Hatfield-McCoy Trails

For some of the most beautiful backcountry views you will ever get the privilege of seeing, plan a trip with Fido to explore the Hatfield-McCoy Trail in West Virginia. Also known as the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Area, this extensive trail system caters to hikers, bikers, equestrians, and ATV use, making it a unique and popular place to visit.

The plan is to take the trail system and extend it out for 2,000 miles through eight counties, but currently, only the first 300 miles are accessible to the public. These available trails consist of Bearwallw, Buffalo Mountain, Devil Anse, Indian Ridge, Pinnacle Creek, Pocahontas, and Rockhouse. 

Among these trails, hikers get to choose between multiple levels that are color-coded for difficulty: Green (easy), Blue (more difficult), Black (most difficult), and Orange, which is just a single track. Every trail takes you through the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, so you can rest assured that, no matter how simple or challenging of a trek you choose, you will experience the natural glory of the area.

Along the trails, you and Fido will be immersed in the history of the surrounding towns, learning about the Matewan Massacre and the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud. You can explore the Shawnee Living History Trail or the Coal Heritage Trail to learn more about those historical eras as well.

You may also run into geocachers along the way, as this hobby has gained in popularity and the extensive trail system is a perfect place to hide a cache (permit required!).

Since there are so many towns that the trail goes through, you can confidently take Fido through many miles without concern of the basic necessities, but it is always a good idea to keep a supply of water available for both of you. 

Be sure to get a permit before hiking: a 1-day permit is $15, and a 7-day permit is $35. You can also purchase annual permits. Residents of West Virginia pay $25 per year and out-of-state residents pay $100 year.