The trail system officially opened under the name Hatfield McCoy in October 2000 with of trail operations. In 2002, the trail system added an additional of trails in Boone County, West Virginia. In 2004, the trail system again added of trail, to bring the trail system to, making it the second largest off-highway vehicle trail in the world, second only to the Paiute ATV Trail. Currently there are six of the nine West Virginia counties with over 600 miles of off-highway vehicle trails. An expansion plan for the trail system plans for 2,000 miles of trails with suitable facilities and an Off-Highway Vehicle Park located in Kanawha County. Current trail system names include Rockhouse, Bearwallow, Pinnacle Creek, Little Coal River, Indian Ridge, Pocahontas, and Buffalo Mountain. Only Paiute ATV Trail in Central Utah has more miles of trails As of October 19, 2015, Little Coal River and Ivy Branch trails are closed as land changed ownership.
Uses
The trail system caters to ATV, UATV, and motorbikes, but hikers, mountain bikers, and horse riders can also use the trails. The trail system staff not only markets the trail system globally, but also builds, maps, and maintains the trail system. Law enforcement officers patrol the trail to assure compliance with safety regulations. Motorized users of the trail system must wear a DOT-approved helmet and are prohibited from "doubling", unless their vehicle is designed for two people. These rules, and a host of others, have allowed the trail system to enjoy a quality safety record, despite an increase in ATV-related injuries around the country.
Leadership history
Leff Moore
The management of the trail system is directed by a chief executive officer or executive director, who is appointed by the board of directors. The first executive director, Leff Moore, was one of the two men originated the idea of the trail system. The heart and soul of the trail system, Moore died in 2005, but not before seeing the fruits of his hard work make his dream a reality. At the time of his death, the trail system had become its own economic engine for the southern coalfields of West Virginia, with record number of tourists visiting the trail system each year.
Mike and Mark Whitt
Moore was followed by Mike Whitt, a local Mingo County, West Virginia native who worked in coal-related economic development projects, who, in his brief tenure as Executive Director, is credited with opening the first of trail. Whitt, in turn, was succeeded by his brother, Mark Whitt, who left the position in 2002, after which the Board of Directors appointed Matthew Ballard as director.
Matthew Ballard
Ballard, who had a background in organization management, public policy, and politics, is credited with catapulting the trail system into a nationally recognized and award-winning trail system. During this time, Ballard worked to garner the trail system international attention resulting in television features for the trail system on ESPN, ESPN 2, the Outdoor Channel, the Outdoor Network, the Speed Channel, and even as a featured part of a commercial for Suzuki ATV's. The trail system was even featured in men's magazines such as Men's Health. Under his direction, the trail system expanded by into Wyoming County, West Virginia, as well as into the towns of Pineville in Wyoming County and Williamson and Delbarton in Mingo County. Ballard managed the trail system through its first significant growth period, during a time when efficient organizational change and an aggressive marketing campaign helped to double revenues for the trail system.
Jeffrey T. Lusk
After three years of managing the trail system, Ballard moved on, at which time the Board of Directors appointed Jeffrey T. Lusk As Executive Director. Lusk currently serves as the Executive Director of the trail system and has expanded the trail system into McDowell and Mercer County, West Virginia. Lusk has a strong academic and practical background in economic development, having served for 11 years as the Economic Development Director of the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority. The current Deputy Executive Director is John Fekete, of Man, West Virginia.
