Bloody Mingo
Tug Fork Water Trail
The Bloody Mingo Tug Fork River Water Trail is sponsored by Coal Heritage Area Authority, Friends of the Tug Fork River, Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce, Tug Valley Area CVB, Williamson Parks & Recreation, and Williamson Health & Wellness Center. It is recognized by the State of West Virginia as a certified water trail.
BE AWARE AND USE EXTREME CAUTION around a low head dam in the river on the upper end of the City of Williamson at river mile mark 76.9. This dam causes an inescapable drowning hydraulic. Review mapping carefully and avoid the dam. DO NOT, under any circumstances, try to cross the dam!
Cellular phone service ranges from excellent to nonexistant on the river. Location and service provider both play a role.
Fishing licenses are reciprocal with West Virgina and Kentucky on the Tug Fork. Either license allows fishing in the river and from either riverbank.
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Trip B-2
Trip B-2 begins the Bloody Mingo Water Trail. It starts at the Ben Creek Access and ends at Glen Alum Access.
This short (2.4 mile) but enjoyable float features great fishing. Put in and take out are both in West Virginia on river right.
The river drops an average of 9 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-3
This 6.4 mile trip is very remote with an impressive rock formation, Slick Rock, observed on this stretch.Takeout is on river left (Kentucky) where Knox Creek joins the Tug Fork.
The river drops an average of 8 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-4
Trip B-4 runs from April's Landing, on river left in Kentucky, to Beech Creek Access, on river right, in West Virginia.
At only 0.9 miles in length, this is a short but enjoyable float featuring a long stretch of pool water. Because of the short length, this trip can be paddled back to the point of access or takeout at Beech Creek.
The river drops an average of 8 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-5
There is great fishing on this 2.5 miles of river. Takeout is river left just before the railroad trestle.
The river drops an average of 7 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-6
Expect lots of pool water with alternating class 1 rapids during this 4.1 mile trip. This area offers great fishing for Smallmouth and Catfish.
The river drops an average of 6 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-7
Two sets of shoals start this 1.7 mile trip before a long pool of water. Because this is a short stretch, the float could be extended to Thacker, WV (2.9 miles) or Hatfield McCoy Park (6.4 miles). This part of the river features great fishing for Spotted Bass and Catfish.Takeout is on river right where Grapevine Creek joins the river.
The river drops an average of 4 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-8
Trip B-8 runs the river from Grapevine Holow to Thacker Hollow. Both access sites are river right, in West Virginia.
Shoals with pools toward the end of this 1.2 mile float offer good opportunities for Catfish and Spotted Bass. Takeout is just after a class 1 rapid.
The river drops an average of 4 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-9
Trip B-9 is from Thacker Hollow, on river right, in West Virginia to Hatfield McCoy Park, on river left, near McCarr, Kentucky.
Put in is just downstream of a class 1 rapid at Thacker and takeout is 3.5 miles later, just downstream of Blackberry Creek. This float features shoals mixed with pools of water.
The river drops an average of 4 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-10
Trip B-10 leads paddlers from Hatfield McCoy Park, on river left to Matewan Mini Park, on river right.
This is one of the easier and most historic sections of the Tug Fork to float. It is 3.3 miles and goes through the Historic Town of Matewan, WV. An alternate takeout is at Hatfield's Hideout Campground (1.6 miles) on river left.
The river drops an average of 3 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-11
Many pools of water with occasional shoals are along this 4.9 mile stretch, with some areas great for panfishing (Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Rock Bass).Takeout is on river left at the large beach area between double 90 degree turns in the river.
The river drops an average of 3 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-12
Trip B-12 begins at Burnwell Beach and continues to a portage takeout just above a low head dam in the City of Williamson. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE DAM! TAKEOUT IS MANDATORY!
This is an easy float with many pools of water. Anglers have a chance at musky in this area. The MANDATORY takeout is on river right at a brown metal piling wall. Hang to river right as you approach the takeout. THIS DAM CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS DROWNING HYDRAULIC ON THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE DAM!
The river drops an average of 2 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-13
Trip B-13 begins in Williamson near the 2nd Ave bridge, just downstream of the low head dam. Takeout is at the Goodman Access Site.
Park in the grassy area between the Williamson Water Plant building and the flood wall then follow the sidewalk under the 2nd Ave bridge. This is a 3.7 mile float to Goodman that can be shortened with takeouts at South Williamson (1.4 miles) or Gracieland in West Williamson(2.2 miles). It is mosly long pools of water with a couple shoals along the way. You will pass under a few bridges and view flood walls that protect Williamson, WV and South Williamson, KY. Takeout is on river right.
The river drops an average of 2 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-14
Multiple pools of water with good fishing for Spotted Bass and Catfish are contained in this 3.1 miles of river. Put in and takeout are both on river right (West Virginia).
The river drops an average of 2 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-15
This 2.5 mile float is mostly pool water along with some scenic sights including the Nolan Toll Bridge (1.7 miles), the Big Creek railroad trestle (1.9 miles), and the old Nolan sand plant dam (1.9 miles) with takeout on river left. The old Nolan dam has has been notched to allow safe passage of small watercraft, no portage is necessary.
The river drops an average of 2 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-16
Featuring a mix of Bass and Catfish fishing, this 6.3 mile trip is mostly calm water. Alternate takeout locations are located at Mt. Sterling (3.1 miles) on river left and Maher (4.1 miles) on river right.
The river drops an average of 2 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Trip B-17
There is mostly calm water, with a few shoals, on this 7.4 miles of river. Trees in the river result in mixture of Spotted Bass, Catfish, and the occasional Musky for our anglers to try.
Warfield is the end of the Bloody Mingo Tug Fork River Water Trail.
The river drops an average of 2 feet of elevation per mile on this trip.
Tug Fork Access Distances.pdfTug Fork Access Distances.pdfThe outdoor recreation industry is a large and growing business in the United States. Of the three states in the project area, out-of-state visitors to Kentucky spend 4.35 billion on outdoor recreation trips, in Virginia out-of-state visitors spend 6.42 billion on outdoor recreation, and in West Virginia out-of-state visitors spend 4.4 billion of outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation in Virginia generates 197,000 direct jobs, 120,000 direct jobs in Kentucky, and outdoor recreation generates 91,000 direct jobs in West Virginia. (Economic Impact of Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Industry Association, December 2017).
These numbers are promising and present many opportunities for expanding the outdoor tourism industry in central Appalachia. Water trails offer a new and unique way to engage and attract tourists whether they are fishing, paddling for exercise, or engaging the entire family in float trips. In An Economic Argument for Water Trails (River Management Society, October 2015) the case is made for developing water trails as an economic development activity. While no comprehensive national study on the impact of water trails has been done, the report cites an economic impact study of the 104 mile Huron River Water Trail which hosts 103,000 paddlers each year with an economic impact of $50 million. The study also cites other benefits of water trails such as increased environmental awareness, local participation in environmental monitoring and debris removal, and creating “amenity rich” communities that attract new residents.
Paddling sports, which includes kayaking, canoing, and stand up paddle boarding are quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in the country. The American Canoe Association is one of the nation’s largest and most active paddle sport nonprofits has over 30,000 members and over 300 Clubs and Affiliates across the United States and abroad. A report, The 2015 Special Report on Paddlesports, issued by the Outdoor Foundation (outdoorfoundation.org) showed that paddlesports are on the rise, again setting a record for the number of participants, 21.7 million Americans, 7.4 percent of the population participating in paddling sports in 2014. This represents an increase of more than 3 million participants since the study began in 2010. Additionally, paddlers averaged 7 annual outings in 2014, up from 6.8 the year before and collectively, paddling participants made nearly 216 million outings.
The development of the Tug Fork River as a water trail presents many opportunities for attracting a new population to the mountains in addition to providing more outdoor recreation opportunities for those already coming, encouraging them to stay longer and to increase economic activity.
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