State parks and forests near the Hatfield-McCoy Trails
Several West Virginia state parks and forests sit close to the trail systems. They are good for a rest day, a family member who doesn't ride, or a night in a lodge or cabin. Chief Logan and Twin Falls explicitly prohibit ATV use inside the parks. Cabwaylingo has designated Hatfield-McCoy routes; the other park pages listed below do not offer ATV riding.
The short version
| Park or forest | County | Stay overnight | ATVs inside | Trail system nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Logan State Park | Logan | Lodge, cabins, campground | No | Bearwallow |
| Twin Falls Resort State Park | Wyoming | Lodge, cabins, campground | No | Pinnacle Creek |
| Pinnacle Rock State Park | Mercer | No (day use) | Not listed | Pocahontas |
| Camp Creek State Park and Forest | Mercer | Cabins, campgrounds | Not listed | Pocahontas (same county) |
| Panther State Forest and WMA | McDowell | Small campground, group camp | Not listed | Warrior, Indian Ridge (same county) |
| Cabwaylingo State Forest | Wayne | Cabins, two campgrounds | Yes, on its Hatfield-McCoy system | Cabwaylingo (inside the forest) |
| Kanawha State Forest | Kanawha | Campground | Not listed | Tornado (same county) |
"Not listed" means the park's own page does not offer ATV riding. State law bars new ATV, ORV and UTV trail systems in state parks and forests, apart from Cabwaylingo and limited connector routes for access to park facilities (WV Code 20-3-3a). Don't ride into a park unless a sign or map shows a route.
Chief Logan State Park
About four miles north of the town of Logan, at 1000 Conference Center Drive. Chief Logan Lodge has 75 rooms and suites, a restaurant, and the park says the lodge is near the Bearwallow Trailhead. There are also three four-room cabins and a 26-site campground, 14 of them with full hookups.
Off the trail, the park has 18 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, a regional history museum, and the Liz Spurlock Amphitheater, which hosts the summer Aracoma Story productions. The park is plain about machines: ATV use is not permitted inside it. Ride Bearwallow and come back by road, or see the Logan town guide.
Twin Falls Resort State Park
Route 97 near Mullens in Wyoming County. The park has a 47-room mountaintop lodge, 14 cabins, a 50-site campground that is open year-round, an 18-hole golf course and a reconstructed pioneer homestead. Trails lead to the falls the park is named for.
ATV use is not permitted in the park. The park's own page points riders to the Pinnacle Creek Trailhead in Pineville, about 15 miles away. See the Pinnacle Creek guide and the Mullens and Pineville town pages.
Pinnacle Rock State Park
On Coal Heritage Road (US-52) near Bramwell in Mercer County. The park is named for a sandstone formation, and the overlook from the top of Pinnacle Rock is its best-known view. It has more than six miles of hiking trails, a fishing lake and wooded picnic areas. There is no lodging or camping. It is a short stop for anyone riding Pocahontas out of Bramwell.
Camp Creek State Park and Forest
Off Exit 20 of I-77 in Mercer County, with nearly 6,000 acres between the park and the forest. It is known for its waterfalls and offers cabins and campgrounds that are open year-round, weather permitting. The park's page does not mention ATV riding.
Panther State Forest and Panther WMA
Near Iaeger in McDowell County, along Panther Creek. The WV Encyclopedia calls it the state's southernmost state forest and notes that most of it became Panther Wildlife Management Area in 2008, with a small recreation area kept as the state forest. Facilities include a six-site campground with electric hookups along the creek, a 60-person group camp, a seasonal swimming pool, a fire tower reached by trail, and a section of Panther Creek stocked with trout in spring.
The forest page lists no ATV riding inside the forest. McDowell County's Hatfield-McCoy systems are Warrior near War and Indian Ridge.
Cabwaylingo State Forest
The exception. The forest covers 8,296 acres in Wayne County, and its name comes from Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln and Mingo counties. The state parks system calls its trail the first Hatfield-McCoy system inside a state forest, open to ATVs, UTVs, 4x4s and dirt bikes. The trailhead sells permits.
The forest also has cabins, the eight-site Tick Ridge campground and the 11-site Spruce Creek campground, where six sites have electric and water. There are nine miles of hiking trails, and trout are stocked in the west fork of Twelvepole Creek from February to May. The Authority's map marks some routes for cabin or campground guests only and some as non-motorized or hiking only, so follow the map and signs. Read the Cabwaylingo system guide before you go.
Kanawha State Forest
Seven miles from Charleston, with 9,300 acres, a campground open April to December, and more than 60 miles of hiking and biking trails. Its page doesn't list ATV riding. It is in the same county as Tornado, the dirt-bike and e-bike system in Kanawha County.
Before you go
- Fishing and hunting in parks and forests need West Virginia licenses, according to each park's activities page.
- Don't plan on parking a trailer at a park and riding out from it. None of these parks list trail access from the property except Cabwaylingo.
- Many riders split a trip: a lodge night at Chief Logan or Twin Falls, then nights in a trail town where you can ride from the door. See Williamson and the trail towns.
Sources
- wvstateparks.com — Chief Logan State Park
- wvstateparks.com — Activities
- wvstateparks.com — Lodging
- wvencyclopedia.org — 1118
- wvstateparks.com — Twin Falls Resort State Park
- wvstateparks.com — Activities
- wvstateparks.com — Lodging
- wvstateparks.com — Pinnacle Rock State Park
- wvstateparks.com — Activities
- wvstateparks.com — Camp Creek State Park And Forest
- wvstateparks.com — Park History
- wvstateparks.com — Panther State Forest
- wvstateparks.com — Activities
- wvencyclopedia.org — 1749
- wvdnr.gov — District 4 Wildlife Management Areas
- wvstateparks.com — Cabwaylingo State Forest
- wvstateparks.com — Activities
- Hatfield-McCoy Trails — Cabwaylingo
- wvstateparks.com — Kanawha State Forest
- WV Code § 20-3-3A
- Hatfield-McCoy Trails August 2025 brochure