Norco, CA - Pumpkin Rock, The Powerhouse, and a Very Patriotic Brewery

Pumpkin Rock

A giant rock, in the hillside of Norco, painted like a glorious grinning pumpkin. Who painted it? I don't know. When did it appear? I don't know. But it's a year round taste of Halloween in my backyard and that's all I need to know.

Pumpkin Rock trail was a favorite of mine when training for Half Dome. It's short, but steep, and will give you a decent workout. It's a fun hike to do at dusk, especially in the summer. From the rock, you can enjoy a cool evening breeze, take in the valley views and watch the sunset.

There are two ways to do this trail; you can park at nearby Pike's Peak Park and follow the trail past the equestrian center for the full 1.7 mile loop, or park on Vandermolen Dr. for the short route. Either way, the trail isn't hard to find, just keep walking toward the giant pumpkin.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

For this visit, I did the short route, and brought my dog along too. My pup loved this trail, but I kept a close eye on her. Although I haven't yet come across snakes on this trail, they are in the area, so I tried to keep her from sticking her nose in bushes and holes. Which was difficult, since that's all she wants to do.

She managed to have fun anyway

I started this hike at 5pm, and finished in about 45 minutes, mostly because I was stopping to take pictures. There is absolutely no shade, so bring sunscreen and plenty of water. I definitely would not recommend starting this trail midday, you will roast. Plus, the lighting is better for pumpkin pictures at sunset!

The Great Pumpkin agrees

View of smoggy SoCal from the top

The Powerhouse

I first heard about the powerhouse years ago, when I joined a group of friends on a night hike trying to find the spooky abandoned powerhouse. We spent a lot of time fumbling in the dark, found nothing, and left doubting it's existence. It was only last year I discovered that not only does it exist, it is incredibly easy to find!

To get there, you will need to park in the residential area near Viceroy Avenue and North Drive. In between the residential homes and the nursery you'll see a dirt road, that's where the trail starts. Follow the trail for just under half a mile. The trail will break off at certain sections, but don't take any turns. Just keep going straight, and you'll get to the powerhouse.

The start of the trail

If you find rocks with graffiti, you're going the right way

Norco is officially known as Horsetown USA (seriously, the sign says so when you drive in), and you will likely see plenty of horse riders along this trail. Which means the trail also has some surprises left behind by the horses, so be careful not to step in them! Like pumpkin rock, this trail has no shade, so bring sunscreen and water. Luckily, the trail is just under a mile round trip, so it is fairly easy.

 View from the front

 Inside the powerhouse

Is that supposed to be a zombie head?

And there you have it, two fairly simple but awesome and rewarding trails!

As for the brewery...

Sons of Liberty Aleworks

Southern California has a lot to offer in way of breweries. My own hometown has several breweries, one only a few blocks away from me. It's easy to get lost among the newest, trendiest breweries constantly popping up in the area, but Sons of Liberty is different. Instead of a trivia night, they host a history lesson on Monday nights. Instead of naming their beers after a current pop cultural reference, they name each beer after a significant person from America's history, and have a handbook that tells you each person's story. And to top it off, their beer is pretty darn good. They've been around since 2012 and picked up some recognition along the way, including being voted the Inland Empire's #1 Microbrewery in 2017.

They also have the coolest beer tap handles I've ever seen

I came in on a Saturday afternoon, tired and sweaty from the hike to the Powerhouse, but no one was turned off by my sweat. Norco is known to have a small town feel you don't find easily in Southern California. People talk to their neighbors, they'll stop to say hello on the trail, I've even had people I do not know wave hello from their yards as I drive past, using Norco as a detour to avoid the freeway getting home. And it is the same inside the brewery, the staff and regulars warm up to you pretty quickly. They asked where I was from, if I had stopped in before, etc. One of the regulars brought us some pretzels and mustard, just because.

We ordered a flight of 10 tasters, to try every beer they currently had on tap. The first 6 came out on a lazy Susan, that I am told was handmade by one of the owners, and I want to know if I can get one for my house! It's pretty nifty.

First round of tasters

I was most eager to try the Betsy Ross, their strawberry hefeweizen. It's tasty enough on it's own, but the owner suggested I try it as a shandy, and gave me a sample mixed with strawberry lemonade. I had never had a shandy, and it was delicious! I came back a few weeks later just for a growler of the Betsy Ross to enjoy during a camping trip. My friend and I both particularly enjoyed the Nathan Hale, a golden stout, and the Henry Knox, a vanilla oatmeal stout. We were also lucky to be able to try their Mayan Chocolate Stout, which I believe is a seasonal beer. Hopefully that one makes a comeback, because it was one of my favorites. When the flight was done, we got seconds of the Nathan Hale.

If you do stop by, I recommend sitting at the bar, you'll make friends with the staff and patrons before you leave. We got to talk to the owner for a while, about the beer, American history, and my friend even got to indulge in a discussion of political philosophy with him. The patriotism behind the brewery is far more than just a theme, everything from the decor to the carefully chosen beer names is an honor to America's heritage, and the beliefs that founded the nation. And even if American history isn't your passion, you should still stop by for a Monday night history lesson, which covers various topics from world history. You can find out the planned topic for the week on their Facebook page.

You'll find this flag in the brewery, and in several local's front lawns

Have you been to any of these hidden treasures in Norco? Let me know in the comments!