Skagit Ale Trail: Day One
Beer lovers, unite! January is the darkest month of the year. What better way to entertain yourself than traipsing about Skagit Valley while imbibing winter suds? This month, we will break down the Skagit Farm to Pint Ale Trail into three days, allowing you to pace yourself and enjoy the area as you sip your way through Skagit.
Stop #1: Anacortes Brewery
320 Commercial Ave, Anacortes, WA 98221
The Anacortes Brewery is a great way to start the Skagit Farm to Pint Ale Trail. Established in 1994, this 7-barrel brewery creates over 30 styles annually and is proudly poured next door at the Rockfish Grill. The Rockfish opens at 11am, which makes it a perfect lunch and beer stop after a morning hike and an exploration of downtown Anacortes’s shops and stores.
***Don’t forget to college Ale Trail stamps as you adventure along the route. Filling in all available stamps comes with a reward!***
Hiking Recommendations:
Deception Pass State Park: stunning 4,000+ acre park that extends over each side of Deception Pass and its towering 180 foot bridge. Teems with wildlife and marine mammals.
Recommended trails (park map):
Lighthouse Point via Bowman Bay/Rosario Beach Trail
Rosario Head Trail
Cap Sante Park: small park within walking distance of downtown Anacortes that looks over Fidalgo Bay and the marina
Stop #2: Chuckanut Brewery
From Anacortes, head east to your next stop: Chuckanut Brewery. If you want to take an hour to work off a delicious lunch from the Rockfish Grill, we recommend the Padilla Bay Trail - it’s right off of Highway 20!
Across from the Skagit Airport, nationally and locally recognized Chuckanut Brewery welcomes visitors of any age. Enjoy European-style lagers and ales at their South Nut location. While this location does not serve food, they are within walking distance of another Skagit favorite: Skagit Landing, a popular farm-to-fork restaurant with fresh food and finesse.
Just over 2 miles and paved, the Padilla Bay Shore Trail is a beginner-friendly route that showcases the wildlife and beauty of Skagit’s natural estuaries.
Stop #3: Cardinal Craft Brewing
Our next stop is just a 3 minutes’ walk away. This brewery is unique to Washington - its brewers are students. Local Skagit Valley College offers a Craft Brewing Certificate training program, and participants learn an overview of the craft brewery business and get hands-on experience in the brew lab. It’s a win-win situation that Ale Trail followers benefit from!
Stop by the tap room to taste a little Cardinal Red and any of the rotating selection of beers. Be sure to call ahead, as this tap room has limited hours.
Looking to explore Skagit from the air? Grab a date and take to the skies with Dyberg Aviation, Burlington’s local aviation training school and scenic air-tour experts. It’s right across the street from Cardinal Craft Brewing, too!
Stop #4: Garden Path Fermentation
The last stop in this triad of breweries is Garden Path Fermentation, known for hyper-locally sourcing ingredients and using 100% native Skagit Valley yeast. Each of their batches is custom-blended to taste and beautifully balanced. Besides offering their own products, Garden Path provides a wide range of beers, wines, and ciders produced around the world by brewers who share a similar philosophy.
Did you know? The King Arthur Baking Company has a baking school right next to Garden Path Fermentation…and they offer classes! Consider signing up to craft croissants, bake beautiful baguettes, perfect your pizza, and more!
Stop #5: Terramar Brewstillery
Last, but not least, Terramar Brewstillery wraps up “day one” of the Ale Trail tour. The brewstillery (“terra” meaning Earth, “mar” meaning sea) is named for its farmed and foraged ingredients. Nestled in the artist village of Edison, Terramar produces thoughtfully crafted beer, cider, spirits, and wood-fired pizza.
As if providing great drinks and beautiful views wasn’t enough, Terramar also offers options for night life: its “speakeasy” next door. Old-Hollywood themed, this dreamy venue spotlights the distillery’s spirits in creative cocktails and serves delicious, locally-sourced cuisine.
Don’t forget to collect Ale Trail stamps at every location you visit!
