Noble Canyon & Alpine Brewery

happy love day...

Here's a "fungestion" for you...

 

About a one hour drive from San Diego proper is a trail that takes you through forest, valley, meadow and lake. This is one of those magical spots that I actually hesitate to post about as I love the tranquility and peacefulness of the place, but really, it's no big secret. People do go, especially on nice days. Sometimes we see wild turkeys here, which is always a big treat. We chose to come here most recently on a cold and blustering day and were the only people around, and it was wonderful. The dogs scampered and frolicked. There was an ice-cold swimming session for the golden lab. The African Brown dog chased butterflies and birds. The scenery was impeccable.

My purebred African Brown Dog...who came here from Ghana 4 years ago

Normally, when we visit this place, we drive to the top of the Noble Canyon trail head. The dog and I hike the easy 4-5 mile loop that takes you around Big Laguna Lake and then drive to the bottom of the trail head where the rest of the gang has ridden down on mountain bikes. It's a win-win situation for all. This time, however, we simply went on the hike, and then popped over to Alpine for a beer and some scrumptious sweet potato fries, served with a myriad of dipping sauces. Be sure to ask for the chipotle mayo that they hide in the fridge. For beer, I can recommend the Mandarin Nectar, a slightly sweet ale, and the Captain Stout, which tasted chocolat-ey...

  

There is a brewery and there is a pub. You can get a growler of Alpine beer at the brewery, or you can pop into the pub for a pint and a bite. Check the websites for hours.

I hope to see you out there! This is hands down, one of my favorite places to go in the San Diego area. If you are voyaging to, or live in San Diego, I highly recommend a visit. The trail is long-ish, but is very easy. It's a good trail for a beginner mountain bike rider, as there are little to no technical obstacles. The Noble Canyon trail, however, is not for the newbie.