The 175 dollars was from my posting--that is on average what the person spends when hitting the trails at H-M (on permits, food, lodging, etc.). 35000 passes a year at 175 bucks per head is over 6 million dollars a year! Gilbert West Virginia is the main hub of the trail system-has a median household income of 29000 bucks and 417 residents-seems that over 6 million dollars would be a boost! I am aware that not all that money is spent locally when people are traveling 10 hours to get to the trails, but the big portion is!

Anyhow...I guess that everyone has their own opinion about what an "impact" is...and it seems that beergut aims high in my opinion but I would guess that most places across this great country would take the dollars for land that is already there anyway!

 

(EDIT- I was messing around for about an hour with this post before it made the board so I was surprised to see the 2 posts below)
HF&MC is just one system. It happens to be the biggest on the East Coast and the area of the trails for the most part doesn't connect with anything. It really is in the middle of nowhere and some of these trails are goat paths on the sides of mountains with no external access. I am sure that there are a few that would pop on but not many. There is so much land that those trails would probably be avoided by the locals since there are too well groomed in some cases.

Case in point I will be there in May for 5 days, there will be 6 of us.
300 in passes - Directly to the state less the piece the seller gets - local area gets a %
400 for lodging - Local business gets the coin
500-600? Food - Again locals get the coin
250 or so Beer - local place in town sells it

Less the trail passes that is about 1200 dollars for the 6 of us.
So we are spending 200 per person not inc the trail pass.
This is a cheap trip (not inc fuel and food on the way down and back)
at 200 per person so here is the math using the base number of 35,000 visitors
35k X 200 = 7 million
35k x 50 = 1.75 million

While we are down there we will be on 2 trail systems (about 150 miles) and will also hit the spot where the locals ride "The Outlaw Trails" (free)

Point being is the locals have their areas that are wild while visitors spend 99% of the time on the marked trails and roads. When you are down there you never get off your quad and spend your coin within 5 miles of your home base so all the money stays in the area.
*********************************
Here is a little demographic info and a link to the blog that talks about the effect the trails have had on the area.
- Nice little story about some new proposed development with some background info.
Hatfield-McBlog

Table 4: Per Capita Income, 1995-2004
Year USA WV HF&MC Counties
1995 $23,076 $17,727 $14,724
1996 $24,175 $18,445 $15,291
1997 $25,334 $19,243 $15,987
1998 $26,883 $20,226 $16,629
1999 $27,939 $20,729 $16,758
2000 $29,845 $21,899 $17,495
2001 $30,574 $23,261 $18,649
2002 $30,810 $24,002 $19,340
2003 $31,463 $24,515 $19,684
2004 $33,090 $25,792 $20,842
Source: Regional Economic Information System,
Bureau of Economic Analysis
BEA : Page Not Found
Isolation
Part of the economic problem in the Hatfield~McCoy Trail System area is its relative isolation. Figure 5 reflects this. Even though West Virginia is the second most rural state in the nation with about 52 percent living outside of urban areas, for the study counties it is over 80 percent rural. While corridor G (US119) has partially reduced the effects of isolation and added employment opportunities in the area, the problem of economic
isolation will continue to affect the region until additional remedies can be applied.

 

I would stop far short before speculating that HM generates 7 million dollars per year- my guess is that's not even close- it's much much lower... I'll start pulling some research in and doing some math on my lunch break- To assume 35 thousand people are spending $200 each to ride HM I think is way too high, maybe some pay more, and others less- but I would guess way more pay less then that- I'd say maybe just under 3/4 of those riders show up with fuel bought from their home town, a 5 gallon gas can already filled, a cooler full of their own food and gear- ride a day or two and head home- spending no money at all except on "passes" and I'm sure a good precentage of those riders don't even pay for passes.

Which is exactly what I'm doing in may- when 5-6 of us head out for 3 days of riding up north- the only money I'll be spending the entire 3 days on the trails will be on interstate tolls- if any and $30 to pitch a tent at big rock campground for 2 nights. The 30 gas & food will be coming from my house, 4 hours south of the trails.

but the real task is figuring just how much is given back to the local community- since the only money that matters is the revenue funneled back into the local economy- that's where you can determine what- if any, HM contributes to the overall town(s) budget.

 

right off- I have to call foul on your math.

Assuming HM logs in 35k passes yr (I've yet to verify that)
You make no mention of whether it's the $26.50 resident permit or the $50 non- resident permit... that's almost a 50% difference in price right there.
So- you cant realistically say 35k passes x $175- that's just not good science. Your assuming too many variables. It shouldn't be too difficult to find out what the exact figure is that HM generates in revenue and funnels back into the community- it's public information I think...

 

hmm-
After reading the HM economic impact final report I'll have digress from my original stance- it is impressive what the HM system has created in that area and does seem to have contributed greatly...

Hatfield and McCoy Trails - Economic Impact Study Report : For a West Virginia Vacation, Atvs Off Road, Riding Trail and Dirt Bike Tours call TrailsHeaven.com

 

The ares where we go hit H-M is very very poor area with slightly more than coal mining to do as work--all of the land used is private property that has been mined and reclaimed and now used with permission from property owners-if you have land that is good for nothing else, someone else does all of the maintainance, policing, and work--you are a fool as a community or a landowner not to welcome any money that people are willing to spend.

I have read the impact study online-probably the same one you gave the link to (I didnt actually follow your link)- Something that you have to keep in mind is that the report is from 06---The numbers (I would definitely guess) have grown even from that report!

I am from Ohio and have three riding areas that are within an hour and a half drive from my house and we still did half of our riding at H-M (5 hours from home) for a couple reasons--1. The trails are better maintained 2. The people look at you as a tourist rather than an outlaw (like Ohio) 3. The hospitality is unbelievable...the locals will talk your ear off and do anything for you while you are there.

 

Snowmobiling is more organized, they ride on groomed smooth snow covered trails and with high tech suspension and can ride faster. There is a 100 mile loop we sled on, when we do it in the summer on atvs its takes twice as long with the trail being much rougher ,your filthy and your much sorer.

Just do not think ATVing touring will ever catch on like sleding, also lakes and swamps are not a deadend to snowmobiles.

 

ya- but it's way too cold. I hate having to dress up in 4 layers and all that gear just to ride- under 40* and I start crying like a little bitch some guys I used to ride with sold their atv's for sleds and were always trying to talk me into doing the same... now all of'em are selling their sleds looking to get back on atv's

I guess having both would be ideal- but I would chose atv over sled any day- but I'm not so much of a fan of any winter sport anyway...

 

On the ATVing side of things ,I ride a sled 3 months a year and then its parked while the ATV is out 9 months a year and there are no $200 snowmobile club fees for using the same trails as the snowmolibe ride on in the sled off season.

 

Ok, we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.