...they'd probably say something about people coming to West Virginia on vacation. Back during the Hatfield McCoy feud in the late 1800s, people just didn't come to our part of Appalachia for recreation. And now it's the adventure ATV capital of the mountains. Go figure.

A lot has changed.  Burning Rock's off road trails were connected to a war zone 100 years ago.  Now, we're an ATV playground. And what makes coming here to ride even more fun is knowing a little bit about the history of the area.

The Hatfield McCoy Feud

Some people say it all started with a pig. Others say it started before that, during the civil war. One thing is certain: if there had been an ATV or two on those Hatfield McCoy trails, the whole thing would have ended a lot sooner.

West Virginia had sided with the North, Kentucky with the South during the war between the states. A river separated them (not the New River Gorge, but close). Tensions ran high between the Kentucky sided McCoys and the West Virginia sided Hatfields through the war, but settled in relative peace for 13 years after it.

Without getting into all the details, the McCoy patriarch, Ran'l McCoy, accused his brother-in-law Floyd Hatfield of stealing his pig. They eventually squared off in court, and the Hatfield side won.

That was enough to start the shooting. The McCoys retaliated. Devil Anse Hatfield, by most accounts a friendly, jovial peacemaker, was compelled to feud hard against the equally hardened McCoy clan.

The war in the West Virginia mountains lasted for almost 15 years, and left 13 people dead between the two sides. The Hatfields and McCoys now have an annual picnic in the area. Both sides get together for a day of family gathering and horse shoes.

Then And Now

Who knew that the area would take off? Hatfields? McCoys? ATV manufacturers? Off road trails enthusiasts?  Visitors?

The real answer is no one. The New River Gorge was discovered by white water rafters and became a gem in the crown of recreation for the state of West Virginia.

Lucky for us. The ATV vacation is taking shape just like the white water vacation did 20 years ago. It's hard to say, but riding the off road trails in Hatfield McCoy country here at Burning Rock is so fun, it might have stopped a feud.