ATV Trail Finds its Way to McDowell: Construction Officially Begins on Hatfield-McCoy Project

Construction is officially underway on a 70-mile segment of the Hatfield-McCoy Recreational Trail in McDowell County , officials said Friday.

“We are excited,” Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority Director Jeff Lusk said. “This has been long overdue for McDowell County . I'm just proud we are at this point. We are looking at a soft opening date sometime in the spring – probably in February or March.”

An official opening ceremony will be held in the spring. However, all-terrain vehicle riders would be allowed to utilize the trail following the soft opening.

Lusk said officials are still negotiating with several land owners on the last 30 miles of the trail system that would connect it with the existing Pinnacle Creek trail system in Wyoming County . The 70 miles of the trail system now under construction in McDowell County , including the Ashland , Cherokee, and Crumpler areas, bringing the trail system close to the Mercer County line.

Lusk said the trail network will bring thousands of off-road vehicle enthusiasts to McDowell County when it opens next spring.

“You will see thousands of riders every year come in and utilize the trail system,” Lusk said. “They stay an average of three days with average spending of over $300. They need lodging, they buy food, and they buy their gasoline. They are good visitors to have.”

The existing 400 miles of the trail already is attracting thousands of visitors annually to Wyoming , Mingo, Logan , and Boone counties.

Lusk said crews are working just about every day to build the McDowell County segment.

“We have two crews over there off and on and two dozers,” Lusk said. “They practically work everyday. What we are doing right now is we are pushing through with dozers the connector roads. We have a certain amount of connector roads. They system is a series of loops, and we have to connect those loops.”

Lusk said officials also hope to connect with the town of Northfork if additional land user agreements can be signed.

“We've got enough license agreements in place to build, and we are trying to get some additional ones that would potentially allow us to connect with the town of Northfork ,” he said. “If we can connect into Pinnacle Creek that will be the largest single trail system we have.”

Lusk said the McDowell County trail segment was about 25 percent complete as of Friday.

The trail, which aims to connect coal mining access roads and gas roads, is a professionally designed, regulated and guarded trail system for off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. The authority also hopes to pursue trails for bikers, hikers, and horseback riders in the future.

The trail system will ultimately extend into Mercer County.

--Charles Owens (Bluefield Telegraph)