Along the Cumberland Plateau, you’ll find a town named Wartburg. What a name! This Tennessee community is home to several outdoor and hiking destinations, with levels ranging from easy to very strenuous. For this particular stop of the Trails & Ales tour, we’ll focus on two hikes in the Obed Wild & Scenic River along with two distinct breweries. The two hikes, along with the breweries, have some strong similarities and some wide contrasting styles. So, hope along the Obed Yin Yang!
Obed Wild & Scenic River
The Obed Wild & Scenic River is part of the National Park Service plus the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area and The Cumberland Trail. The area contains over 5,000 acres where visitors can choose from a wide assortment of outdoor activities including paddling, climbing, hunting, fishing, and hiking.
Since the Obed covers so much land, our focus will stay to the eastern part of the area where there are two particular trails.
Obed Yin Yang Hike: Emory River Gorge
Driving into the Obed from Wartburg, you’ll come across two bridges next to one another. This visual not only adds to the duality of the Obed Yin Yang; it is also a sign to stop for a hike. The Emory River Gorge section trailhead is located near the parking lot next the picnic area.
This section of the Cumberland Trail is a moderate hike that is about 2.5 miles. What’s great about this trail is that you start close water as you hike the bank of the Emory River and start your climb up a ridge. Earn a great view of where the Emory and Obed Rivers meet by hiking to the top. If you hike to the end, you’ll be treated to a classic, “End of Trail” sign.
Obed Yin Yang Hike: River Point Trail
Roughly 16 miles from Emory River Gorge Trail is the River Point Trail. This hike provides an incredible view of where Clear Creek feeds into the Obed River. Tough AllTrails tags this hike around 3.6 miles, I hike it closer to 4 miles due to the spurs that lead off the trail. The spurs off the trail lead to better views of the rivers. For example, the photo highlighting this section was taken from a spur.
Another discrepancy with AllTrails lies with the elevation gain. AllTrails tags elevation gain at 698 ft, but I’ve tracked 817 ft. Though that’s a big difference, this trail is an enjoyable hike that provides great natural views that look great during foliage season.
One of the many big positives of this hike are the big birds you’ll encounter. You will see huge turkey vultures, and a variety of wide wing-spanned hawks flying through the ski as you’re on this hike. This is truly a fun hike anyone will enjoy.
What’s Brewing on the Obed Yin Yang
Two nice hikes deserve two solid breweries! Luckily, there are two local craft brewers near both hikes…with one of them right around the Lilly Point corner.
Frog Jump to Lilly Pad Hopyard
After hiking River Point Trail, walk or drive 1.2 miles to the Lilly Pad Hopyard Brewery. The creative term “Hopyard” is an accurate description of this brewery. The establishment has several small buildings located throughout their property including their new Tiki Bar that seres mixed drinks. When it comes to food, stop by The Sauced Frog kitchen to see what’s on the menu.
The variety you find in all the buildings flows threw their beer selection. Lilly Pad Hopyard frequently changes the beers they’re brewing, but they do keep regulars around like their Yoga Pants APA and Viking Rye. This, combined with the different music acts and hosted events guarantees you’ll find something new each time you visit Lilly Pad Hopyard.
March to MoCo Brewing
In the town of Wartburg, you’ll find MoCo Brewing Project. Owned by Veterans Emily and Matt Graber this brewery and coffee house (yes you read right) takes great pride in the drinks they pour. The brewery offers 16 craft beer selections including their Lancing Lager and my favorite the TN 62 IPA. Their craft coffee menu consist of classic coffee pours and espresso variety drinks like the Dirty Emily.
When it comes to extracurricular activities, MoCo will often have food trucks on the weekend along with live music. Last time I stopped there, it was the middle of the week, and they were cool with BYOF (bring your own food).
High Points of Obed Yin Yang
These four stops on this leg of the tour have distinct personalities that mesh extremely well. The trails and the breweries allow a trip to the Obed to be a unique experience that is unmatched in Tennessee. Each location plays off the other’s positve attributes which yields a fun-filled day trip.
Different Styles = Great Results
The variety of the trails are matched with the clashing of styles between the breweries. Yes, both trails offer great views of the Obed merging with other streams, but that’s the only thing they have in common. One trail provides water access while the other higher trail allows hikers the opportunity to see more of the natural gorge and birds.
Both breweries offer fantastic beers on tap, but they’re worlds apart when it comes to atmosphere. Lilly Pad provides an outdoor oasis that merges island and Appalachian themes while MoCo’s inviting building welcomes hikers and professionals working in downtown Wartburg.
It’s not that one is better than the other – all options have their own unique positives.
Check Your Timing
Before wrapping up, it’s important to note the hours of operations for these breweries. The hours of business sync up with the breweries’ personalities. MoCo is pretty consistent with morning and evening hours, whereas Lilly Pad is only open Thursday – Sunday with a variety of hours. As of this writing, here is what each place has for business hours:
Lilly Pad Hopyard
- Thursday 4-8
- Friday 2-9
- Saturday 12-9
- Sunday 12-6
MoCo
- Mon. & Tues. 7:30am – 1pm
- Wed. & Thur. 7:30am – 1pm, 4pm – 9pm
- Friday 7:30am – 10pm
- Sat. 8am – 10 pm
- Sun. 1-6
So plan accordingly when taking the trek to Wartburg for the Obed Yin Yang!
Hit the Trails with Salomon Xa Pro 3D
An all-weather, waterproof trail shoe equipped with Gore-Tex and offers an incredible fit.
I’ve wore these on the AT, Cumberland Trail and spots in Iceland.
I highly recommend these waterproof bad boys!