My friend and I stayed with ATV Black Bear Lodge March 19-21, 2005. The weather was beautiful. The trails were awesome. The lodging was excellent. Jerry and Lisa were very nice and knew all the answers for us. They got our permits ready. Jerry met us in the town of Man at about 1:30am when we got there and led us back to the lodge.
The lodge we used - the small one - was basically a new double wide type trailer witha huge porch. It had a a complete kitchen, full bathroom, and two bedrooms. The two bedrooms were small and had a set of bunk beds and a cot in each. For the amount of time we spent at the lodge, it was perfect. The lodge was very clean, and organized. A washer/dryer is also included. For security, Jerry has what appears to be "anchor chains from the Titanic" cemented into the ground in front of the lodge. The other lodge right next door has a huge metal rail with chains. We supplied our own locks as per Jerry's policy. The parking area sits between the two lodges and is wide and mostly flat with ample room to turn a trailer and park numerous vehicles. Motion lights ring the parking area. An pad is provided with a hose to clean the quads.
The lodge itself is located in the small community of Bruno, WV, about 3 miles south of the Town of Man. It is very quiet and close knit. The lodge is located about 2 miles from trial access. Riding through the community will put you smack on trial # 10 near a gas collection point. Trail # 10 is the main north-south trail of the Browning Fork Trail System.
The trails themselves are not easy to describe because they are so vast. I can't tell you how many times I just stopped and looked out over the valleys as I was riding along. I was on a 2004 Honda foreman 450 ES. The machine was flawless on the trails. We enjoyed the blue and green trails, but felt the blues were the most fun. We were and still are novice ATV riders, but gained confidence quickly and had a blast. We enjoyed the blues the most because they were a little challeging, but not too diffcult. They were generally only the width on one ATV, typical of normal ATV trails. The greens were easy, but some sections were also a challenge going between one level on the mountian to another. The greens were mostly gasline roads or typical logging roads. We only went on one black trial - most difficult- #28 - and only to the very top of the mountain - then went back down the way we came. Interesting point about our hosts: We wanted to find the rock formations that this trail is famous for - so we called Jerry and he said to use trail #28, but to be careful because it was a black trial and only to go to it from a certain direction. We went outside to warm up the quads - and Jerry was there in two minutes - I guessed he felt guilty about sending two rookies off to their deaths on a black trail - he confirmed exactly that a minute later, lol - I could tell he was uncomfortable with us, at our skill level, on the black trail he had told us about, so he came to warn us.
a minute later we were off to the trails. From the lodge, it takes about 5 minutes or less to get on # 10. No lined roads are used. People along the way waved to us, as we were going slowly along the roads.
The first day, we drove down to Gilbert for Lunch at Annies (I think) and had a wonderful cheeseburger with some guys from NJ. We then gassed next to the local Police at the pumps at Speedway. They were friendly. We went back up onto the trials and rode the rest of the day, coming out of the trails before dark at the rockhouse trail head. The ride from the trials into one of the towns is the longest, rockiest part of the day. The actual trails themselves are a joy to ride. We went 61 miles on day 1. Day two we did the same thing - except no lunuch in Gilbert as we had to leave to go back home. We did 30 miles on day two.
Jerry stated that since he didn't have a group coming in that night, we could stay a little leter before we left - I thought that was nice of him. We packed up everything and left around 2 pm. Jerry and Lisa were cleaning and had made sandwiches - they gave me and my buddy a sandwich each for the road. We read the comment book at the lodge and added our own. Then headed home. Before we did, we stopped at the little Bruno Post Office and sent post cards to our buddies that backed out of the trip. We rubbed a little genuine Hatfield McCoy mud on the cards for them to sniff.
Cost for the adventure was $26 each for in state annual permits, $63.00 per night lodging, about $90.00 gas to get there and back, and about $ 50 each for food. Per person overall - Approximately $184.00 each. I consider it an excellent value - epecially since I have the permit now, so dont have to pay again until next year.

Things to do while in Man:
NOTHING, lol - I mean it - ride like crazy all day. Wash the quad, eat - sleep - ride more next day - if you are looking for a place to take the wife and kids while you ride - good luck. Night life here means tuning in the gospel hour on the AM radio.

Places to eat: We ate at Two Sisters in Man - kinda a pizza joint, variety menu - Excellent food!!!! We also ate at Annie's in Gilbert - also excellent food!!!!

You won't believe:
1) How cheap everything is
2) How nice everyone is - even the people at the gas station. they even speak english as a first language here.
3) How much absolute barren wooded wasteland there is here


Bottom Line: If you have an ATV - you owe yourself a trip to this place. It'll cure that adrenalitis!!!

 

Pete-

Thank you for the update and ride report. Hatfield McCoy is an awesome place to ride and I can hardly wait to go back for our annual trip to ATV Heaven next week.

Ride safe and ride often!