Hidden in the southern mountains of West Virginia is one of the world’s best ATV destinations. The Hatfield and McCoy Trails span over 500 miles through gorgeous views, babbling creeks, lush wildlife and mountain towns full of diners and backwoods cabins – not to mention that it beelines right through sites of southern history. Tracing one of the largest off-highway vehicle trail systems in the world, a journey through Hatfield-McCoy country is an unforgettable way to see the Mountain State.
Named after two southern families with a serious beef, the Hatfield-McCoy Trails are a must-see for freewheelin’ history buffs. The story of the two-family feud starts with a Union-Confederate murder and takes wild turns including stolen hogs, scorned lovers, knife fights and executions. The conflict ended in 1888 when Devil Anse Hatfield, patriarch of the Hatfield clan, was finally imprisoned for murdering several of Randall McCoy’s kin after over two decades of brutal battling.
Enforced rules are part of what makes this famed system of trails so safe to cruise, including a strict ban on travel after dark. Lucky for riders, surrounding ATV-friendly towns offer accommodations that embody the wild spirit of rural West Virginia. Recoup from a day of riding in a cushy cabin at Almost Heaven Cabin Rentals!
A historic town in the Tug River Valley, Matewan, WV, is just off the trail. The site of a coal miner revolt called the Matewan Massacre, the town is a historical landmark where you can learn about coal mining history and the Hatfield-McCoy feud at Matewan Depot Replica Museum A.
Riders can visit historic sites from this dramatic family feud along and around the trails, including the Hatfield Family Cemetery, where Devil Anse himself is buried and commemorated with a chilling Italian marble statue.
For those who appreciate natural beauty more than history, you’ll reap a payoff of scenic views if you don’t mind getting a little muddy. Riders on the Pinnacle Creek trail system, one of seven of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, will zip along fish-filled streams and blooming rhododendrons to mountain vistas and past the not-infrequent deer or turkey. The Pinnacle Creek trails are also less than fifteen miles from Twin Falls Resort State Park, where you’ll find a mountaintop lodge, championship golf course and a historic farm.
Wild Willy's ATV Rezort lets you rent a modest but comfy cabin and a vehicle to take to the trails.
Part of what makes this oasis of trails in rural West Virginia so trip-worthy is that surrounding towns have made their streets ATV friendly, letting you dip out and explore as you so desire. Ten towns along the trails are directly accessible, meaning you can spin right off the trail to grab a bite or take in local history.
Veer off the trail to stop by Pinnacle Rock State Park, where you can picnic below a 3,100-foot sandstone outcropping before climbing to its top for beautiful mountain views. Cruise around the streets of nearby Bramwell, the former millionaire town, and you’ll see several preserved mansions from the early 1900’s with stained glass windows and ornate woodwork. It’s a little out-of-the-way, but it’s well worth the detour.
From family feuds to mountain views, there’s nothing quite like a wild ride on the Hatfield-McCoy trails.