Coal Heritage Trail
West Virginia
Map
Byway Details
- Designation
- National Scenic Byway
- Length
- 153 mi in West Virginia
About Coal Heritage Trail
The Coal Heritage Trail is a 152.7-mile National Scenic Byway in southern West Virginia, also designated a West Virginia State Scenic Byway. The route links a long string of communities, beginning near Bluefield and running through towns such as Bramwell, Northfork, Keystone, Kimball, Welch, Pineville and Mullens before continuing north through Sophia, Mount Hope, Glen Jean, Thurmond, Oak Hill, Fayetteville and Ansted to Hico. September is a comfortable time to drive it. A nearby weather station at Bluefield records typical averages of a 76°F high and a 53°F low that month, with fewer wet days than any other month. Summer runs warmer, with July highs around 81°F, while winter averages drop to around 40°F in January. The byway passes close to a cluster of rock climbing and hiking spots, including 2 Bridge Buttress and the Cliffside Trail. Paddlers can look to Elkhorn Creek, about 0.2 mile from the route, and Dunloup Creek, about a mile away.
Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 64–81°F and lows of 38–60°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Bluefield, WV weather station, 1 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan40° high22° low
- Feb44° high24° low
- Mar53° high30° low
- Apr65° high38° low
- May72° high48° low
- Jun78° high55° low
- Jul81° high60° low
- Aug80° high59° low
- Sep76° high53° low
- Oct64° high41° low
- Nov53° high30° low
- Dec44° high26° low
Where it is
- Towns along the route
- Bluefield · Brush Fork · Bluewell · Bramwell · Maybeury · Northfork · Keystone · Vivian · Kimball · Welch · Pineville · New Richmond · Itmann · Mullens · Corinne · Rhodell · Helen · Sophia · Crab Orchard · MacArthur · Mabscott · Sprague · Prosperity · Bradley · Mount Hope · Scarbro · Hilltop · Glen Jean · Thurmond · Oak Hill · Fayetteville · Ansted · Hico
Source: USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- 2 Bridge ButtressRock climbing0.1 mi
- Bat Cave BoulderRock climbing0.1 mi
- Cotton BottomRock climbing0.1 mi
- Slitty Titty BoulderRock climbing0.1 mi
- Jaws BoulderRock climbing0.1 mi
- Cliffside TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Rend TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Bridge Buttress Extension TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Loop TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Bridge TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Elkhorn CreekCanoeing0.2 mi
- Dunloup CreekCanoeing1 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)
