Trail anticipating 3 to 5 percent increase in ridership
bramwell — Officials with the Hatfield-McCoy Trail are anticipating a 3 to 5 percent increase in ridership this year.
The spring ATV tourism season is already underway with April and May being two of the biggest ridership months on the trail, according to Hatfield-McCoy Trails Authority Executive Director Jeff Lusk.
The Hatfield-McCoy Trail system extends through nine Southern West Virginia counties. Its trailhead in Mercer County is located near the town of Bramwell.
Lusk said the goal of the trail authority this year is to sell 95,000 ridership permits.
'We believe we are going to see a 3 to 5 percent increase in permit sales this year, and that will break us into hitting 95,000 permits,' Lusk said. 'That would be a new high for us.'
The trail authority had hoped to reach that milestone in 2024, but then the remnants of Hurricane Helene slammed into the region toppling thousands of trees and power lines across the area — while also devastating parts of nearby North Carolina.
Many of the trail system's riders come from North Carolina, but after Helene devastated parts of that state, the ATV tourists from North Carolina were forced to cancel their fall reservations after sustaining storm damage back home.
Despite the temporary drop in ridership numbers from North Carolina, the trail authority still ended the 2024 season with an increase in ridership permit sales.
'All of that stuff was out of our control last year,' Lusk said. 'But the resiliency of our lodging providers to get reopened real quickly was great.'
April and May, followed by September and October, are four of the most important ridership months for the trail system. That's why when Hurricane Helene hit last year, the fall ridership season was adversely impacted.
'It (the trail system) is really weather dependent,' Lusk said. 'What the weather looks like on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. People on Wednesday make that decision to come based upon that Thursday, Friday and Saturday forecast.'
So far this spring, the weather has cooperated and ridership numbers have been impressive, according to Lusk.
'All of our lodges are open, and they seem to be doing really good,' he said. 'The past two weeks have been excellent and we are hoping it will continue.'
Lusk said the ultimate goal of the trail authority is to sell 100,000 ridership permits. And he believes the trail system will reach that milestone.
'That is certainly our overall goal,' Lusk said. 'But your next step to that is 95,000.'
Lusk said the trail system is off to a 'very good start' with the spring riding season. He predicted that area residents will see more and more ATV traffic in the region in the weeks ahead, particularly as the month of May gets underway.
Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
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