For generations, southern West Virginia’s economy was built on coal. The industry provided jobs, supported families, and shaped entire communities throughout the Appalachian region. But as coal production declined and employment opportunities disappeared, many towns were left searching for new ways to generate economic activity.
One of the state’s most successful answers came from an unlikely source: off-road recreation.
The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System has become one of the most successful examples in the country of how former industrial lands can be repurposed into a thriving outdoor recreation destination. What began as a modest network of trails in 2000 has evolved into a nationally recognized riding destination that attracts visitors from across the United States and pumps millions of dollars into local economies every year.
From Coal Roads to Trail Systems
The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System officially opened in October 2000 with approximately 300 miles of riding routes spread across southern West Virginia.
Many of those original trails weren’t newly constructed. Instead, they utilized existing infrastructure left behind by the region’s historic industries. Former mine roads, logging roads, timber routes, and industrial access roads provided the foundation for what would become one of the largest off-road trail networks in North America.
Rather than allowing these corridors to fall into disrepair, West Virginia found a way to give them a second life.
Today, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System encompasses more than 1,200 miles of trails spread across 13 trail systems, including Bearwallow, Buffalo Mountain, Cabwaylingo, Devil Anse, Indian Ridge, Little Coal River, Mountain View, Outlaw Trails, Pinnacle Creek, Pocahontas, Rockhouse, Warrior, and Braveheart. Together they form one of the largest off-road trail networks in the United States, attracting ATV, UTV, and dirt bike enthusiasts from across the country.
Hatfield-McCoy Trail System
Exploring the 13 Trail Systems
Part of what makes the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System unique is that it isn’t a single trail network. Instead, it consists of 13 distinct trail systems spread across southern West Virginia, each offering its own terrain, scenery, and riding experience.
The original trail systems included Bearwallow, Buffalo Mountain, Pocahontas, Rockhouse, and Little Coal River, which helped establish Hatfield-McCoy as a destination for serious off-road enthusiasts. As the program expanded, additional systems such as Pinnacle Creek, Indian Ridge, Cabwaylingo, Warrior, Devil Anse, Mountain View, and Outlaw Trails brought even more riding opportunities to the network. More recently, the Braveheart Trail System was added to the network, further expanding riding opportunities and showcasing Hatfield-McCoy’s continued growth more than two decades after the first trails opened.
Some trail systems are known for steep climbs, rocky terrain, and challenging technical sections that appeal to experienced riders. Others feature scenic ridge-top routes, wooded mountain trails, abandoned mining corridors, and easier paths suitable for families and recreational riders.
Pocahontas is often regarded as one of the largest and most diverse networks, featuring everything from flowing forest trails to challenging rock sections. Rockhouse is famous for its rugged terrain and dramatic mountain scenery, while Devil Anse offers a mix of trail riding and direct access to ATV-friendly communities. Riders looking for expansive mountain views often gravitate toward Bearwallow and Buffalo Mountain, while Cabwaylingo provides a more remote backcountry experience along the western edge of the system.
Together, the 13 trail systems create more than 1,200 miles of adventure across some of Appalachia’s most historic coal country. Many of the routes still follow the same ridgelines, haul roads, and mining access corridors that once supported the region’s industrial economy, giving visitors a unique opportunity to ride through both the landscape and the history of southern West Virginia.
Off-road enthusiasts come from all over the country to ride the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System
A Destination Built for UTV Adventure
One of the features that sets Hatfield-McCoy apart from many other riding destinations is its scale and accessibility.
A single permit allows riders to access an extensive network of trails that range from beginner-friendly routes to highly technical mountain terrain. Many communities throughout the region have embraced the trail system, becoming ATV and UTV-friendly towns where riders can legally travel from the trails directly to local businesses.
This trail-to-town model has helped create an ecosystem that benefits both visitors and residents. Riders spend money on lodging, food, fuel, repairs, vehicle rentals, accessories, and guided tours while local businesses gain access to a steady stream of tourism revenue.
For many visitors, Hatfield-McCoy has become more than just a weekend riding destination. It’s now a bucket-list experience that draws enthusiasts from across the country.
Hatfield-McCoy Trail System
More Than Trails: TrailsHeaven.com
A major contributor to the success of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System is the extensive planning and visitor resources available through the official Hatfield-McCoy Trails website, TrailsHeaven.com. The site serves as a one-stop resource for riders looking to purchase permits, view trail maps, check trail conditions, find lodging, discover local events, and plan multi-day riding adventures.
The website also highlights ATV-friendly communities, local businesses, outfitters, and tourism opportunities throughout southern West Virginia. For first-time visitors, it provides valuable information that helps transform a simple trail ride into a complete vacation experience.
The Economic Impact of Off-Road Recreation
Investing in the Future
The continued success of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System requires significant investment in trail maintenance, infrastructure, signage, safety improvements, and expansion projects. In October 2025, the Hatfield-McCoy Trails announced its first non-resident permit fee increase in more than 20 years.
Beginning with 2026 permits, the Non-Resident Trail Permit increased from $50 to $65, while the West Virginia Resident Permit remained unchanged at $26.50. According to Hatfield-McCoy Trails officials, the adjustment was necessary to help offset rising maintenance and operating costs while supporting continued growth of the trail network.
“We are proud to have maintained our permit prices for the past twenty years,” said John Fekete, Deputy Executive Director of Hatfield-McCoy Trails. “As we continue to invest in the growth and improvement of our trail system, this modest increase will help us meet the rising costs of maintenance, infrastructure, and expansion.”
Even with the adjustment, the permit remains one of the best values in off-road recreation, providing access to more than 1,200 miles of trails spread across 13 trail systems and nine counties in southern West Virginia. Revenue generated through permit sales helps ensure that former mining and timber roads continue to be maintained as a world-class destination for ATV, UTV, dirt bike, and ORV enthusiasts.
The economic results have been significant.
According to a Marshall University economic study, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System generated more than $68 million in total economic output during 2021. That activity supported approximately 665 full-time-equivalent jobs throughout West Virginia and produced roughly $27 million in labor income.
Non-local visitor spending alone was estimated to provide more than $2.2 million in fiscal benefits to the state.
The growth of the trail system has also been reflected in permit sales. By 2020, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail Authority had sold nearly 65,000 permits, representing a 43 percent increase over a five-year period.
Perhaps even more telling is where those visitors come from. Approximately 85 percent of permit holders travel from outside West Virginia.
That means tourism dollars are flowing into communities that once depended heavily on coal mining and related industries. Visitors who arrive with trailers full of UTVs and ATVs often stay multiple days, filling hotels, cabins, campgrounds, restaurants, convenience stores, and repair shops along the way.
By 2020, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail Authority had sold nearly 65,000 permits, representing a 43 percent increase over a five-year period. Those permit sales not only reflect growing visitation but also provide a key source of funding that helps maintain and expand the trail system.
Devil Anse Trail System links up to two other Hatfield McCoy Trail Systems- Rockhouse and Buffalo Mountain- totaling over 300 miles of trails
A Model for Other States
The success of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System has attracted attention from other regions looking to diversify their economies and create new opportunities through outdoor recreation.
While no trail network can fully replace the economic impact that coal once had on the region, Hatfield-McCoy demonstrates how creative land-use strategies can generate meaningful economic activity while preserving access to vast areas of private and former industrial land.
The project transformed assets that many viewed as liabilities into destinations that attract thousands of visitors each year.
Former mine roads that once served heavy equipment and coal trucks now carry families exploring the mountains in side-by-sides and ATVs. The same terrain that helped build West Virginia’s industrial economy is now helping support a growing recreation economy.
Hatfield Cemetary
More Than Riding: Exploring Hatfield-McCoy History
While the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System is best known for its world-class ATV and UTV riding, the region also offers a fascinating glimpse into one of America’s most famous family feuds. The Hatfield-McCoy feud took place along the Tug Fork River Valley between the Hatfield family of West Virginia and the McCoy family of Kentucky from the 1860s through the early 1890s. What began as a series of disputes eventually escalated into a violent conflict that captured national attention and became part of American folklore.
Today, visitors can explore many of the locations connected to the feud, including historic home sites, cemeteries, monuments, museums, and interpretive stops throughout southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. Several self-guided driving tours lead visitors to important locations such as the Hatfield Cemetery near Sarah Ann, West Virginia, where Devil Anse Hatfield is buried, as well as McCoy family sites and other landmarks associated with the conflict.
Paw Paw Tree Incident
For history buffs, a Hatfield-McCoy riding trip can easily become much more than an off-road adventure. Many riders spend an extra day exploring feud-related attractions, visiting historic cemeteries, and learning about the real events that inspired one of the most legendary stories in Appalachian history. The same mountains, hollows, and river valleys that once served as the backdrop for the feud now provide a unique opportunity to experience both the region’s history and its thriving outdoor recreation culture.
Hatfield-McCoy Trail System for a media event with Kawasaki
Final Thoughts
The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System stands as one of the most successful off-road tourism projects in the United States. By transforming former mining and logging infrastructure into a world-class riding destination, West Virginia created a sustainable economic engine that continues to benefit local communities more than two decades after the first trails opened.
For UTV enthusiasts, Hatfield-McCoy offers over 1,200 miles of adventure across some of the most beautiful terrain in Appalachia. For West Virginia, it serves as proof that outdoor recreation can play a major role in revitalizing regions facing economic transition.
Sometimes the best way to build a new economy is not to start from scratch—but to find a new purpose for what already exists. In southern West Virginia, yesterday’s coal roads have become today’s recreation economy, and the results continue to benefit riders, businesses, and communities alike.
