TORNADO, W.Va. — Kanawha County is welcoming a new 30-mile-long stretch of tracks made solely for dirt bike and electric bike riders — and the largest of its kind east of the Mississippi and possibly even the nation.
The Kanawha County Commission gathered everyone out, including Governor Jim Justice and state and federal representatives for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Hatfield and McCoy Single Trax Trail System in Tornado Tuesday morning.
Kanawha County Commission President Lance Wheeler said the project has been two years in the making and is the first of the Hatfield and McCoy Trail system to come to Kanawha County.
He said after seeing the success of the Hatfield and McCoy Trails in Southern West Virginia through the economic impact it has had as well as the exposure to the amenities the trails there provides, they wanted the same to come for Kanawha County, adding to the plethora of other recreational and tourism enterprises coming to the area.
“You know just recently we had a family of four come in from New York just for this dirt bike trail, I think that’s showing the impact of the economic impact and the tourism that we’re going to see with this project, and with our Shawnee Sports Complex and our golf courses at Big Bend and Coonskin, and all of the amenities that we’re doing in Charleston, I think we’re really on the forefront for Kanawha County to be the largest county in tourism,” Wheeler said.
Governor Justice said this only adds to West Virginia’s continuously growing momentum.
“We’re the best of the best I mean for crying out loud, we’re the envy of the world now, I say it over and over, who could have ever thunk it,” said Justice.
Deputy Executive Director of Hatfield and McCoy Trails John Fekete said it’s important they develop trails across their nine-county system, and they had them in every county but Kanawha until now.
He said finding the property is always the biggest challenge, but with the large portions of land stretching throughout Logan, Mingo, Wyoming and McDowell counties, the process of acquiring 5,000 to 10,000 acres to put in about 300 miles of trail was easier than it has proven to be with the 30 miles of trail in Kanawha County.
“This one was probably one of the most difficult trails that we ever put in because it was all done by hand, we didn’t really use any heavy equipment, our staff members really got out there and hustled and got it done, a lot of the trails were hand-dug with mattocks and rakes,” Fekete said.
He said fortunately it all came together.
Wheeler said what makes this trail unique from the others is that it only allows for dirt bikes and E-bikes as opposed to ATVs, and it’s important to have a distinct trail made entirely for them.
“Single-dedicated, not this wide trail, something that will actually feel like they’re going through the forest, we’re able to provide that,” Wheeler said. “You know Hatfield and McCoy has a rule they don’t take away 10-percent of the vegetation and trees in a trail system, so they didn’t come in here cutting down trees making these trails long, these are natural deer trails that they followed, and so you’re literally just feeling like you’re traveling through the forest.”
A National Dirt bike Champion, 9-year-old Jarrett Tincher rode through the ribbon on his dirt bike Tuesday to welcome in the new trail.
He said he expects the trail to be somewhat different than what he’s been used to riding on.
“It’s going to be a lot skinnier and a lot more turns,” Tincher said.
Jarrett Tincher with his dirt bike
Tincher has been riding for six years now after starting when he was just three years old. He said his dad was inspiration for getting into the sport.
“My dad had a bike and he took me on a track and I liked riding with him,” he said.
Tincher said his favorite part is hitting big jumps and feeling the sense of accomplishment that comes with it.
“I like riding because you can win a lot of races and it’s very fun.” Tincher said.
Tincher was a national championship winner in Hurricane Mills Tennessee at the Loretta Lynn Ranch in 2023. He said he expects to do some of his training on the new trail system to win more championship races.
Fekete said the Hatfield and McCoy Trail is truly an economic engine driving many ATV and dirt bike riders from across the country to get a taste of it.
“With the trail system brings economic development which are out-of-state folks coming to ride the trails, they’re spending their vacations here in Southern West Virginia, they’re spending their money while in town, and it has just been a really good economic boost for Southern West Virginia,” said Fekete.
The first three trail systems as part of Hatfield and McCoy Trail was constructed in 2000 in Logan and Mingo counties which are still open today. Fekete said now there are 11 trails that make up the overall system with over 1,000 miles.
The new trail is located in Tornado near Meadowood Park.