Indian Ridge-West area, Hatfield and McCoy, North fork, WV

We rode 35 miles-  http://trailsheaven.com/Plan-Your-TRIP/Choose-a-Trail/Indian-Ridge.aspx
Easiest (Green):  18%
More Difficult (Blue):  46%
Most Difficult (Black):  25%

     Today we were riding the blue and green trails, the black trails are if you want to winch. The trail goes into the the town of Northfork, or over to the Pinnicle Creek trail head, but we just rode the loop and back to Ashland Resort.

  We came across other riders, but they are all careful on the trails, and use the hand signal, showing  how many are behind, and a closed fist for the last person.  If you are driving slower, just let them pass by.
  We did go up in elevation, plus there was alot of mud and water holes to go thru. Only one was alittle deep. The leaves were falling all around us, plus the valleys are beautiful to see.
   In the mountains of the Hatfield and McCoy trail system, you can see signs from the past, where there have been logging, coal minning and extracting natural gas out with pipe lines. We will come across an area where the gas pipe lines come to the surface, and the valves and tanks are present. Today we came across a pipeline, that grew into the tree and the tree lifted it up over the years!
   There is also an invasive ivy which grows in this area, and it takes over large areas, including trees, grass or bushes and houses.  This was the first time we saw some out in the forest along the trail.

Indian Ridge East Trail, Hatfield and McCoy, Ashland, or North fork, WV

 
15mi  http://trailsheaven.com/Plan-Your-TRIP/Choose-a-Trail/Indian-Ridge.aspx
Easiest (Green):  18%
More Difficult (Blue):  46%
Most Difficult (Black):  25%

  We are camping at Ashland Resort, named after the Ashland Minning Company and company town. In the 1880's they mined coal, at one time there were 10,000 people here. It had changed over the 70 years. Until it closed in 1950's. The company store is still standing along with a few homes.   There’s a nice info kiosk across from this store.
 

We rode right out of camp onto trail #12. Even though camp is full and there is approximately 100 OHV, we only came across 3 riders. That is because there are 3 major trails, with 60-100 miles each.   The terrain is fun, hilly, trails on the outer mountain side, muddy holes, sandstones ledges, and leaves falling at every turn.

   There were some odd things we came across, a large culvert, standing vertical and 20ft tall, must be for overflow, over the bank. A tin sided shack, nothing inside. Several PVC 12" around pipe, coming out of the bottom of the mountain, draining with water.  Later we learned that the town at the valley, pumps their sewer up the mountain into manmade wet lands, then the water slowly drain down thru the soil.

 
   Their were great views on top, we even saw the campground a few times.  Most of the trails are groomed, but once in a while, you will find a deep mud hole! I rode thru one, almost got stuck, but luckly I was in 4 wheel drive, and slowly made it out!
   It was a nice day, the sun came out.  We follow the maps, so we could ride all the trails. Once again we didn't ride the black trails, as we were told they were very steep.

Rock House / Hatfield and McCoy / Between Man and Gilbert, West Virginia. 100 mile trail

We rode 56 miles.  This was our favorite out of the 6 trails (Did not ride Bearwallow nor Buffalo Mountain yet)

Trails: Easy (Green) 31%, Medium (Blue) 29%, Difficult (Black) 16% 
   We rode from the Gilbert end of the trail,  on the Connector trail- 8 mi north to the main trails.  The trail systems are leftovers from coal mining, logging and natural gas mining. Yet the land looks untouched!  So they have been linked together, and shaped into wonderful Off Road Vehicle Trails!  Once again the signage is wonderful, and the maps are everywhere, at campgrounds, in town and at the trail head. Since it was Monday, we hardly saw anyone, the busy days are Thurs, Fri. and Saturday.

   We tried one of the black trails, most difficult, and the steep rock angle of the trail was one we didn't want to do, so we turned around and rode the green-easy, and blue-more difficult, trails.  Most of the trails wind around the mountain peaks, where you can see the sandstone walls. The trails are not dangerous, but you don't want to fall over the edge, it is quite steep! There are no rocks on the trail, so we were wondering where the name-Rock House comes from. So we came around a corner and here is a huge wall of rock, 100 ft tall and 500 ft long. As large as a ship. Man had cut off part of the mountain exposing the rock.
   We were also riding on trail #16, and on the map, a point of interest is marked, as auger holes. GPS coor -37*40.678N 081*5353,994W  and 37*40.720N 081*53.292W  .  On the mountain side of the trail we saw 3ft vertical shafts drilled into the base of the mountains. As we rode further on the trail, we kept seeing numerous holes, at least 100. Back in the 50's the coal company, augured these holes 200ft into the mountain and removed the coal.
    We had great views down into all the hollows and across to another tree lined mountain. At one corner on the trail, the leaves were coming down so hard, it was amazing!  Along the trail we found a odd pillar made out of bags of cement, it was 20ft tall and 3 ft across. We figured out it was made to stabilized or protect a pipe line, exposed on the hillside.
   We met a Hatfield and McCoy Ranger patrolling the trails.  We visited with him about the area and the trail system. He was surprised we were from South Dakota, Yes Sir!

See below for Campground Information

INFORMATION>www.TrailsHeaven.com
LOCATION>   NEAREST CITY=Gilbert, WV or Man, WV  
AREA >   TYPE OF LAND= forest, mountain  , OWNER= Private                                              QUALITY >  Pro-great system / Con-non /  Length of stay 2 days/ Rating-stars5 out of 5
TERRAIN>  MILES OF TRAILS, hills / forest / mud / dust / water crossing /elevation –100              TRAIL MAINTENCE-Yes   /  NEAR BY TRAILS-Ivy Branch and Little Coal to the north-        Bearwallow-south 
REGULATIONS> Permit required-yes / Camping-RV site and cabins /whip-no / helmets req-yes. / width req.-no
FEE>  Entry-per person
KEY SERVICES> Camping / Gasoline / Diesel / First Aid /  Water /  Dump / Food=Gilbert and Man
CONTACTS>1-800-592-2217

   We stayed at Billy Goat ATV RV park, right in Gilbert, WV. Bill was very friendly and gave us maps.  A stream is just behind the park, then the highway.  We were the only ones in his 7 full hook up park.  Good thing! The RV park is a town lot, 100ft. x 120 ft. It took the whole area for us to turnaround and get parked.  Our camper is 36ft long plus a 20ft. pickup. If someone would of come in to camp, we're not sure we could of gotten out. It would work for small campers. No wifi or cable tv, for $45.
   On our way back home we stopped at Twin Hollow Campground, it has 11 large cabins, set to catch the most beautiful mountain top scene, the hollow! Plus they also have 13 RV sites. They are open April -November, for all the seasons.  The only issue is the hill to get there. But Wayne, has put in a very nice, top notch, large road, and he keeps it in good shape. Just give him a call if your concerned. The campground is right on the trail.

Ivy Branch of the Hatfield and McCoy trails, Julian, WV

Ivy Branch-65 miles of trails- 8% Easy, 28% Medium, 38% Difficult, 26% Very Difficult

  Our new found camping guides Curt and Jay took us out on the Ivy Branch trail.  We drove along highway 119, 1 1/2 miles, then turned right on highway 3, for 1 mile to the Ivy Branch Trailhead.  This is the only trail that allows trucks/jeeps on the trail.  They enjoy driving on the Red- most difficult trails, which consist of large rock climbing. We were told the Black- difficult trails, are harder than Little Coal River trail. We only saw one jeep all day.

  Once again the trails are well marked, but on this side of Hwy 119, we were riding higher up on the mountain at a elevation of 1,100 or lower. The Little Coal River Campground is at 770 ft elevation.

The trails were fun to ride, forest, streams, mud holes to drive thru and an old cemetery on a hill top.  We stopped to visit the fallen hero's of WWII, and many of the graves were babies from the 20's.  Some were so old and moss covered it was hard to read the small headstones .We do not know the history, it could of been an old town up on the mountain.  This is off trail 39, between trails 35 & 38.  GPS# 38* 11.563N 081* 51.291W

   We stopped at several overlooks, admiring the valley below or across the holler. You will also  see sandstone cliffs, with water seeping out of the face.  We came across a huge boulder, queer since there was no others in the area, nor a mountain for it to roll down!  You will come across many vines hanging down from the trees, as if Tarzan has dropped it for another one along the trail. The flowing streams meander all through out the trail system.

 
   We were checking out the Very Difficult trails, marked black with red lines.  They are for rock climbing or pulling with winches! The pictures don't show the height or the difficulty of the climb. 
It was a great day of riding, the sun came out. It was great to have a guide,  Curt was the leader and kept track of which of the trails we had rode.  We traveled 42 miles this day.