Raven Rocks Hike & Twin Oaks Tavern Winery with Your Pup
It’s no secret that we love visiting Virginia wineries. But wine and cheese taste even better when we’ve earned it. What better way to earn that tasting then to get outside for a hike? Not only do we get a workout on an off day, Rummy gets to burn off energy before we hit the winery. Read about our afternoon of dog-friendly hiking and wine tasting in Northern Virginia.
On this day we planned our outing in Bluemont, VA, roughly 60 miles west of Alexandria/DC. Raven Rocks trailhead and Twin Oaks Tavern Winery are right off of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7). We don’t always limit our options to those on main roads, but when we’re short on time and already driving an hour to 90 minutes, it’s nice to find places on the route. And the trailhead and winery are less than a mile from each other, so this combo was a no-brainer.
Raven Rocks Hike
Raven Rocks is a 5.8 mile out and back hike with a vertical gain of 1,530ft. It is very rocky, and the technical parts can be difficult. But it’s a really great one–nice scenery, some switchbacks, good workout without feeling completely smoked the entire time and a ridiculous view at the top.
We’ve done this hike twice and saw a handful of dogs both times–dogs of all sizes, not just large ones that one might expect to see on a trail like this. Rummy did really great, even on the technical parts. There was one part that we carried her–lots of rocks, some unsteady, with a largeish tree trunk lying across them. It was mildly difficult for a human to step over, but could be dangerous for dogs as they have to jump over it and hope they safely land on one of the steady rocks on the other side. We didn’t want to risk it and Rummy didn’t mind the assist.
Aside from this one part, she seemed to really enjoy the challenge. And of course, she absolutely loved exploring the different aspects of the trail- a few streams, rocks, different views from the various switchbacks. We didn’t make it all the way to the top this day as we were short on time. We went an hour and 15 minutes out then turned back for a total of ~2.5 hours. I want to say the last time we went it took around two hours (maybe more?) to make it to the top. So if you want to reach the top (and it’s worth it), plan for an afternoon. But you can still get a good hike even if you don’t.
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery
Then it was on to Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, which is less than a mile from the trailhead. They allow dogs in the tasting room where there are roughly two dozen tables for four, so there is good amount of room when summer crowds hit. There is additional seating on the nicely-sized patio and lawn. And the view. Wow.
The staff was really excited to see Rummy and made us feel more than comfortable having her there with us. Another dog came in after our tasting (a rescue, one of the most beautiful german shepherds I’ve ever seen), so it’s clear that this is a dog-friendly place. It was pretty chilly out so we chose a table inside by the window which looked out over the patio, to the vines and the beautiful Bluemont landscape beyond.
They offer a small menu including pulled pork sandwiches, chili and a few other similar items. This was a very pleasant surprise as we worked up quite an appetite on the hike and the typical charcuterie board wasn’t going to cut it. They also had bowls of popcorn available if you just wanted to snack. So this really is a great stop after a hike.
They brought a bowl of water over for Rummy as soon as we were seated and she completely racked out. Just smoked after the hike. She was happy to nap and we were happy to enjoy some Virginia wine with a view. There was also some nice live music–a woman playing guitar and singing who looked suspiciously like the woman in the news articles displayed on the wall. Could the owner really be a musician as well? Impressive. We spent a few minutes reading about Donna Evers- Realtor and brokerage owner, winery owner and apparently a musician. Hopefully we get a chance to meet her on our next visit.
5 Pups
We give Twin Oaks Tavern Winery 5 Pups for allowing dogs in the tasting room, abundance of indoor seating, water bowls at the ready and a generally welcoming attitude to dogs. Bonus for people is that they have food and are close to Raven Rocks. We look forward to returning!
If you’re looking for a good mix of hiking and wine tasting, we highly recommend Bluemont! For more adventures, check out our Reviews page.