Logan: Hiking Trails, History and Trails

Chief Logan State Park offers hiking trails, guided elk tours and fishing. There are also museums and historic sites, motorized trails, and winding motorcycle routes along the country roads of Logan County. This makes it possible to explore Logan with a range of travel interests in mind. When planning your stay, you can focus on nature experiences, cultural history and rides as separate priorities.

Hiking, Elk Tours and Fishing

Chief Logan State Park covers 4,000 acres and offers 18 miles of accessible hiking trails. The trail distance is a useful reference point if hiking is to be a major part of your trip. Guided elk tours share information about elk management and West Virginia’s growing elk herd. They begin at Chief Logan Lodge and include 2- to 3-mile routes. Tour dates are seasonal; check the current schedule before your trip. Chief Logan Lake is also part of the park’s offerings: it is regularly stocked with trout and catfish. This gives you several distinct options: hiking, a guided activity with seasonal dates, and fishing.

Cultural History and Historic Exhibits

A Kanawha Class 2700 locomotive remains on display at Chief Logan State Park. The Museum in the Park is a regional cultural center for West Virginia history and the arts. It features changing exhibits as well as artwork and historic objects from the collections of the West Virginia State Museum and the State Archives. A permanent exhibit is devoted to the Buffalo Creek disaster and includes archival news footage, interviews and photographs. Changing presentations sit alongside a historical subject that is covered on a permanent basis—two distinct ways to explore the museum for travelers interested in art and history.

The Hatfield McCoy Museum is located at the last home and refuge of the feuding patriarch “Devil Anse” Hatfield and displays original relics from the feud and Appalachian culture. A bridge at the site was built by Devil Anse himself. The property also includes a family well associated with the making of moonshine. These architectural and historical features add specific details about the property to the museum objects. The historical drama “The Aracoma Story” is also connected to Logan. It is about Shawnee people who lived at the present-day site of the city of Logan.

The Devil Anse Homeplace & Museum is home to the “Eat’n with The Hatfield’s” food truck, which serves meals to visitors during their visit. Check before your trip whether this option is available on your dates.

Motorized Trails and Motorcycle Routes

The Braveheart Trail System is in Logan County and offers ATV, UTV and dirt bike riders a scenic riding experience. It uses the same parking area and trailhead facility as the Rockhouse Trail System—a useful reference point when comparing the two system names. Braveheart is also connected to the Town of Man, where riders have access to fuel, food and lodging.

The Bearwallow Trail System is near Logan and offers scenic landscapes, challenging trails, and access for ORVs, ATVs, UTVs and off-road motorcycles. At the Bearwallow trailhead, there is a parking area of more than 2 acres, a staffed trailhead and restrooms on-site; permits and merchandise are also available there. At Braveheart, the shared facility with Rockhouse is a practical reference point; at Bearwallow, the proximity to Logan and the trailhead amenities are specifically noted.

For motorcycle rides, the country roads in Logan County offer more than 1,000 miles of winding mountain routes with scenic overlooks and historically significant places. This is a different focus from the motorized trail systems: here, the emphasis is on road routes, mountain curves and views. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you would rather ride on country roads or trails.

Explore more destinations: Chapmanville, West Logan, Summers, Fayette County, Greenbrier, Putnam County, Kanawha, Mineral County.

For the broader travel overview: West Virginia.