Hatfield/McCoy/Spearhead Connector

Most of you probably already are aware of this, but I read this publication today. Bluefield newspaper.


The WV section trails are sure growing...MD

POCAHONTAS, Va. — In a mere matter of weeks, the existing Hatfield-McCoy Trail system in Mercer County will be connected with the new Spearhead Trail system in Tazewell County. The unique two-state link is expected to create what tourism officials are calling an “ATV mecca” for the region.

 “There is nowhere else at this point where the Spearhead Trail and the Hatfield-McCoy Trail are going to link together,” David Woodard, tourism coordinator for Tazewell County, said. “And they are only five minutes apart. The temptation factor is going to cause the Spearhead Trail riders to ride the Hatfield-McCoy Trail and the reverse is true. That’s going to create an ATV mecca. And if you look at the marketing campaign for Hatfield-McCoy and the marketing campaign for the Spearhead, the ATV world is being hit by both sides.”

With construction on the Spearhead Trail in Tazewell County now underway, Woodard said marketing efforts to promote the trail are now being doubled. In-house crews from Tazewell County are constructing the trail. But the actual trail itself will be operated by the Southwest Virginia Regional Recreation Authority. It is one of seven stand-alone trails being developed by the authority in seven different Southwest Virginia counties.

“What we’ve started already is a marketing campaign for our portion of the Spearhead Trail, and that includes a billboard on Interstate 77,” Woodard said. “We’ve also got a national publication that we’ve begun a marketing campaign on. It’s not just for the Spearhead Trail, but all tourism-related things in Tazewell County.”

Woodard said local tourism officials are working in conjunction with the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the town of Pocahontas on a community preparedness program in anticipation of an influx of out-of-town visitors to the region.

“We have also been working with a couple of ATV resorts that are in progress that will provide RV hookups and cabins and such things in the town of Pocahontas, and are working with some others and entrepreneurs who are working to expand business and put in new business,” Woodard said.

The local trailhead is being developed at the Boissevain Coal Miner’s Memorial Park. And the actual link — or connector road between the Spearhead Trail and the Hatfield-McCoy Trail — will be Route 644 in Pocahontas, which has already been designated as a “ATV friendly” route.

Woodard said the entire region — including Mercer, Tazewell and Bland counties — will benefit from the new Spearhead Trail system.

“As far as if we open the trail tomorrow — do we have places for them to sleep?” Woodard said. “No, but we are working on it. That’s in progress. Are there places for them to eat? Yes. Are there enough places for them to eat. No. But we are in a position over the next year or two where we will see a lot of growth.”

Sounds good!

If I had my guess there are several connectors already and they just decided to make it official.  BobT probably has a connector better than the official one. 

But it is a sign of growth and more lodging, eateries, stores, and gas stops will grow also.  Mighty good for a failing economy area...MD  

You're right MD, $$$ and development usually follows the "official" connections & trails.

  

is there a date set on the opening?

Not sure about an opening date, but the article says "in a mere matter of weeks".  Probably sometimes this summer I would guess...MD

You will have to ride 3-4 miles of pavement to get between them.  You basically will ride main street through Bramwell past the Soda Shop and then past Mott's Pocahontas ATV Resort and then on to VA and the town of Pocahontas.
There is a another route starting where WMG rd hits US52, but you still ride a lot of road and can take a nice trail the last little bit to the Pocahontas Exhibition Mine.

BobT, if they would have just contacted you, you probably could have made them a much more scenic route.  I figured you already had it in your fancy, dancy, doo-wah, ditty GPS machine you have.

Either way it will help the economics in the area...MD

Awesome! More trails and more money for the areas.

   Not only good for us riders, but also good for the economy around there as well!!! They mention Bland county in the artical that would be great if there were a trail head there. Shorter drive for peps that come out of NC to ride.

My 800 wrote:

BobT, if they would have just contacted you, you probably could have made them a much more scenic route.  I figured you already had it in your fancy, dancy, doo-wah, ditty GPS machine you have.

Either way it will help the economics in the area...MD

MD you should get yourself one of those fancy GPS machines. They're easy to operate and really enhance my riding experience!

[b]kmccauley, I do have a Garmin,[/b] but mine is a 76c. I rode with BobT all day one day and he did more with that Montana or some state than I had ever seen before. I guess you are right though, I need to step up into the 21 century and catch up with some of you all...MD

Has anyone heard or read how the permits will be handled?  I certainly will buy a permit, but seems like someone said that there could be a reciprocal agreement.  The connector and the new Spearhead trail has my attention and I'm looking forward to making a weekend ride and ride both directions on the two days of riding...MD

There will be no reciprocal agreement, at least on the HM side.  This newspaper article was posted on the HM forum yesterday and I replied that you had to ride the road from Bramwell to Pocahontas to get there and that there was a nice Exhibition Mine tour you could take.  They deleted my post.
HM does not acknowledge and riding areas in WV other than their trails.  You cannot post anything about any lodging establishment that does not pay to be listed on their site.  They also do not allow links to other forums and forget about mentioning GPS tracks or maps.  I have had several post deleted and Lee was banned for mentioning Mtn Top Cabins and a link to his forum.

BobT wrote:

There will be no reciprocal agreement, at least on the HM side.  This newspaper article was posted on the HM forum yesterday and I replied that you had to ride the road from Bramwell to Pocahontas to get there and that there was a nice Exhibition Mine tour you could take.  They deleted my post.
HM does not acknowledge and riding areas in WV other than their trails.  You cannot post anything about any lodging establishment that does not pay to be listed on their site.  They also do not allow links to other forums and forget about mentioning GPS tracks or maps.  I have had several post deleted and Lee was banned for mentioning Mtn Top Cabins and a link to his forum.

I've always been a HMT supporter, but there is no sense in them being that up tight on their message forums in regards to trail info, videos, pictures, lodging etc, etc. That is going a little overboard. I know they want to promote their system, but come on. Thats trifling. I was almost kicked off of their site for posting  a video that had "Outlaw trails" scripted on it. And I've gotten two very rude Emails from one of their management guys (Mike Pinkerton, I think) for some of my videos that I have posted.
 HMT is a lot like a large business. They start out small, then get all big and political $$$$ and then forget about their humble beginnings.

I went to an old mine site in Pocahontas, VA one time, one that you could drive your vehicle through and around and come out the other side.  It was a very tall mine. 

Very different from the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley.  Now that one was spooky going under the mountain and seeing all the mining works.  The "kettle bottoms" and how they were used were interesting and the shoring with the huge timber cuts had to be a lot of hard work to construct.

Maybe one day the folks at H/M will listen to some of the comments from forums like this one, comments being made from factual accounts and verifiable information and not just trail hype...MD

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/13363

Well Timmi,

I didn't mention it was 25-30 years ago when my wife and I drove through the mine.  I guess time flies when we are having fun.  I guess they were mining there when Pocahontas was just a little girl.  Good article and thanks for posting that small piece of VA's Coal Mining History...MD