Posted 2007-02-03 4:42 PM (#54999) Subject: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
Anyone have any good resources for horse camping in WV. ? It is proving frustrating to find campgrounds ( I have found a few such as Camp Creek). I'd really like to visit Lost River but it does not have horse camping. Shalimar Farm looks great but I didn't spend all that loot on living quarters trailer to shell out $150 a night. Rich.
Posted 2007-02-04 7:21 AM (#55026 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Location: Central Arkansas
We camped and rode at Lost River in 2001 & 2002. There is a private campground adjacent to the park that is less than 1/2 mile past the rental stables. The park RV camp is between the two. We stayed in the private horsecamp with our mules on a pickett line but were also told by other riders that you could stay in either the regular RV park or a cabin as long as your equine were boarded at the stables. The views were spectacular!!!! But, you can ride all the horsetrails in one day. The rental string is driven down the road thru the middle of the horsecamp every evening and then gathered up each morning and driven back down the road to the stables. It was neat to watch. If you call down to the park and ask for the phone # of the adjacent horsecamp/rv camp they will probably give it to you. If not, try calling the rescue squad or feed store since they area good buddies.
Be persistant and talk to several different folks because some of the worker bees don't volunteer anymore info than you can reach in and pull out of their mouth. It took 3 phone calls down to that area before I got the phone # of the private camp. The park wants to rent "their" cabins and "their" RV sites.
Posted 2007-02-04 7:29 AM (#55027 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
Thank you!. I had planned to use Lost River only a night or two then continue on, glad to here the views are good. How would you rate the trails ?. I'd be more than willing to rent from the park if they had facilities, their loss for being short sighted. Rich
Posted 2007-02-08 5:23 AM (#55207 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
Rich, have you ridden on the C&O Canal? How about the bridle paths at Gettysburg battlefield? Those are 2 good places to ride locally and there is a horse stable at a camping facility in Hancock where you can ride the C&O Canal. Let me know if I can be of any help? Happy trails.
Posted 2007-02-08 3:04 PM (#55234 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
Spent plenty of time on both on foot or bike, never taken the horses. Had reservations for Artillery Ridge back in the fall but it was pouring rain and heavy winds so skipped it. If you are referring to Happy Hills I've never been there. Weekend warriors here mostly Michaux, Union Mills, Morgan Run, Little Bennett, etc. Just started into over night stays last year so for now keeping the away trips down to 5-6 hrs driving.Did Graves Mountain and going back. looking at Salt Fork in Ohio and James River in VA. Have a friend with land in eastern TN who has extended an invite to use his place for base camp. Within an hour or so of Great Smokeys, Ashville, DuPont. Working up to it. Laying low with this weather, especially the wind. Brrr.
Posted 2007-02-08 5:27 PM (#55237 - in reply to #55234) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Elite Veteran
Posts: 954 Location: Hagerstown, MD
A local couple that we've recently met have invited us to Michaux as we haven't been yet. They rave about going there and how much they enjoy it. Can't wait to try it.
Happy Hills is the one I was referring to Hancock, MD
I completely understand about the brrrrrrrrrr weather! Biggest worry is keeping plenty of hay out for the horses and making sure they have plenty of water available.
Posted 2007-02-08 8:58 PM (#55254 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
Michaux has become our favorite local destination. Anything you want, lazy logging roads to rock climbing. The maps are fairly useless. You can ride anywhere in the southern section and we have not even been to the northern part yet. The pipeline is great when it's cool. In the summer I've seen it 10 degrees cooler there. Have stumbled across a rattlesnake ( makes for great rollback and bolt).Carry some short pieces of garden hose or half inch pvc pipe to stuff in your horses snoot if he gets bitten, keeps it from swelling shut and buys you some time.Can't get really lost though with so many secondary roads. Ride in any direction and you'll come out on a secondary road within an hour. Terrain can change fast, shod or booted a plus.Once you get out of the parking area rarely see anyone. We travel out of the Teaberry lot. Drop me a line maybe we can hook up ( in more temperate weather).Rich
Posted 2007-02-09 5:17 AM (#55262 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Elite Veteran
Posts: 602 Location: md
Rich, Are you a member of the league.? Also Trail Rider mag is a great source of new and different places to ride. I did an endurance ride at Micheau about 1991.
Posted 2007-02-09 1:28 PM (#55293 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
No, not a member but have checked out the website. The Michaux Madness?. Once a year they also open the park to a motocross rally, trails that are normally not motorized ( any guess as to how I know?)so it pays to check with the park office. Rich
Posted 2007-02-11 8:35 PM (#55413 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 164 Location: Delaware
Does anyone know what happened to Hungry Horse Campground around Ivanhoe, VA? We were planning to go this summer and now can't find anything. Looking for cabin and stall rental.
Posted 2007-02-12 6:34 AM (#55421 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Elite Veteran
Posts: 602 Location: md
It was sold and the folks moved to out west [wy] ?? . I heard they were allowing campers on a limited basis. Maybe the new owners of Hungry Horse re-opened under a different name. It was my understanding they were going to open again.?
Posted 2007-02-12 10:26 AM (#55431 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301 Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland
I'm a Michaux fan...........plus we are members of the League. We got best of both worlds. We ride out of the Teaberry lot 99% of the time too. I'm sure I've talked to you Rich , although none of us know each others names. Alot of our friends are endurance riders and they camp out there once in awhile. Last year we camped out at the Teaberry lot for each major horse race.....Kent.Derby, Prinkness & Belmont. WE had a ball. I've told Deranger that when the weather changes for the better, we should do Michaux. Maybe we all can get together........
Posted 2007-02-12 7:56 PM (#55452 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Keymar,Maryland
Wahoo!! Lets go. I'm sure we've crossed paths. I have a black F350 regular cab and silver DoubleD trailer with black graphics.Stumpy barrel chested pidgeon toed dun quarterhorse, wife on giraffe necked chestnut with 4 socks.
Posted 2007-02-13 8:45 AM (#55477 - in reply to #55452) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301 Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland
Sounds great! We have 2 trailers that we use. A Bison 2h bumpr pull or the Cherokee 3h lqtrs. Truck is a 2000 Chev 3500 dually, pewter color. FYI: I always ride a black roan TWH and the husband rides several of our other horses (not at one time of course) that are a mixed bag of breeds, Arabs, qtr hrses, both, etc......... He decides which one to ride by whoever's been acting like an @s# hole during the week .... that's the one that get's to go on a TRAIL RIDE!.........
I'm sure we will be talking soon.......spring is almost here!
Posted 2007-02-17 11:19 AM (#55733 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Member
Posts: 21
A group of us stayed at Shalimar 2 years ago. It was beautiful and the horse arrangements were great. I found that the riding on their own property was nice but not enough to keep us entertained for 4 days. We ventured into the forest with maps and a GPS. I agree about the cost as we are self contained and don't need a place to sleep, shower, eat, etc. However 4 of us split the cost and that made it more affordable. Another nice thing about Shalimar is the train runs through the property and is really pretty to see. If you are looking for a romantic get away it would be perfect.
Posted 2007-02-19 2:51 PM (#55851 - in reply to #55413) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Member
Posts: 7
Location: church hill,tn
be glad they're closed. you never missed a thing.the people that ran it was horrific!!!
Go to iron mountain campground down the road. its 4 star.
wonderful trails and barns.
dez
Posted 2007-08-13 8:08 PM (#65768 - in reply to #55413) Subject: Hungry Horse
Member
Posts: 18
Location: Laurel Fork, Va from Arcadia, FL
HH was divided up and sold. Try Iron Mountain Horse Camp. It's just up the road from HH. It's clean and the do have a cabin w/ barn. HH was at the eastern end of the NF so you basically had one direction to ride for a while. At IMHC you can ride in all directions. They have a website. I don't live too far from there and have mapped over 100 miles of trails, so far. Ken
Posted 2007-08-14 8:25 PM (#65846 - in reply to #55421) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Expert
Posts: 2958 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by walkin on 2007-02-12 5:34 AM
It was sold and the folks moved to out west [wy] ?? . I heard they were allowing campers on a limited basis. Maybe the new owners of Hungry Horse re-opened under a different name. It was my understanding they were going to open again.?
HH has been purchased and re-opened as Hungry Horse East
It is still my favorite camping spot. There are lots of trails. Not just in one direction as previously posted. You do have to ask for directions/ map and a starting point.
Posted 2007-08-17 11:42 AM (#65990 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Veteran
Posts: 114
the Greenbriar River trail is another great place to ride in West Va. There are several primative campgrounds designated for horses and there are a couple in the National forrests that the triails run though. It is a defunct railroad bed and is very senic.
Posted 2007-08-22 5:28 PM (#66296 - in reply to #54999) Subject: RE: West Virginia
Location: KY
Sorry about hijacking this thread, but isn't one of the Senators from WV leading the anti slaughter charge? Does West Virginia have a feral horse herd? And just how horse friendly is WV?
West Virginia
