs, they’ve got you covered with their “Socratic Questioning” lineup that features 7 different kinds of IPAs and DIPAs.