Wood County Commission receives briefing on Mountaineer Trail Network

A sign is shown on a trail at Mountwood Park. The park is planned to be part of the Mountaineer Trail Network, spanning 15 counties in northern West Virginia. (Photo by Art Smith)

PARKERSBURG — The Mountaineer Trail Network, in northern West Virginia, will offer free recreational opportunities for everyone, especially hikers, mountain bike riders and boat users.

Trails at Mountwood Park in Wood County and North Bend State Park in Wood and Ritchie counties are under consideration to be part of the network of anchored trails, said Chris Swarr, president of the Wood County Parks and Recreation Commission, with others yet to be determined. Ultimately, the network will cover 15 counties, including Wood, Doddridge and Ritchie counties.

Swarr also said the network will consist of state and private trails. “It’s going to be a series of the best non-motorized trails in Northern West Virginia,” he said.

Swarr said the network will be closely modeled after the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, a series of five to 10 individual trails in southern West Virginia.

Senate Bill 317, signed into law by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in 2019, set the tone for what the Mountaineer Trail Network could become. It’s an effort to build tourism around an existing trail complex involving Mountwood Park and North Bend State Park.

Swarr spoke to the Wood County Commission about the network last week.

“I was really surprised about the amount of people partaking in this (using the trails),” Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said. “The more they improve the trails, the more people will use them.”

According to a press release, the goal is for the network to become the best non-motorized trail in the eastern United States. The press release said the Friends of the Cheat has been awarded $1.1 million to start the network by the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Power Initiative.

Friends of the Cheat spent 20 years restoring the Cheat River watershed and helps provide recreational opportunities in the area. Also involved is Down Street Strategies of Morgantown, an environmental-based recreational firm.

According to the press release, the benefits beyond recreational opportunities include:

* Inclusion in a large-scale branding and marketing effort to try to bring non-local, overnight visitors throughout the U.S. to the area.

* Assistance with funding and long-term planning for trail maintenance to ensure the trails stay world-class.

* Liability protection for private landowners participating once they enter a contract with MTNRA.

The document sets a goal of finalizing operating procedures in 2022 and having an executive director in place by 2024.

Another goal for trail and tourism planning involves reviewing each county’s trails and tourism assets, conducting inventories, preparing for finalist trail networks and providing targeted business assistance to get the area ready for large-scale tourism from 2022 to 2024.

In 2024, they are looking to enter into executive agreements with landowners to recognize from four to eight trail systems.

As far as branding and marketing goals for 2022 to 2024, they look to create brands and marketing materials for the network and build out an interactive web presence for the network, consisting of designing, procuring and installing signage and other print materials for recognized trails.

And finally, in 2024, organizers want to start designing their first order of Mountaineer Trail Network merchandise, plan and implement opening events at each recognized trail center, and open the network for business.