Here in Hatfield-McCoy Country we enjoy meeting with our visitors from across the USA, not to mention the rest of the world. Often our visitors have questions about the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, and almost without fail, the question that people in the area often here from our guests is "what is coming next at the trails?" and "when will the trails be connected up?"
From the beginning the plan has been that in time, all of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail Systems would be connected together. However it's taken a decade to get the trails situated into most of the original eight counties that signed on with the trail system back in the late 1990s.
Well, HMT Deputy Director John Fekete has big news for riders of Logan's two trail systems, Bear Wallow and Rockhouse. One is located near the town of Logan and the other near the town of Man, but soon the two trailheads may be connected. The connector plan also features the town of Gilbert being added to the Bearwallow-Rockhouse connector as well. When this important feature is done it will open up the towns of Man, Gilbert and Logan to riders staying in one town who wish to experience another. And let me tell you people; Man, Logan and Gilbert are great places full of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and feature some of the tastiest restaurants in the southern WV.
"Yes, we are looking at a connector between Bear Wallow and Rockhouse," Fekete said, "The proposal should be good news for local outfitters and those in the hotel, motel and lodging business, as it would allow folks to get from one end of the county to the other by one trailhead or the other, keeping them in either town longer."
Fekete is also working with Logan County officials on the Fountain Place Mall trail connector project, and at this point he says it's a matter of getting approval from property owners to move forward.
In other Connector and Expansion News:
Hatfield-McCoy has been working with land companies to complete the Twin Falls State Park connector. Trail agreements have been put together for a proposed trail system in Lincoln County in the Harts area, which will require about 20 mapping agreements to be signed with property owners. The project has been problematic due to the large number of small landowners in that area. Most of the time Hatfield-McCoy tries to deal with large land companies to keep the legal paperwork at a minimum.
The Lincoln County Commission will get the agreements turned over to them when they are finished. Legal issues and paperwork can often take longer to iron out than the actual physical construction of a new trail system. The Bluestone Coal Company signed its first agreement in eight years for a connector project involving the Indian Ridge and Pinnacle Creek trail systems and recently the new connector came online to the delight of many riders, as it nearly doubled the amount of area to ride in that region.
Prior to these exciting new developments, Hatfield-McCoy's trail crews have been busy with a water line project for Buffalo Mountain. More trails are scheduled to be added to Buffalo Mountain and expansion agreements for the town of Matewan have also been signed. More miles of trails will come with other expansions as Hatfield-McCoy has been working with landowners on mapping agreements in the Boone County area for a new Boone County/Town of Madison trail and mapping has been done for the Mercer County trail system. More single track trails were scheduled for Pinnacle Creek as well as more ATV trails this year.
Also, three trailheads (Pinnacle Creek-Indian Ridge and Montcalm) should be connected when the trailhead in Montcalm (Mercer County) is done. But development won't stop with the original eight counties or connectors! A proposed trail system for the town of War is also being mapped and Hatfield-McCoy has been will looking at developing a trail system for the Camp Creek area in Wyoming County.
From the beginning the plan has been that in time, all of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail Systems would be connected together. However it's taken a decade to get the trails situated into most of the original eight counties that signed on with the trail system back in the late 1990s.
Well, HMT Deputy Director John Fekete has big news for riders of Logan's two trail systems, Bear Wallow and Rockhouse. One is located near the town of Logan and the other near the town of Man, but soon the two trailheads may be connected. The connector plan also features the town of Gilbert being added to the Bearwallow-Rockhouse connector as well. When this important feature is done it will open up the towns of Man, Gilbert and Logan to riders staying in one town who wish to experience another. And let me tell you people; Man, Logan and Gilbert are great places full of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and feature some of the tastiest restaurants in the southern WV.
"Yes, we are looking at a connector between Bear Wallow and Rockhouse," Fekete said, "The proposal should be good news for local outfitters and those in the hotel, motel and lodging business, as it would allow folks to get from one end of the county to the other by one trailhead or the other, keeping them in either town longer."
Fekete is also working with Logan County officials on the Fountain Place Mall trail connector project, and at this point he says it's a matter of getting approval from property owners to move forward.
In other Connector and Expansion News:
Hatfield-McCoy has been working with land companies to complete the Twin Falls State Park connector. Trail agreements have been put together for a proposed trail system in Lincoln County in the Harts area, which will require about 20 mapping agreements to be signed with property owners. The project has been problematic due to the large number of small landowners in that area. Most of the time Hatfield-McCoy tries to deal with large land companies to keep the legal paperwork at a minimum.
The Lincoln County Commission will get the agreements turned over to them when they are finished. Legal issues and paperwork can often take longer to iron out than the actual physical construction of a new trail system. The Bluestone Coal Company signed its first agreement in eight years for a connector project involving the Indian Ridge and Pinnacle Creek trail systems and recently the new connector came online to the delight of many riders, as it nearly doubled the amount of area to ride in that region.
Prior to these exciting new developments, Hatfield-McCoy's trail crews have been busy with a water line project for Buffalo Mountain. More trails are scheduled to be added to Buffalo Mountain and expansion agreements for the town of Matewan have also been signed. More miles of trails will come with other expansions as Hatfield-McCoy has been working with landowners on mapping agreements in the Boone County area for a new Boone County/Town of Madison trail and mapping has been done for the Mercer County trail system. More single track trails were scheduled for Pinnacle Creek as well as more ATV trails this year.
Also, three trailheads (Pinnacle Creek-Indian Ridge and Montcalm) should be connected when the trailhead in Montcalm (Mercer County) is done. But development won't stop with the original eight counties or connectors! A proposed trail system for the town of War is also being mapped and Hatfield-McCoy has been will looking at developing a trail system for the Camp Creek area in Wyoming County.
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5 comments:
hatfield and mccoy trails suck. you need to leave here and find another place to destroy. no one should have to pay to ride around in the woods. your not doing nothing but ruining riding for everybody. get out of our state!!
I find this comment crazy. The economic benefit to the area alone is well worth it.
im from wv and love the trails! myself and my friends cant wait for more trails ! who ever posted the first comment was one of the very few people who dont enjoy riding
screw HMT.you ahve taken land that i have hunted for years twice now.i hope how soon the bottom falls out of it!
What a shame you feel that way. This project is so much bigger then you and where you hunt. The money coming into our state is huge. Try thinkig of others before yourself. This program is putting so many people back to work and their are many more jobs to come. I think thats a little more important right now then going hunting.
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