Nestled in the southwestern corner of the Mountain State, West Virginia’s Hatfield-McCoy Mountain Region is truly an adventure-lover’s paradise. The region’s vibrant landscapes are as iconic as the area’s namesake – the infamous Hatfield and McCoy family feud – and make for the perfect backdrop for your southern West Virginia adventure.
If you like hiking, kayaking, fishing, ATVing, or even moonshine tasting, the Hatfield-McCoy Mountains should be placed at the top of your adventure travel bucket list!
We spent a long weekend exploring the area, learning the history of the region, bopping around the unique Appalachian towns, reconnecting with nature, and traversing the area’s hundreds of miles of ATV trails, and we could not have had a better time!
We’re so excited to team up with the West Virginia Department of Tourism and Hatfield McCoy Trail System to show you where to eat, stay, and play in southern West Virginia in hopes that our recommendations will help you to have as much fun in “Almost Heaven” as we did.
Where to Adventure in WV’s Hatfield-McCoy Mountains
With ample opportunities for adventure in the form of ATVing, hiking, fishing, kayaking, and moonshine tasting, we can assure you that there is no shortage of fun to be had here.
Exploring by ATV
With over 1,000 miles of professionally managed off road trails, West Virginia’s Hatfield-McCoy Trails system is one of the largest of its kind in the world and offers something for adventurers of every skill level. Whether you prefer to ride a dirt bike, ATV, UTV, or to get your Jeep a little muddy, you’ll be able to easily find the perfect trail for you. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails are composed of 10 total trail systems, many of which connect to the surrounding ATV-friendly towns, meaning you can legally drive your machine on the road!
While hitting the trails with our Jeep or a dirt bike was tempting, we ultimately decided to rent a side-by-side from BAC Country Rentals. In just a weekend of exploring the area by ATV, we were blown away by what we found. Here are our highlights by trail system:
- Rockhouse Trail: Complete with waterfalls, old mining structures, and mountain top vistas, this trail offers access to the ATV-friendly towns of Man and Gilbert where you can stop by any of the town’s dozens of locally owned shops for a post-adventure treat.
- Buffalo Mountain Trail: Nestled above the town of Williamson is Death Rock Overlook, the location of one of West Virginia’s newest and most beautiful photo opportunities. This summer, WV launched its Almost Heaven Swing campaign to celebrate some of the state’s most picturesque (and instagrammable) views. Built by local students at the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center, these swings have been placed all over the Mountain State and boast some of the best views this wild wonderful state has to offer.
- Devil Anse Trail: While exploring this trail, be sure to visit the burial site of William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield and other Hatfield family members at the Hatfield Cemetery. Erected on a piece of original Hatfield property, stands a life-size statue of Devil Anse Hatfield atop his grave. The cemetery is open to the public and is accessible via a short walk from a roadside pull-off on route 44 or directly from the Devil Anse trail system itself.
- Bearwallow Trail: With access to the ATV-friendly town of Logan, this trail system is ORV, ATV, UTV, and off-road motorcycle friendly and is known for both its scenic views and twisty difficult trails.
Hiking WV’s Hatfield-McCoy Mountains
If you’re looking for a day of exploring by foot, a visit to Chief Logan State Park is in order. There are 18 miles of trails to explore, but we recommend hiking Coal Mine or the Guyandotte Beauty trails to see old mining structures amid the lush greenery that is reclaiming the landscape. Both trails are under two miles and are rated as moderate and difficult respectively.
In addition to opportunities for hiking, this park offers an immersive museum inside its Visitor’s Center that is full of artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of how the region changed over time and has been shaped into what it is today.
We also were lucky enough to catch a live performance of The Aracoma Story at the park’s amphitheater on our first night in the area, and it provided so much historical context for the rest of our visit. This show features local volunteer actors who tell the story of a white scout who falls in love with a native princess and the simultaneous chain of events that ultimately led to the eradication of the Mingo and Shawnee factions that once inhabited the very area we were visiting. The Aracoma Story, Inc puts on an incredible show for several weekends each summer, and if you visit in July, this performance is a must-see.
Where to Dine and Drink in the Hatfield-McCoy Mountains
- Indulge in some authentic Italian cuisine at Chirico’s Ristorante. Founded in 1981, this Logan, WV staple pays homage to the area’s large Italian population. We recommend ordering the firecracker chicken fettuccine, the carbonara, or a calzone, and make sure that you save room for dessert and ask for the butter brickle!
- Stop by The Broken Axel for some local WV brews and a bite to eat. This restaurant/taphouse (located just outside the town of Man and accessible from the Rockhouse Trail) is the perfect place to wind down after a long day on the trails.
- Drop down out of the mountains of Rockhouse Trail and into Keith’s bar and grill. We’re suckers for a good dive and this one is no exception. With classic pub fare and cold beer, it’s easy to see why the weekend sees a parking lot full of off-road machines and cars alike.
- Get your hands on some delicious pastries and other sweet treats at Nu Era Bakery. Originally started by a coal miner’s wife who was looking for a place to bake, Nu Era is now a Logan, WV favorite, and the current baker still uses the original founder’s recipes.
- If you love coffee and/or Harry Potter, Hot Cup is the place for you. While the staff of this eclectic coffee shop don’t advertise it, if you know where to look, you can step right into the under-the-staircase bedroom of “the boy who lived.” Yep, that’s right, just to the right of the pickup counter in a closet under the stairs is a little slice of magic that you’re free to explore and reminisce over.
- Wet your whistle with the “drink of the devil” at Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine Distillery. Made from an over 150-year-old recipe and distilled on original Hatfield land, this moonshine is the real deal. The only difference is, that this variety is 100% legal and produced in small batches, 6 days a week by a master distiller with a direct lineage to Devil Anse himself.
Where to Stay in Southern West Virginia
If you are planning to explore the Rockhouse, Devil Anse, and/or Buffalo Mountain ATV trails, we recommend staying at the Rockfort Cabins at the Appalachian Outpost (pictured above). These spacious three-bed/two-bath cabins are located on the same “resort” as the Broken Axel Bar and Grill and offer beautiful mountain views, trail access, on-site rentals as well as a gas station that is coming soon.
If you are interested in exploring the Jeep-friendly Bearwallow trail system, we recommend staying in the town of Logan. If you like to be surrounded by nature, we recommend a stay at Chief Logan State Park. This park hosts one of WV’s most visited facilities and offers opportunities for camping as well as more elevated stays in their newly-constructed four-room cabins as well as in their modern lodge.
After exploring the Hatfield-McCoy Mountain Region of West Virginia for a long weekend, we came home eager to plan our return trip. We hope you enjoy exploring Southern WV as much as we did! If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to drop them in the comments!
