DIVERSIFIED GAS & OIL AND HATFIELD-MCCOY TRAILS PARTNER ON EARTH DAY CLEAN UP

2.3 Tons Of Trash Collected From Hatfield-McCoy Ivy Branch Trail

Diversified Gas & Oil, PLC properties in West Virginia cover a significant portion of the state – including areas that make up parts of the Hatfield-McCoy, Ivy Branch Trail system. So it was a natural fit for DGOC, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System and police officers from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources to partner for an Earth Day Trail Cleanup on April 22.

Hatfield-McCoy and local Diversified Gas & Oil personnel were quick to volunteer and worked together to remove 2.3 tons of debris from the Ivy Branch Trail – including over 50 tires that will now be recycled.

DGOC Production Manager Bob Simmons was proud to be part of the effort. “My wife and I spend most of our free time hiking and bicycling in our beautiful state. We appreciate the opportunity to help restore this little piece of heaven.”

“When DGOC extended their invitation to join with them to celebrate Earth Day, we jumped at the chance,” said John Fekete, HMT Deputy Executive Director, “We must continue to keep our trails and roadways clean and free of trash and litter.  We look forward to more collaborations with DGOC in the future!”

Working together organizations like Diversified Gas & Oil, PLC and Hatfield-McCoy Trails can make a difference and contribute to a better quality of life for us all. To find out more about how you or your organization can help our planet visit: www.earthday.org.

A Guide to Safely Opening & Operating the Hatfield McCoy Trail System

**Updated February 19, 2021**

To see the latest Executive Order, from Governor Jim Justice, concerning the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, please see link below:

https://governor.wv.gov/Documents/Covid%20Week%204/2020.05.08%20HMT%20Guidelines.pdf

Thank you,

-HMT Staff

Beginning March 1, 2021, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System will welcome riders to it’s newest attractions – the Cabwaylingo and Ivy Branch Trail Systems.

The Cabwaylingo Trail is the first in Hatfield-McCoy Trail System to be located within a state forest. Created as an initiative of the West Virginia Legislature, the new trail represents a unique partnership between West Virginia’s State Parks and the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.

Cabwaylingo State Forest sits on nearly 8,300 acres of land in southern West Virginia. Its colorful name was chosen as a combination of the four closest West Virginia counties surrounding the forest – Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, and Mingo.

ATV, UTV, 4×4 and dirt bike riders will find nearly 100 miles of new trails to explore, plenty of parking for trucks and trailers, and a trailhead facility with trail permits and Hatfield-McCoy Trails merchandise for sale.

Off the trails, lodging in the park’s fourteen newly renovated cabins is available mid-April through late October. And two, multi-site campgrounds also await riders. Outside the park, Rustic Ravines ATV Resort offers novel lodging in “Yurts” and conventional cabins, weekend entertainment and a high-altitude zip line that whisks visitors across a scenic valley.

The newly reopened Ivy Branch Trail System – located just twenty-minutes from West Virginia’s capitol city of Charleston – offers real adventure for riders of full-sized, off-road vehicles like Jeeps and land cruisers along with ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes.

The Little Coal River can be seen at several points along the 50 plus mile Ivy Branch Trail and a new Hatfield-McCoy boat launch for canoes and kayaks is accessible from the trail and County Road 14/1 off Route 3 West.

There’s plenty of parking at the trailhead and permits and merchandise will be available. And coming soon – 6 new cabins available for rent.  Other accommodations include the Ivy Branch ATV Resort, Pappy’s Cabin and Mountain Mama Lodging – just off the trails. Nearby, the town of Madison welcomes visitors and offers a glimpse of its historic past at its fascinating Coal Heritage Museum.

There will be two new Hatfield-McCoy Trail Systems opening soon!

The Cabwaylingo Trail System, located in the Cabwaylingo State Forest, will be open to ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes and 4x4s!

The Ivy Branch Trail System, located in Boone/Lincoln County, will be open to ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes and 4x4s!

Stay tuned for more information and updates.

Happy Trails!

Hatfield-McCoy Trail permits are available for purchase on our website at https://trailsheaven.com/get-a-permit/

Permits that are purchased online will be mailed out Certified and will take approximately 5-7 business days to be delivered. Permits mailed Certified must be signed for when delivered at home or picked up at your local post office.

Permits are also available for purchase through our Hatfield-McCoy Trails Approved Permit Vendors. See full list of Permit Vendors here! https://trailsheaven.com/permit-vendors/

Please note that all Hatfield-McCoy Trails’ trailhead parking areas are open; however, the trailhead, Welcome Center and Visitor Center facilities remain closed during this time.

For those guests visiting the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, please remember the following guidelines:

When visiting our local businesses and communities, please remember to wear appropriate face coverings, practice social distancing, wash your hands often and follow the CDC recommendations and guidelines. It is important that everyone stays safe and healthy so that the Trails and local businesses can continue to operate and move forward. Ignoring these precautionary measures may result in closing down the Trails for an extended period of time.     

While the trails offer outdoor recreation opportunities for both in-state and out-of-state visitors, it is important to maintain proper physical distancing and safety precautions, even while out in the field. The following guidance has been issued to ensure riders remain as safe as possible.

• PPE: Riders are encouraged to wear appropriate face coverings or face shields while stopped. All riders, by law, must wear a helmet while riding.
• Self-screening: Riders are encouraged to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms with the following questions:

• • Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19?
  • Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
  • Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
  • Have you had new loss of taste or smell?
  • Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours
• Temperature checks: Riders are encouraged to take their temperature prior to arriving at the trails. If their temperature measures over 100 degrees, the riders are not permitted to enter the trails.
• Sick riders: Any rider or visitor who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., answers yes to any of the screening questions or who is running a fever) must leave the trails immediately and seek medical care and/or COVID-19 testing, per CDC guidelines.

• Limit groups: Riders are prohibited from congregating on the trails.
• Physical distancing: Practice proper social distancing, minimum of six feet where practical and safe to do so.
• Shared vehicles: Riders are discouraged from sharing a UTV, ATV or Off-Road dirt bike with anyone outside their immediate group or party.
• Shared equipment: Riders are discouraged from sharing safety equipment or appropriate face coverings.

For questions or concerns, please call our Main Office at 800-592-2217, Monday-Friday between 8:00am to 4:00pm. Please note that we are operating with limited staff and appreciate your patience.

Happy Trails!

Under Gov. Justice’s reopening plan, West Virginia Strong – The Comeback, the Hatfield-McCoy Trails will be permitted to have a limited reopening effective Thursday, May 21, 2020. While riders will be allowed on the trails, all trailhead properties and welcome centers, as well as the visitor center for the trail system, will remain closed.

Please visit the link below to review the Trail Reopening Guidelines of “A Guide to Safely Opening & Operating the Hatfield McCoy Trail System.”

https://governor.wv.gov/Documents/Hatfield-McCoy-Trail-Reopening-Guidelines.pdf

For questions or concerns, please visit the “Contact Us” tab on our website!

https://trailsheaven.com/contact-us/

Stay safe and we hope to see you soon on the trails!

-Jeffrey T. Lusk

Executive Director

Hatfield-McCoy Trails

Friends,

I just wanted to update you on the status of the Hatfield McCoy Trails. I have been in close contact with the State Tourism Office and State Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby. The state continues to trend in the right direction and we are hopeful that in the very near future we can reopen our trails. Governor Justice has done an excellent job in managing this COVID-19 Crisis and West Virginia is leading the country in keeping its residents safe. Today at his news briefing, the Governor reiterated his feelings that we must begin to safely reopen our state. I feel that we will be receiving formal guidance in the upcoming weeks on how and when we might reopen the Hatfield McCoy Trails. Until then I ask that we honor the current Executive Order that the Hatfield McCoy Trails are officially closed.

Take care and be safe.

Jeffrey T. Lusk, Executive Director

We hope that everyone is remaining safe and healthy at this time.

All Hatfield-McCoy Trail Systems and trailhead facilities will remain temporarily closed until further notice. We will post updates as we receive any new information from our state officials regarding the status of our trails and facilities. We would advise riders not to make any reservations or plans to visit the trail system until such time as the official closure order has been lifted. The state of West Virginia is under a stay-at-home order, restricting travel of local residents and the opening of non-essential businesses until April 30, 2020. This order can be extended past April 30, 2020 by order of the Governor, if necessary, to protect residents from the COVID-19 virus. We appreciate your patience during this time and hope to see you back on the trails soon!

Until then, stay safe and take care.

Jeffrey Lusk, Executive Director

Following Governor Justice’s recent Executive Order, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System will be closed until further notice to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Although we appreciate the tremendous number of visitors who have flocked to the trail in recent days, it is important for all Americans to minimize travel and remain close to home during this difficult time. We will continue to monitor the situation and will reevaluate operations in two weeks. Thank you and stay safe.

-HMT Staff

All Hatfield-McCoy Trails and trailhead facilities are open and operating under normal hours.

We will give updates as we receive recommendations and guidance from state and federal agencies as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Our facilities are being cleaned and sanitized daily by our employees to ensure a safe environment for all guests.

As of March 17, 2020, the Governor of West Virginia has closed all restaurants and bars but is allowing them to continue drive thru and carry out service at this time.

For those folks who have decided to postpone your trip to HMT, please know that the 2020 HMT trail permits are valid until December 31, 2020.

Stay safe and Happy Trails!