2009 Hatfield-McCoy TrailFest Report

We arrived in Gilbert, WV on Friday, Oct. 9 and were immediately impressed with how well they were organized. In a town with a general population of just over 200, they sure know how to make room for a couple of thousand ATVers.

Vendors and Demo Rides

The vendor area was already hopping with many different types of vendors such as Kenda ATV Tires, Tucker Rocky, Logan Motor Cycles Sales, Polaris, Kawasaki and many more. There were even demo rides available at the Yamaha, Can-Am and the KTM booths throughout the weekend.

Onsite Amenities

Onsite Amenities for Participation Pass holders included limited access to the Larry Joe Harless Community Center, which provided indoor restrooms, showers and locker rooms.

Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll likely find it in the vendor area.

TrailFest Events

We immediately looked over the schedule of events and started planning our weekend. TrailFest events this year included:

To top off all the events, there were also many different kinds of entertainment and special events going on.

You can bet that nobody will forget about this wedding for a long time.

The Wedding

Richard Lafferty and Cindy Shriner were married in the mud pit just before the races on Saturday night. Not planned prior to the event, it was still a huge success in the end. That was the second wedding, according to my source, that has taken place at TrailFest. There was one last year as well. However, it took place out on the trail. I wonder if this is becoming a trend with TrailFest.

The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System

Of all the events and wonderful things going on, the trail system still seemed to top the list for the weekend. Besides, what is an ATV Trail Festival without awesome trails on which to ride? The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System definitely had that covered with some of the best off-road trails in America. I am not alone when I say they are some of my favorite trails on the east coast.

When you come to Hatfield-McCoy, fueling up is as easy as riding your ATV to the nearest gas station.

One of the reasons this place tops my list of favorite places to ride is because it is so ATV friendly. I love being able to pull into town, park my jeep and trailer, unload my RZR and ride it anywhere I want to go the rest of the time I am there. I can go get gas, get something to eat, do a little shopping and then head right back out on the trail without ever leaving my RZR behind.

Types of Trails

They have all kinds of trails for everyone from easy to difficult to suit every type of rider from beginner to extreme. They are all very well marked and can be followed easily even by the newest of riders. They had everything from single dirt bike tracks to open-share areas, which were open to everyone including jeeps, horses, hikers and others.

You don’t have to far to find a place to get muddy.

The trails were very UTV-friendly as well. I met riders on everything from dirt bikes to sport quads, to utility ATVs and a wide variety of side-x-sides. We rode all the way from Gilbert to Man and never had any trouble whatsoever in our Polaris Ranger RZR.

Manners on the Trail

The rider etiquette I found with almost every group I met on the trail also impressed me. They were great about letting you know how many riders were following them all the way to the last one in the group.

ATV Friendliness

Not only are the local laws very ATV-friendly, so are the people. Everyone seems genuinely happy to have ATVers there. The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System has had a massive impact on the economy of Gilbert and nearby communities and topping that list is the Annual National TrailFest.

Nearly 500 ATVs and UTVs took place in the TrailFest parade this year.

This year was no exception. Even though it rained on and off Friday and Saturday, there were still over 2,000 people in attendance for the 9th Annual Hatfield-McCoy National TrailFest. Every one of them I asked about next year said they could not wait to come back again. Me either.

Gilbert, WV October 7-11, 2010

Start now making your plans and reservations for the 10th Anniversary of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System and National TrailFest, which promises to be even better including all the things they had this year plus some great new ones.

Views like this make you want to come back again and again.

To find out more about the 2009 and 2010 TrailFests, please visit the official Web site at TrailsHeaven.com.

Remember: Wherever you ride, always TREAD LIGHTLY, leaving the area the same or better than you found it.