Heading out to the Wagon Wheel tomorrow. (Updated with pics)

Finally got a ride together to check this place out. Leaving early in the morning and riding Tuesday and Wednesday. Staying at the Sleep inn at Princeton. Been wanting to check this area out for a long time. Sorry I missed the ride with BobbyD this weekend. Just didn't work out. I'll take some pics.

BobbyD, is Peach ridge in the H/M trails or not. I've checked out Mapsource Topo and I'm assuming the stairsteps are at the end of the road at Crumpler. There is about 5 or more trails that come together there. Are the Wagon Wheel trails on the left side of the road heading towards Crumpler, and the H/M on the right? and what about the trails from there heading north towards Pinnacle creek. Are they H/M trails or not? Just trying to figure out how the two areas are separated. Can ya help a brotha out?

Have a good Trip Marty.......

I thought i was the only one retired around here.
seems you got plenty of free time your self.....

Chris..... :D

ChrisC wrote:

Have a good Trip Marty.......

I thought i was the only one retired around here.
seems you got plenty of free time your self.....

Chris..... :D

I work 14 days a month Chris. That gives me 16-17 off.

Have fun Marty. I wish we could of road this weekend. However, the wife was not up for the trip..

Have ya a good'un!! Take us'uns sum pikturs!!

wvyankee2 wrote:

ChrisC wrote:

Have a good Trip Marty.......

I thought i was the only one retired around here.
seems you got plenty of free time your self.....

Chris..... :D

I work 14 days a month Chris. That gives me 16-17 off.

That a hell of a deal Marty.
Thats the kinda job everyone wants.
Have Fun wish i was going.....

wvyankee2 wrote:

Finally got a ride together to check this place out. Leaving early in the morning and riding Tuesday and Wednesday. Staying at the Sleep inn at Princeton. Been wanting to check this area out for a long time. Sorry I missed the ride with BobbyD this weekend. Just didn't work out. I'll take some pics.

BobbyD, is Peach ridge in the H/M trails or not. I've checked out Mapsource Topo and I'm assuming the stairsteps are at the end of the road at Crumpler. There is about 5 or more trails that come together there. Are the Wagon Wheel trails on the left side of the road heading towards Crumpler, and the H/M on the right? and what about the trails from there heading north towards Pinnacle creek. Are they H/M trails or not? Just trying to figure out how the two areas are separated. Can ya help a brotha out?

I just got home at 7:30pm from riding Fri,Sat,Sun & Monday I have over 300 photos & videos I'm working on getting on the net.

PM sent!!!

Well just got home from the Wagon Wheel. Rode 2 days with Offroad Bob and had a great time. Thanks BobbyD for keeping in touch and offering to come back and ride with us. We hooked up with 2 locals and a North Carolina regular on day one and they took us for a 35 mile ride up Pinnacle creek to Bud and back. It was more about the drinkin than ridin but we appreciated their hospitality. Here is a pic of Roger, Dave,Bob, and Captain Jack.





Wagon Wheel trails are called the outlaw trails because they are the ride for free trail system outside of the Hatfield/McCoy trail system near Indian Ridge. At Wagon Wheel "Anything goes" is the best way to describe it. No Rules. It is a very cool place that has many places to camp on the trail in rental cabins, and also has Bars and restaurants right on the trail itself. Imagine Bar hopping while offroading Remember to drink responsibly folks, these trails can be very dangerous. More on that later. Here are some pics of the Bars and restaurants on the trail.

The Wagon Wheel... Place to eat and get Gas.






Riders Paradise....Bar and restaurant complete with Pool table for your trail riding break.






Crazy Rays....this is the newest bar to open. Remember these are not in town folks. They are on the trail.







The Pinnacle Diner........at Pinnacle campground. A little place to get some grub.







Now for some riding info and pics. One of the highlights of the Wagon Wheel trails are the "Stair Steps". These are a series of hill climbs that are in 4 stages each about 75 yards long. You go up one and level out and then another and another, and then the last one.. ......we did not do the last one. You go up to a guard rail and then have a very off camber situation over to the parking area, or a extremely steep climb to the right of it that we have been told no utility Quad has ever made it up. A local says lots of people gather on the weekend nights to drink a little and watch people try to conquer this obstacle. I'm sure BobbyD has been there for that. Here are some pics of the stair steps. I tried my best to get pics that show the true size and steepness of the hill but you know how that goes in Pics. . Here are the pics.



Getting ready to go up the second step.





Looking up the third step.





Looking back down the second step.







At the top of the third step deciding what to do..........We went back down The hill behind is a good 60 degrees and the one infront you cant see is the guardrail....pic is next.









The top of the Guardrail...........got to see it to really believe it. People jump over the guardrail








A better view of the last Step to the right of Guardrail.







And the Ashland Company store.









In summary. This would be a great place for a SouthernsxsRiders official ride. The overall experience would be hard to beat. This place being the southernmost in WV would not be too much farther for most people than Windrock or Bell co. An extended stay of 3 days or more would really make a nice get together. I say we get this one on the calendar at some point in the future. We rode about 90 miles in 2 days and only scratched the surface of the trails available. Members like BobbyD and Roameer i'm sure would be glad to guide a ride for us. I give the place a big

Great report with pictures too

GREAT PICS AND REVIEW !!!!

joints on the trail? That's insane!! And I thought E KY was a crazy place!

The hills ...................

Great review Marty.......
Set it up. lets plan a trip there before Christmas.
I am ready. I am always ready.

We can stay as many days as you want.
I got no where to be , and you have no where to be 14 days
each month.......

Chris.. :D

Why didn't you guys climb that last hill and jump the guardrail?
No BS, that looks really steep. I would like to see someone climb it before I would attempt it.

This is the area I do most of my riding in, very good write up but you have only just hit the tip of the riding there. I have been going for 7 years and always see new trails when I go. As for the stair steps that area you are looking at is the new side, the original stair steps are washed out and in BAD BAD BAD condition and were 7 levels.

As for the guardrail, they really do jump it. And for those who haven't been there isn't much room to land!

ChrisC wrote:

Great review Marty.......
Set it up. lets plan a trip there before Christmas.
I am ready. I am always ready.

We can stay as many days as you want.
I got no where to be , and you have no where to be 14 days
each month.......

Chris.. :D

Chris this place is about 3 hours and 140 miles from my house. It takes about 2 hours to go the first 115 miles and another hour to go the last 25 miles. It is a very doable trip for me but I am booked for the rest of this year. I was thinking about a large group ride in the spring or summer next year. If you or anyone else wants to go there this year give BobbyD, Roameer or Neuromax a shout as i'm sure they will be back there this year.

Airborne LT wrote:

Why didn't you guys climb that last hill and jump the guardrail?
No BS, that looks really steep. I would like to see someone climb it before I would attempt it.

Actually the hill up to the guard rail is very doable Chris. The problem is what you do when you get to the top. From the top over to the level parking area is extremely off camber and if you roll it would be very bad. Like over 300 yards to the bottom possibly.

Neuromax wrote:

This is the area I do most of my riding in, very good write up but you have only just hit the tip of the riding there. I have been going for 7 years and always see new trails when I go. As for the stair steps that area you are looking at is the new side, the original stair steps are washed out and in BAD BAD BAD condition and were 7 levels.

As for the guardrail, they really do jump it. And for those who haven't been there isn't much room to land!

Yes, here is a zoomed in pic from afar of the top of the original Stair Steps. It is to the right of the ones they use now.

Here is what it looked like before it was washed out




And here is one looking from the bottom in the snow

Nice job Yankee......wow that place looks like a real gas!!!!!!!

Marty, if you are looking for someone in spring.......I am in!! I plan on taking leave to WV in April. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to make Colorado next year. Maybe the year after if I am lucky. I will definitely be in for a two-day excursion to WW though.

Nice pics Neuro. Man that was sweet back then.

that is crazy the before and after pics......

Been to most of those spots. Saw a few ATV's go over that gurad rail. Saw some good attemps and saw one guy bail off and he was fine. The ATV rolled for a long time before stopping. Did not look good. Lots of damage to it... An on stander said it was a week old. This area is great to ride. Have rode there a few times. Stayed at the KOA. they have been great so far..... We have always delt with Amanada. She always takes care of everything. My sportsman did not want that last step either.

wvyankee2 wrote:

ChrisC wrote:

Great review Marty.......
Set it up. lets plan a trip there before Christmas.
I am ready. I am always ready.

We can stay as many days as you want.
I got no where to be , and you have no where to be 14 days
each month.......

Chris.. :D

Chris this place is about 3 hours and 140 miles from my house. It takes about 2 hours to go the first 115 miles and another hour to go the last 25 miles. It is a very doable trip for me but I am booked for the rest of this year. I was thinking about a large group ride in the spring or summer next year. If you or anyone else wants to go there this year give BobbyD, Roameer or Neuromax a shout as i'm sure they will be back there this year.

Hell Marty every where i go is 3 to 4 hours away....
kentucky is 5 hours and a hafe. but i still go. you mean a guy that dont work
but 14 day a month is booked up all the way til christmas.... :D
I cant belive your not going to go on any group rides til after christmas....

it ant right if Yank ant there.....

I am out of the country now and am heading to Utah in late September. I am up for a ride maybe in late October or November. I ride with Neuromax and agree that you would have to ride for months to see alot of the "outlaw" trails. In my opinion riding gets no better than this part of WV.

As for the top part of the stairsteps going to the guardrail -- that area is easily doable on almost any ATV. I've seen 300cc Honda Utility ATV's do it. I have never seen a Rhino do that hill. The off-camber will be fine as long as you have enough speed. Go too slow or stop and you will roll. I would not try it on my Rhino since the 660 just does not have enough power. There are a few long hills in that area that I have topped at full throttle barely moving. I figure it's just a matter of time before I try one that just stops the Rhino due to lack of power/low enough gearing. I've rejetted which helps but I really wish it had another 20hp!

Glad you met Captain Jack. That one good arm of his is incredibly strong. It amazes me at what he can do with one arm (he's a sheetrocker!). Captain Jack knows the trails well. Early next year I plan on trying to get him to guide a group to Kentucky or Beckley from the Wagon Wheel area.

I'd be glad to guide a group around the area. I recommend a group staying at the KOA. Nice cabins and clean restrooms. I have a RV at Hilltop Escape approx 4 miles from the KOA. A good ride would be to Welch one day (Welch is 35 miles from KOA and takes over 15 creek crossings each way); to the Tressles/Mini-stairsteps another day, and various other areas on other days. I've done 162 miles in a day on my ATV in that area and that was with no repeating trails and staying mainly on the Outlaw trails. I tend to ride my Can-am Outlander most but would really enjoy more SxS dominated rides. Bringing family members would be a bonus...