Wineries and Breweries Near Cook Forest PA
After a long day on the trails, in the river, or up the fire tower, there is nothing quite like ending it with a glass of dry red on a wooded patio or a flight of local IPAs by a food truck. We have been welcoming guests to Hemlock Haven, our little corner of the Pennsylvania Wilds, for eight years now, and one of the questions we hear most often is simple: where do we go for a drink?
The answer is longer than most people expect. The wineries and breweries near Cook Forest PA are not a big-city bar crawl. They are family-run tasting rooms tucked back on gravel roads, brewpubs in historic downtown storefronts, and cabin-country wine shops right on the Clarion River. This is our honest, local guide to the ones we send guests to, with real hours, real signature pours, and a weekend plan you can actually follow.
Right Inside Cook Forest
If you would rather not drive at all, you do not have to. There are wine and craft-beer stops within a few minutes of the state park entrance, most of them stacked together at the same little riverside complex.
Clarion River Brewing Company (Cook Forest Taproom)
Steps from Cook Forest Wines, at the same MacBeth’s Cabins complex, Clarion River Brewing keeps a small satellite taproom with eight rotating house taps and beer to go. If you are staying in a treehouse or cabin nearby, this is the easiest way to bring a growler back for the fire pit. The main brewpub is in downtown Clarion, but the Cook Forest tap setup means you can drink their beer without ever leaving the woods.
- Rating: 4.4 stars (516 reviews at the downtown flagship)
- Cook Forest taproom: shares the 15361 PA-36, Cooksburg, PA 16217 address
- Look for: craft beers named after moments in Clarion County history
- Grab-and-go: crowlers, growlers, and cans for the cabin
- Taproom hours are seasonal, check their social channels
A Short Drive: Shippenville and Leeper
These next three are our absolute favorites for a slow afternoon or a dinner-plus-drinks pairing. All of them are roughly 20 to 30 minutes from the park, mostly a straight shot down PA-66.
Lost In The Wilds Brewing (Shippenville)
If we could send guests to one brewery in the region, it would be this one. Lost In The Wilds is a family-run craft brewery about 15 miles south of the Forest Cathedral trailhead, roughly a 23-minute drive. The taproom is beautiful, the outdoor area is huge, dogs are welcome outside, and food trucks show up most weekends.
- Rating: 4.9 stars (193 reviews)
- Address: 21964 PA-66, Shippenville, PA 16254
- Phone: (814) 227-8976
- Hours: Thursday 4 to 9 PM, Friday and Saturday 12 to 10 PM, Sunday 12 to 6 PM, closed Monday to Wednesday
- Signature pours: Bear Fox NEIPA, Cran Cherry Sour, Oatmeal Stout, Hot Cocoa Stout
- Also on tap: PA wines, spirits, ciders, and craft cocktails
- Bring your own food, or arrive when the food truck is parked
Deer Creek Winery at Brooks Estate (Shippenville)
Deer Creek at Brooks Estate is a full property. Winery, café, bed and breakfast, and event center on rolling countryside land. Free tastings, a proper food menu, and free live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights (plus Sundays in summer) make this a “stay all afternoon” kind of stop. Couples staying with us for a romantic weekend almost always add this to the plan.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (278 reviews)
- Address: 3333 Soap Fat Rd, Shippenville, PA 16254
- Phone: (814) 354-7392
- Look for: a full slate of wines dry to sweet, wine slushies, spritzers, and wine cocktails
- Also on offer: café menu with pairings, plus local PA beers
- Live music: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in summer
The Clarion Brewpub Scene
Downtown Clarion is about 45 to 50 minutes from most of the park’s trailheads, and it is the closest thing to a “brewery night out” you will find near Cook Forest. Two spots make the trip worth it.
Mechanistic Brewing Co. (Downtown Clarion)
If Clarion River Brewing is the brewpub, Mechanistic is the nanobrewery lab a few blocks over. Small-batch, chemistry-forward, and open only Friday and Saturday nights, this is the spot to try things you cannot get anywhere else. Beer, wine, and cocktails all rotate.
- Rating: 4.9 stars (72 reviews)
- Address: 538 Liberty St, Clarion, PA 16214
- Hours: Friday and Saturday, 5 to 9 PM only
- Look for: experimental small-batch beers, dry PA wines by the glass, and a rotating food truck out front
- Best for: adults-only date night, no kids
Worth the Extra 40 Minutes: PA Wilds Day Trips
If you have two full days with us, one afternoon should be spent on a proper PA Wilds pour tour. These four spots are outside the immediate Cook Forest radius but sit on scenic routes and pair well with a stop for lunch and a drive through Allegheny National Forest.
Foxburg Wine Cellars (Foxburg)
South of Cook Forest along the Allegheny River, Foxburg is one of the prettier drives you will do. The winery itself sits in a tiny river-town of about 200 people and offers around 30 varieties, free tastings and tours, a large gift shop, and a big outdoor patio overlooking the water.
- Rating: 4.6 stars (114 reviews)
- Address: 65 Main St, Foxburg, PA 16036
- Phone: (724) 659-0021
- Hours: daily, generally 11 AM to 7 PM (until 8 PM Friday and Saturday)
- Look for: 30-plus varieties, free tastings and tours, and river-view patio dining
The Winery at Wilcox (Wilcox)
North of Cook Forest in Elk County, The Winery at Wilcox is a well-known stop on regional wine tours. It is bigger and more polished than most of the local wineries and hosts events like the “Rhythm and Brews” pairing series.
- Rating: 4.6 stars (85 reviews)
- Address: 202 Marvin St, Wilcox, PA 15870
- Phone: (814) 929-5598
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 6 PM, Friday 10 AM to 8 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM
- Look for: a broad wine list, live music events, and blood-orange seltzers alongside dry reds
Practical Tips From Us
A few things we tell every guest before they head out for the day.
- Always call ahead. Small-town Pennsylvania hours change with the season. What is on Google may not be true this week.
- Bring cash and a cooler. Some of the smaller wineries and taprooms are cash-only for tastings, and you will want a cooler for bottles and growlers on the drive home.
- Choose a designated driver. These are country roads with narrow shoulders and no shortage of deer. Do not risk it.
- Plan around trivia and live music nights. Deer Creek, Red Bandana, and Lost In The Wilds all run weekend entertainment schedules. Check their social feeds the week of your stay.
- Dogs are welcome outside at Lost In The Wilds and a few of the winery patios. Always confirm at the door.
Come Toast the Forest With Us
The best part of a Cook Forest pour tour is not the flights or the tastings. It is the drive home in the late-afternoon light, the growler on the deck, and the quiet of the woods after the taproom noise. If you want to build a weekend around the wineries and breweries near Cook Forest PA, check availability at Hemlock Haven Retreats, pick your cabin or treehouse, and let us handle the rest. We will make sure you know exactly where to go, when to leave, and which glass to pour first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any wineries actually inside Cook Forest State Park?
Yes. Cook Forest Wines operates inside the MacBeth’s Cabins and Country Store complex at 15361 PA-36, Cooksburg, right on the Clarion River. It carries wines from Laurel Mountain Winery, including the popular Clarion River Red, and shares the property with a Clarion River Brewing satellite taproom.
What is the best brewery near Cook Forest for a Saturday afternoon?
Lost In The Wilds Brewing in Shippenville is the top pick for most visitors. It is a 20 to 25 minute drive from the park, has a big outdoor area, welcomes dogs outside, hosts food trucks, and its beer list ranges from a Bear Fox NEIPA to seasonal stouts and sours.
Can you do a winery tour from Cook Forest in one day?
Yes. A solid single-day plan is Cook Forest Wines in Cooksburg, then Red Bandana Winery in Leeper, then Deer Creek Winery at Brooks Estate in Shippenville, ending with dinner and a beer at Lost In The Wilds. Total driving time is under 90 minutes.
Are these wineries and breweries dog-friendly?
Lost In The Wilds Brewing allows dogs in its outdoor area. Several of the winery patios are dog-friendly as well, especially Red Bandana and Deer Creek’s outdoor spaces. Always confirm at the door before bringing a pet inside.
How far is Clarion from Cook Forest for a brewery night out?
Downtown Clarion is roughly 30 miles and about 45 to 50 minutes from most of the park’s trailheads. Both Clarion River Brewing Company and Mechanistic Brewing Co. are on or near Main Street in Clarion.
Do these places offer non-alcoholic options for designated drivers?
Yes. Most of the wineries pour non-alcoholic spritzers, mocktails, and sodas, and Lost In The Wilds and Deer Creek both have full non-alcoholic menus. Always ask, especially if you are traveling with kids or a designated driver.
