HATFIELD-McCOY TRAILFEST

Hundreds of OHVers gather for annual fall festival

Attack of the Giant Kudzu! The pesky alien plants actually make for a fine photo opportunity at the start of the Rockhouse Trail system in Gilbert.

Most of the lodging near the trails catered specifically towards groups of riders. These cabins on top of a ridge were right off the trailhead for the Rockhouse Trails. Other favorite ATV inns were the Depot Lodge and the Rockhouse in the town of Man.

Hatfield-McCoy Trails run the gamut from Easy to Difficult and are well-marked with a color coding that is the same as that found at snow skiing areas.

These three Confederate soldiers signaled the start of the big ATV parade with a blast from their cannon.

The winner of the ATV Costume Contest was this wild dragon that streaked through downtown during the parade. The dragon was made up of a half-dozen or so quads that ran in a slithering whip-like motion. How they all could see and keep from tearing the dragon apart remains a mystery.

      Many people call West Virginia “Almost Heaven”. OHV riders like to refer to the many extensive trail routes that make up the Hatfield-McCoy system in the southern part of the state, “Trails Heaven”. Nationally recognized as one of the most scenic, challenging and well organized ride areas in the eastern half of the country, Hatfield-McCoy Trails hosts several big ATV and dirt bike riding events every year. The fall event is called TrailFest and typically features cool, crisp riding weather on the more than 500 miles of trails (with more on the way) that twist through the deep, wooded valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.

                                             AWESOME RIDING
       After a dry late summer, dust was not a problem this year as rain showers were frequent on the Friday and Saturday of the event, with Sunday turning out to be dry. For the 580 registered riders (another 1500 bought general trail passes for the weekend!) who were prepared for the muddy conditions, the riding was awesome, making the black runs even more difficult for the riders.
       Other than having access to all five of the major trailheads that make up the Hatfield-McCoy, TrailFest participants got to enjoy a Chili Cook Off, Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest, Scavenger Hunt, Poker and Dice Runs, Prize Raffles, a mud pit play area, and the Fall Festival (arts and crafts) at the Larry Joe Harless Community Center which served as event HQ in the town of Gilbert. Two dinners and breakfast each morning were also served up to all the riders at the Community Center.

                                           HUGE OHV PARADE
      The highlight of the event had to be the big parade through town on Saturday night. Though the 336 ATVs (plus another 50 dirt bikes and other vehicles) wasn’t a national record, the stream of OHVs never seemed to end! Many of them were extravagantly decorated for Halloween.

                  ADVENTURE TRAIL POSTER SERIES ON DISPLAY
      TrailFest also marked the debut of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council’s (NOHVCC) Adventure Trail poster program for West Virginia riders, which was on display at sign-up. "We had our big panel display set up at the line for rider registration in the days leading up to and during the event," reports NOHVCC Communications Director Steve Casper. "Once folks had a good look at the ten primary messages in the Adventure Trail, they had a chance to find out more about NOHVCC at our mini-booth that was set up in the registration room. I think everyone in attendance understood the importance of following the Adventure Trail's safety and ethics messages when riding at such a great venue as Hatfield-McCoy," says Casper. "In fact, many of the folks who participated in the ride traveled quite a distance to get there and were lamenting the fact that there wasn't a similar type of ride area closer to their homes. Hopefully, some of them will be inspired to get more involved in helping to open new ride areas in their part of the state by utilizing the the tools that the NOHVCC offers."

      Hatfield-McCoy Marketing Director Mike Pinkerton is also the West Virginia NOHVCC Representative and was a big help in getting the Adventure Trail program up and running at TrailFest.
      For more information on next year’s TrailFest as well as other riding events in the spring and fall, contact Hatfield-McCoy Trails at 800-592-2217 or on the web at www.TrailsHeaven.com

Back