CLAY, W.Va. — A visitor center and more than four miles have been added to the 73-mile Elk River Trail in central West Virginia, according to state officials. The visitor center will open at a public open house in Dundon, near Clay, on May 21.
Dillard Price, acting chief of W.Va. State Parks, said the visitor center and trail extension projects are significant improvements that build on the resources of a park near the state’s capital, Charleston, which has a population of more than 200,000.
“The opening of the Elk River Trail headquarters marks a major milestone in our mission to enhance the visitor experience while honoring West Virginia’s rich industrial heritage,” Price said. “By providing a central hub for trail information, local history and essential amenities, we are making it easier than ever for hikers, bikers and history enthusiasts to explore the region’s beauty.”
Ken Tawney, president of the Elk River Trail Foundation, said the trail improvements are vital to the valley’s economic growth. The valley enjoys remarkable interstate expressway access and boasts remote, rural scenery and a parallel water trail.
“This is big news,” Tawney said, “and I think its economic impact is already exceeding expectations.”
Tawney referred to a study commissioned by the foundation that found spending on the park over the next decade would generate nearly $390 million in regional economic activity.
“Implementation of these and other strategies is expected to cost just more than $4 million over the next 10 years,” Tawney said. “However, the economic impact associated with new tourist activity in Clay, Sutton, Gassaway, and Clendenin is much more substantial.
“Elk River trail towns could reasonably anticipate $250 million in new sales activity over the next 15 years. This spending would generate nearly $390 million in regional economic activity, supporting 195 full- and part-time jobs across different sectors of the economy.”
Elk River Trail Visitor Center to include museum, gift shop
The new trail visitor center was designed to resemble a train depot and sits near the historic junction of the Elk River Railroad and the Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad, which now hosts rail-bike rides.
Price said the facility will serve as a visitor hub, house a museum, exhibit space, a superintendent’s office, and a gift shop featuring West Virginia-made products, and will operate from early spring to early fall.
Dundon developed in the early 1900s along the Coal & Coke Railway at the mouth of Buffalo Creek. Like many mountain communities, it declined as coal production and rail traffic fell after World War II. Today, it is best known for its position on the Elk River Trail, where former railroad routes and the historic Dundon railroad bridge have been repurposed for hiking and biking, reflecting the region’s shift from industry to outdoor recreation and heritage tourism.
Elk River Trail extended to historic Clendenin
At the same event, the addition of another 4.3 miles to the trail extends the route to Clendenin, a 20-minute drive from downtown Charleston. Price said the effort to extend the trail was an excellent example of intergovernmental cooperation for social and economic benefit.
“This acquisition is a significant win for West Virginia’s growing rail-trail system and a testament to the power of strategic partnerships,” Price said.
“By adding to the trail, including the beautifully developed section through Clendenin, we are providing visitors with more seamless access to the scenic Elk River. We are proud to work alongside the Town of Clendenin to ensure this stretch remains a premier destination for outdoor recreation.”
Through an Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation grant for $1.5 million, the state was able to extend the ready-to-use trail along a bed owned by the Elk River Railroad from Mile Post 89.7 at Queen Shoals to Mile Post 94 in Clendenin. The new section includes a mile of paved trail to Clendenin as well as several existing park benches and a gazebo.
The state entered into an agreement with the Town of Clendenin to operate, maintain, and patrol this new section, and will provide support while the day-to-day operations will be administered by our partners in the town.
West Virginia’s state parks and forests admit more than seven million people each year, consist of 36 parks, nine forests, and three rail trails, and are managed by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, a division of the West Virginia Department of Commerce.
The new Elk River Trail headquarters, located at 12 Buffalo Creek Road, invites the public to attend an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Find out more about the Elk River Trail.