WestVirginia Motorcycle and ATV together on Hatfields and McCoy

[DR650TooFewMiles]

I want to go to Hatfields and McCoys for the first time ever in the spring 2015.  Which trails are tbd, probably easy and moderate, doubtful that extreme or rocky would be on the agenda.  I have a Suzuki DR650 and plan to solicit a bunch of friends on Facebook and riders here to go if they are interested in going too.  I see lots of comments against ATV riders and I personally never really liked driving them, but lots of my friends ride ATVs.  Would a group of motorcycle and ATV riders coexist nicely riding together?  Or would the group be better splitting up for riding (ATV going one way, motorcycles going the other way) and just coming back together at night for socializing?  I'm assuming my friends on ATVs would be somewhat well behaved but you never know.

[brianbinwv]

I can speak to Buffalo Mountain in Matewan, WV and say it is pretty cool. My first time I rode the atv with a group of bikers, some of them headed for the difficult single track trails, others rode the open stuff with me. The last trip I had a bike and rode a bit of everything.

If you don't already have off road tires on your bike, it would be worth considering. If it's muddy and slick, the dual sport style tires could prove to be difficult for getting traction.

Buffalo Mountain has the most single track trails compared to the other riding areas. That said, there are several black diamond type atv trails, but they are well marked. Lots of easy to moderate atv trails, too.

I usually go there twice a year (spring and fall). I'm ready to try one of the other trail systems, though...

[brianbinwv]

If you're interested in the Pocahontas Trail system, a friend of mine co-owns the Bramwell High School ATV Lodge. He's a good guy and offers decent accommodations.

https://www.facebook.com/ridehatfieldmccoy

[DR650TooFewMiles]

Thanks for the info Brian. I'm starting to work on putting together a group and will then figure out which trail (I'll be asking for opinions here), and then accommodations. Bramwell will be one of the considerations.  And thanks for the tire suggestion. I have the Kenda K270 back tire and it does pretty well on the street and fine in the dirt. I really wouldn't want to go with anything geared more to the street since I prefer to stay in the dirt.

Edited January 15, 2016 by randynuzzo

[3 legged hyena]

On a 650, stick to poca, Indian, and pinnacle. I love buffalo mtn, but not ideally suited for dualsports.

The first 3 I mentioned are more geared toward atv, so you should be good.

Don't pay any attention to anti atv talk... Do what you are comfortable doing and enjoy!

[pat22043]

On a 650, stick to poca, Indian, and pinnacle. I love buffalo mtn, but not ideally suited for dualsports.

The first 3 I mentioned are more geared toward atv, so you should be good.

Don't pay any attention to anti atv talk... Do what you are comfortable doing and enjoy!

Of course, it depends on the skill levels involved. I have a riding buddy who can take his 950KTM adventure bike through single track that I can't get near on my KTM 250XCF. He is way better than I am. There were blue trails (ATV -width just one click harder than green) that I could not get up.

Rockhouse has a lot of ATV-width trails. Sometimes a four-wheel drive ATV can get up slick muddy trails better than a dirt bike can.

Check out the many YouTube videos of the riding areas. There are some trails that are very very challenging for ATVs, maybe even impassable. But I forget which system the videos were from.

[L. Euler]

More than a dozen of us go every year and I'm one of usually two or three that are on a bike.  Having a 4WD ATV with a wench in the group is handy.  ATVs make good pack mules, and are good for breaking through the ice and testing the water depth too.  Definitely ride with a group of ATVs.

[3 legged hyena]

Most dirtbikes are racist toward couches, I mean atvs,

[DR650TooFewMiles]

Having a 4WD ATV with a wench in the group is handy.

Having a wench along is a nice touch, better than looking at dudes all day. :-)

Edited February 10, 2016 by randynuzzo

[LeeJosph1975]

I live in Mingo Co. WV A 650 is a big bike to have in any hills but if you can stand hollding it up all day the trails here are fine. Last time we went riding me and my wife double headed on a little 300 honda atv and took my 13 yr old brother from the flatland with us and he was fine. On most of the trials if the climb is too much theres a second way around. A lot of the trails are overlaps of mining roads and so on. But you would be fine and have a blast. Like I said a 650 just is a heavy bike but if your use to it you will be fine.

[jjjrickey]

I'm debating going to Buffalo mountain/Matewan area March 15-18 2016. I have a kdx220 and an xr250. I'm looking for weather information and trail suggestions. Traveling from Buffalo, NY.

 

My main concern is the weather conditions. I hate any kind of mud, so if rain is in the forecast for that week I definitely won't go. Could anybody give me a current trail report? This winter has been very warm here in upstate NY, very little snow accumulation, which is promising for little mud accumulation on the trails. There's a big storm rolling through the east tonight through Wednesday, they claim a few inches of rain in the south and 8in of snow in the Adirondack region. When it rains like this in Buffalo during the summer things will be muddy for a good two weeks, but maybe WV is different. Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

Personally, I don't mind the drive, the truck however won't pull overdrive hauling the bikes on anything remotely uphill. So we're looking at 125 bucks just in fuel to get there, then fifty in trail fees for each bike, plus lodging food, oil and gas!

 

I'll be super excited if this trip works out, we don't have anything like this in NY, there's hardly any trail systems for atvs or dirt bikes here, and the ones that do exist are constantly fought by neighbors. Yet for some reason everybody loves snowmobiles. The Hatfield McCoy system honestly sounds too good to be true to me! I can't believe they have so many trails and that the public is so accepting. Hopefully this will become a regular weekend trip for me.

 

Eric

[LeeJosph1975]

The public is very accepting here half the people you ride with here are locals, lol! You see a lot of side by sides from out of towners but your bikes are perfect for the trails here. Ive always rode bikes until ive got older and got kids and wife. You can ride in to nearest small towns to get food a room and never have to drive your truck after you unload as long as you pay for the trail sticker. I dont ride that often anymore but last time we went we seen 1 bear, 2 coyotes, a few horses gather in the grassy hilltops of the old worked out mines that have been cleaned up and replanted. It the kind of place you can just get off the trail if you want and even just camp, not much of the land around here is personally owned. You can kinda wonder were you want and never get lost. If you think your lost you just follow a creek out and there will be a country highway somewere. Its wonderful riding and people. As for trail conditions about all you can do is put the zip in and check the weather here. They do try to keep the trails up. But sometimes with hard rain they do wash a little and get rocky. Heres my email give me a message a week ahead or so and ill try find out how they are at that time  leejoseph_1975@yahoo.com

[pat22043]

My main concern is the weather conditions. I hate any kind of mud, so if rain is in the forecast for that week I definitely won't go. Could anybody give me a current trail report?

 

Yet for some reason everybody loves snowmobiles. The Hatfield McCoy system honestly sounds too good to be true to me! I can't believe they have so many trails and that the public is so accepting. Hopefully this will become a regular weekend trip for me.

You are smart to be concerned. Some of the systems have better draining. But the basic ground is clay with rocks with coal dust. It gets very slippery when wet.

I can't talk about H-M right now, but I rode in PA last weekend in similar mountainous terrain, and it was a muddy, slippery mess.

If you hate mud, think about May or June

[pat22043]

The public is very accepting here half the people you ride with here are locals, lol!  You can ride in to nearest small towns to get food a room and never have to drive your truck after you unload as long as you pay for the trail sticker.

 

I agree, the locals that I've met are great. The town folks love that we bring in bikes/atvs and spend money in hotels, restaurants and bars.

I find it a giggle to ride my dirt bike, which have zero street legal parts, on the roads, into town for lunch, riding past the local cops who just wave.

[jjjrickey]

I dont ride that often anymore but last time we went we seen 1 bear, 2 coyotes, a few horses gather in the grassy hilltops of the old worked out mines that have been cleaned up and replanted. You can kinda wonder were you want and never get lost.

That sounds amazing!! I did check the forecast, not looking good for the next few weeks. More importantly I couldn't convince a buddy to tag along on short notice.

Will definitely make the trip this summer, thinking about the second week in May.

[MX450R]

I love HMT. We go at least twice a year. We focus around rockhouse, buffalo mountain and Bearwallow. the green trails are super highways and the black/red trails are nothing to joke about. The green trails can be a challenge too though on a bike if its wet because the green trails are usually packed down and get slick with a little moisture. Other than the single track trails you and the ATVs will be able to ride together all you want and never clash. My group of 10 is a mix of 250/450 MX bikes and 450 sport quads and we all run together most the time

[LeeJosph1975]

I guess a few of the trails would be rough on a heavy bike. Ive always rode 250s or in that range. Still lots of trails to ride a bigger bike on. Also if its a rainy week atv would probably be better. The week that just passed here was great sunny and in the hi 60s and low 70s. Mid summer gives you more greenery too much prettier out in the woods. I live within a mile of were one trail comes out. IDK the name of it. Its a new one being added. I think if you entered from the town Gilbert you would end up by my house. Anyone wanting to ride though, I grew up riding these trails before they got took over by the state. Its just the gretest place in the world to me out here in these mountians and hollows. It really gives you that peacful easy feeling. Its a great place !