The Sampler
The Sampler
Trail’ s End and the Panhead Saloon
The season has made me restless, turned me into a wanderer casting about for those out-of-the-way, sometimes little known and less understood beaneries and bistros which lie outside the confines of the Peaceful Valley.
I’ m on a summer tour of eating establishments in the outlying portions and parts of Brown County. I gathered up my loved one and headed off down toward the southern end of the county, down into Van Buren Township, somewhere between Stone Head and Story, to the aptly named“ Trail’ s End” restaurant and bar.
It isn’ t really for the fussy— about half ranch-style cowboy bar and about half regular tourist restaurant by the side of the road. It is the kind of place where the signage reminds gentlemen to remove the horse dung from their footwear before entering.
That’ s because the Trail’ s End is a southern terminus of several woodland trails emanating from the world-renowned Brown County State Park and its wonderful horsemen’ s camp facility and horse trail system.
Out back, on the forest side of the ample gravel parking lot, there are a series of hitching posts— places where you park your horse.
The front of Trail’ s End has a couple of nice covered porches with tables for casual outdoor dining
26 Our Brown County • July / August 2014
and scenic views. We arrived on a balmy afternoon and lounged around there while we waited on friends.
We split the soup of the day, a creamy and delectable cream of broccoli. I tried the old-fashioned wilted salad, with spinach, greens, and a dressing that looked like breakfast— little bits of bacon and egg and what have you.
Another group of folks for whom the Trail’ s End is a welcome respite from the saddle is the numerous motorcycle enthusiasts who flock to the scenic beauty of Brown County at the first sign of fine weather.
It’ s the kind of place where a pack of roaring motorcycles is not only tolerated, but sometimes openly cheered from the veranda.
Inside is“ The Panhead Saloon”, a classic bar room complete with pool table, which adjoins the main dining area. Their logo is a drawing of a horse riding a motorcycle.
In the back, off the bar, is a big roofed-in porch area where we actually ate our dinner while we listened to a couple of Brown County’ s finest musicians ply their trade.
The mainstay at Trail’ s End is an impressive battery of sandwiches, listed up on the white board inside: burgers, Coney dogs, chicken salad, pulled pork BBQ, a good-looking grilled tenderloin, and several others. No fries— chips.
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