First ride and families
A beginner's guide to the Hatfield-McCoy Trails
Choose a machine your group can use legally, start with green trails, and check the current map before riding.
Riding with friends of different abilities? Use our group-trip guide to organize riding groups, permits and trailer parking before departure.
Choose your machine
- ATV: a quad. A passenger is allowed only if the manufacturer built it for two; no add-on passenger seat.
- UTV or side-by-side: passengers use factory seat belts. Everyone must stay inside the vehicle, and the owner's manual must be available. UTVs may use green, blue and signed black trails.
- Dirt bike: check the map for the machine's permitted routes. Orange single-track trails are for experienced riders.
- Full-size ORV, such as a Jeep: permitted only on Bearwallow, Big Coal River, Cabwaylingo and Ivy Branch. The driver needs a valid license; helmets, eye protection and seat belts still apply.
Age and passenger rules
Every driver and passenger needs a permit and a DOT or Snell approved helmet with eye protection. Every person must meet the machine maker's age and size limits. No one under 6 may ride; anyone under 16 must stay in sight of a parent or guardian. UTV and ORV passengers are limited to factory seat belts. No car seats or booster seats are allowed.
For ORV passengers, the Authority's rules page says age 8 or older, or age 6 or older and 4 feet tall; its 2025 brochure says age 8 or older, or age 6 or older and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Confirm the current requirement with the Authority before bringing a younger child. Read the ORV rules.
Where to start on green trails
The 2025 brochure and the matching published breakdowns in our trail guides both list Cabwaylingo at 54% Easiest (green), Warrior at 52%, and Braveheart at 44%. These percentages describe a system's mix, not a guaranteed easy route; choose a continuous green route on the current map.
Rent or bring
If you do not have a suitable machine, read our ATV and UTV rental guide and compare private outfitters in the Authority's machine rental directory. Ask whether helmets, eye protection, insurance and permits are included. Bring your permit or arrange to buy one, protective gear that fits, water, a first aid kit, tools and a saved trail map. The Authority's safety checklist also recommends riding with someone else.
Trail etiquette
Stay on marked trails, obey gates and closure signs, keep a safe distance, and slow for blind curves and hills where oncoming traffic may appear. Ride at a reasonable speed and keep control. Do not litter, camp, light fires, carry alcohol or bring glass onto the trails.
Sources
WV Riders is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority. Trail names are used only to describe where the trails are.