Outlaw trails in WV set to be outlawed.

[dnjones161]

Agreed. Intended or not it'll hurt business down there.

And for the record I don't fancy the outlaw trails, but I hate to see what little revenue the area has be cut into by a poorly written rule.

 

[Montecresto]

And for the record I don't fancy the outlaw trails, but I hate to see what little revenue the area has be cut into by a poorly written rule.

Then again, maybe it continues on as it has while protecting the private property rights of neighbors as well. I guess it remains to be seen.

 

[Timmy]

Then again, maybe it continues on as it has while protecting the private property rights of neighbors as well. I guess it remains to be seen.

I live 45 minutes away from The Hatfield and McCoy trail system. I have never ridden it. Too many rules and regulations.

 

[Montecresto]

I live 45 minutes away from The Hatfield and McCoy trail system. I have never ridden it. Too many rules and regulations.

I can appreciate that, nevertheless it remains a hugely popular trail system.

 

[Timmy]

I can appreciate that, nevertheless it remains a hugely popular trail system.

I guess everything has it’s good and bad points.

 

[Montecresto]

I guess everything has it’s good and bad points.

Yeah, true enough.

 

[Dragon21]

I live 45 minutes away from The Hatfield and McCoy trail system. I have never ridden it. Too many rules and regulations.

Do you only ride outlaws? Im wanting to try the spearhead trails soon.

 

[ohanacreek]

I live 45 minutes away from The Hatfield and McCoy trail system. I have never ridden it. Too many rules and regulations.

The overbearing regulation and rules have kept us from making the trip at all. As I have talked with people here that seems to be a general consensus, its 7hours and no one wants to ride there when they can make a 4-5hours trip to TN and not be over-regulated.

 

[ohanacreek]

I am NOT in favor of riders riding on private land, outlaw trails should be punishable just like trespassing and I am in favor of the gov getting 10% of the fine to process it and the landowner whose land you were riding on get the other 90%.

 

[dnjones161]

Then again, maybe it continues on as it has while protecting the private property rights of neighbors as well. I guess it remains to be seen.

Possible, but I know alot of riders from up here in Ohio go down 5-6 hours to ride those trails. All of a sudden they see this news and think twice about a 1000 dollar fine and they may decide to take their business elsewhere, at least until the dust settles and the internet reports how it's being enforced.

I imagine some closer folks will have to test the waters before the people that are putting in a solid days drive to come ride will test it out. Just the optics will be bad for business, at least for a while.

 

[Montecresto]

Possible, but I know alot of riders from up here in Ohio go down 5-6 hours to ride those trails. All of a sudden they see this news and think twice about a 1000 dollar fine and they may decide to take their business elsewhere, at least until the dust settles and the internet reports how it's being enforced.

I imagine some closer folks will have to test the waters before the people that are putting in a solid days drive to come ride will test it out. Just the optics will be bad for business, at least for a while.

Well sure, if people are getting fines like that but aren’t actually tresspassing, or if the illegal trails aren’t clearly and positively identified, then it will be a failed effort. I know that the National Forest is very cut up in the Mulberry Arkansas area with lots of pockets of private land. Trails have been made across some of that private land and people have received fines for being on them. The problem is most of the illegal trails aren’t identified on the ground or on the trail system maps and it seems quite unfair that people are being ticketed on them.

 

[elkaholic]

I just got home from Gilbert, WV riding Rockhouse system and some of Devil Anse. I spoke with quite a few local folks about this issue including the owners of Twin Hollow Campround who run a sxs tour company.

Universally (including by local government officials who asked not to be named) I was told that the issue is that folks have been utilizing HM trails then riding past “Trail Closed” signs onto active mining sites and/or active haul roads. In the last year or so, there have been several significant accidents that have resulted in injury / death and the HM Authority and mine operators are pushing this bill to put a bit more bite into riding off of HM trails past trail closed signs or mine company signs denoting no ATV / UTV / Fourwheeler access. The law has been written broadly to include all active (or bonded) mine areas so that it is clear that the legislation does not merely apply to the HM trail right-of-ways.

Part of the issue has happened on the Rockhouse system with folks trying to get to an old play area overlooking Twin Hollow Campground which has been off limits for several years due to active mining.

I asked the tour operator specifically about the vagueness of the pending legislation as they run a tour that covers 125 miles of which maybe 25 are on HM ROWs. He stated that he has been assured the the so called outlaw trails that do not abut to HM ROWs are not impacted nor are they intended to be closed unless the landowner has the entrance gated or posted.

I took the comments as a positive sign but was still concerned about enforcement of trespassing laws.

I allegedly might have ridden some gravel and dirt surface county roads and two tracks on Sunday and may have enjoyed those trails a metric s*** ton more than the official HM trails we ran Saturday (though I will say that trail 97 on Rockhouse turned us around - only safe way up a ledge section was to pull cable and use all my straps and 50’ winchline extwnsion - tipping here would have been a 300 foot roll down the side of the mountain). I saw two no trespassing signs on Sunday that I honored and one mining company sign stating no ATV / UTV traffic that I also honored (though it was clear to me the mine had ceased operations for at least 5-6 months).

In summary, I do not believe the bill is written well and does leave a lot of room to start a slippery slope. On the other hand, Southern WV derives a significant part of their economic activity from off highway motorized recreation and I do not think the local governments will allow the wider interpretations to occur over the long-term. I am unclear on the short term.

Picture proof that I was in the area from Sunday (pardon the helmet hair)



This one is from near a cemetery later on Sunday (near KY/WV line)



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Choogsbro]

Omg that’s cool. You still have it, what a great memory that’ll be!

So I gat the axle fixed, cleaned the carb and got her running. Still some fine tuning and cleaning to do.

 

[Choogsbro]

Axle fix

 

[Choogsbro]

 

[VaHillbilly]

I live 45 minutes away from The Hatfield and McCoy trail system. I have never ridden it. Too many rules and regulations.

I dont blame you man, I accidentally rode HM once as the group I went with decided to park and ride those trails. They are AWFUL!! I believe they are/ were set up for city ppl who have bought there first "off road vehicle"and want to get dust on it. Some trails were .5 miles long some maybe afew miles all had just been carved out by the d5 dozer we passed several times riding circles on the same small trails and were so smooth you could drive a little Subaru or something on them. The black or "rough" trails were only so because they climbed a hill and had ruts in them. It was the most boring 26 miles in a while day I've ever spent. A wasted day riding and I didnt realize there was such a thing but try those trails and there is. The "outlaw" trails have to be some of the best riding in the country. They deserve a shot to some of you who question riding w.v. h*ll holler at me and I will guide you around some of em. They were made by locals and maintained when everyone's tires roll over the rough spots smoothing them out or blazing a new trail when one gets too deep or worn out. That's how riding is supposed to be IMO, not stinking "jeep" trails that dont challenge or push your skills. Cant get better at anything riding included if you never challenge yourself. It doesnt always have to be balls to the wall dangerous either. I take my family to the same trails and the beauty of them is there is almost always a way around if you dont want to try something hard. Wheeew Well feel better after blowing that steam off lol

 

[MDsxs100-5]

Thats how the mining companies were. As long as you didn't interfere with the mining sites it was looked past. But mining its picking up and people are going places they shouldn't. There have been instances where people have been almost run over by mining equipment, and people going into the mines as well. Not long ago some kids got trapped in a mine trying to steal stuff. (they were locals and not out of towners there to ride).

Im sure some of these trails are on a families private property. But from my understanding most of it is Mining company land.

I was just there riding the trails last weekend and the owner Of Wagonwheel told me a story about some riders going somewhere they shouldn’t. Supposedly the foreman at mine set explosives in drilled holes to blast (they do coal strip mining around outlaw trails) and went back to sound alarm and blast when he looked down a group of 6 rzr rider staring into the hole with explosives in them. Those are the idiots that are going to spoil activities for everyone else.

 

[MDsxs100-5]

Here in Colorado the "Stay The Trail" laws are strongly enforced but the rectal ports...

That is the first time I have seen that term used... I live it LOL!!?

 

[Montecresto]

Those are the idiots that are going to spoil activities for everyone else.

Yup......

 

[Carlatvr]

Hey I have extra rear end for that trizinger if needed

So this is a 1985 trizinger I bought new for my son for his 3rd birthday. I still have it. Him, his wife, my 5 year old grand daughter, and my 3 year old grandson are visiting for Easter. The rear axle is broke but I think I have a fix for it. I hope to have it ready to go when they get here.

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