By Jamie Null
The Mountain State’s towering mountains, steep valleys and panoramic vistas are a major draw for both locals and out-of-state visitors who want to experience the wonders of Almost Heaven. Adventure seekers can find trails and scenic overlooks at every turn. For a unique taste of wild and wonderful, though, step off the beaten path and make your West Virginia experience unlike any other.
ATV Rides on the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System
With more than 700 miles of trails, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System is one of the largest ATV systems in the world. The trails are open 365 days a year and offer experiences for every skill level. ATV riders from all over the country come to experience the twists and turns of the West Virginia mountains every year. With seven trails, riders can ride through Southern West Virginia’s small communities, where they will find lodging at luxury cabins, fuel for their machines and mouth-watering meals at local hot spots. ATVs are available to rent for a day out on the trails—all you have to bring is a change of clothes and an attitude for adventure.
For many, the opportunity to explore coal history, small towns and Mother Nature up close and personal is what makes this experience memorable. “The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System has some of the most scenic and adventurous ATV trails in the country,” says Executive Director Jeffrey Lusk. “Riders from novice to expert can always find an adventure on the trails, from residents who ride nearly every weekend to visitors who only get to experience the trails a couple times a year.”
The trail system runs through Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne and Wyoming counties. Permits are $26.50 for residents and $50 for out-of-state guests. For more information, visit www.trailsheaven.com.
Hiking the American Discovery Trail
From Delaware to California, this 6,800-plus-mile adventure is a continuous multi-use trail that stretches across America. The trail is the first coast-to-coast trail that connects cities, small towns, forests, mountains and the desert, and West Virginia’s portion of the trail covers 288.6 miles in the northern part of the state. Often called the amazement park of the trail, West Virginia offers scenic vistas, waterfalls, white water, kayaking, canoeing, Civil War tunnels, cliffs, caves and more. The trail in West Virginia is broken up into four segments: Maryland state line to Streby, 59 miles; Streby to Nestorville, 69.7 miles; Nestorville to Wilsonburg, 84 miles; and Wilsonburg to Ohio state line, 75 miles.
Sharon Weekley, West Virginia’s state coordinator for the trail, says the trail connects people and places. The scenery also changes, providing glimpses of some of West Virginia’s finest wildlife such as bear, whitetail, chipmunks and wild turkeys.
“Crossing 10 counties in West Virginia, the American Discovery Trail is part pathways, part country roads, part towns and part city sidewalks, all connected to form one trail linking people and places,” says Weekley. “There is diversity in the scenery, the people you meet and the flora and fauna, so the trail is a microcosm of Almost Heaven West Virginia.”
For more information on the trail, visit www.discoverytrail.org.
Horseback Riding with Yokum’s Seneca Rocks Stables
Yokum’s Seneca Rocks Stables proves there is more than one way to get to the top of Seneca Rocks.
Yokum’s trail guides lead families on a horseback ride to the top of the rock formation, which is 1,000 feet high. Open April-November, rides are one and a half hours and include 15 minutes of rest time at the top to enjoy the view. The stables are home to more than 20 horses, and guests are paired up for the ride. A short video is available online to help get riders acquainted with the trip.
The ride allows those who aren’t physically able to hike up the mountain the chance to get the view of a lifetime. No experience is necessary. In fact, 90 percent of trail riders are beginners. The cost is $40 per rider, and children age 6 and up are welcome. Riders are encouraged to take photos along the route and at the top of Seneca Rocks. Rides are offered Thursday Sunday, April-November. Ride times are 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Reservations are suggested.
Yokum’s Stables is located on Route 28 in Pendleton County. For more information, call (304) 567-2466.
Mountain Biking at Mountwood Park
One of the oldest and most beloved trail systems in the state, Mountwood Park is also one of the best single-track mountain biking networks in the Eastern U.S. The trails are open year-round and offer four seasons of riding through scenic and rocky woodlands to historical ruins of the 19th century community of Volcano. The trails are marked with signage, and maps are available at the park administration building, visitors center or online at www.mountwoodpark.org.
“We have a dedicated hiking and biking trail system,” says Wood County Parks Director Jeremy Cross. “You can come and hike and bike and don’t have worry about any other traffic on the trails.”
The park contains more than 50 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, along with campgrounds, a 50-acre lake and picnic areas. The park opened in the early 1980s and is home to one of the most popular mountain bike races in the state, the Challenge at Mountwood. This race is the largest mountain bike race in West Virginia.
Mountwood Park is located at 1014 Volcano Road in Waverly, 10 minutes east of Parkersburg. For more information, call (304) 679-3611.
Paragliding at Canaan Valley Resort State Park
Paragliding is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S, and now it’s available to experienced paragliders at Canaan Valley Resort State Park. Canaan Valley’s launch site is unique in that it is one of only two sites in the Eastern U.S. to be accessible by chairlift. At more than 4,000 feet in elevation, the launch site offers views of the Allegheny Front and Red Creek River. The best flying times are in the afternoon during the summer and fall.
“Paragliding is a very unique sport and takes a lot of discipline,” says Justin Harris, the media director for Canaan Valley Resort State Park. “We see a lot of adventure sport athletes take up the sport as a second discipline.”
To access the launch site, pilots must be a U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association member and pay $7 to ride the chairlift to the top of the mountain. Reservations for paragliding can be made from Memorial Day to the end of October and mid-December to mid-March. For more information, visit www.canaanvalleycabins.com.
