OVERVIEW

Black Bear Island on the lower Greenbrier River in Wild and Wonderful Summers County WV. Fishing, Camping, Boating, Relaxing is waiting for the new owner of Black Bear Island.  The property is approx. 25 acres +/- of private property and only 10 minutes to shopping.

HIGHLIGHTS

• 25+/- acres, 3000+/- feet fronting on the Greenbrier River
• Large Island and 2 small islands
• All mineral rights convey*
• Access via deeded 10-foot Right of Way
• Area offers unlimited soft recreational activities including rafting, camping, golfing, fishing, swimming, hiking, bird watching, nature viewing, rock climbing and snow skiing
• Unique backwater slough habitat offers exceptional wildlife and plant diversity
• Near the Mon NF, 5 State Parks, New River Gorge NP and 2000-acre Bluestone Lake
• Dark skies with little or night pollution for star and planet gazing
• Nice views of the river, and distant mountains
• Water loving wildlife includes sport fish, blue herons, wood ducks, mallards, raccoons, geese, turtles, bullfrogs, egrets, crayfish, muskrats, newts, and salamanders
• Abundant fur bearing species of deer, squirrel, rabbit, black bear, chipmunk
• Winged wildlife includes eagles, hawks, owls, buzzards, ravens, wild turkey, and Neotropical songbirds
• Elevation approx. 1519 ft. to 1524 ft.
• Direct frontage on the Greenbrier River perfect for anglers and water recreation enthusiasts
• Landline phone nearby
• Low taxes, low population density

DIRECTIONS

From Alderson, West Virginia: 2.6 miles +/- (approximately 10 minutes) From the Greenbrier County side of Alderson going pass the Big Wheel Restaurant towards Pence Springs on State Rt. 3. The property is approx. one-half mile past the East Clayton Road entrance. Property is on the left side of Route 3.

From Hinton at Exxon Station in Bellpoint/Hinton West Virginia (25 mins) Head southeast on WV-3 E/Greenbrier Dr, continue to follow WV-3 E 5.2 mi, turn left onto WV-12 N/WV-3 E (cross the Willowood Bridge, towards Talcott) and travel 12.9 miles. Property is on the right.

LOCATION

Bing Coordinates: Location (long, lat): (-80.672866, 37.719357)
Location (UTM 17N): (528831, 4174727)
Address: Off RT 3, Alderson, WV 24910; No 911 address is assigned to property without structures.
Elevation Range: About 1519 ft. to 1524 ft. +/-

THE SURROUNDING AREA

The water enthusiast will enjoy living on the Greenbrier River and the benefit from nearby New River, 2000-acre Bluestone Lake, Bluestone State Park and Pipestem Resort. The area offers unlimited soft recreational activities including white water rafting, golfing, fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching and rock climbing and snow skiing at the Winterplace Resort and Snowshoe Resort.

In 10 minutes, you can catch the Amtrak train in Alderson and ride to the Greenbrier Resort, Chicago or New York City. The Greenbrier Valley airport, with the longest runway in the state, is just 40 minutes away and has daily flights to Chicago O’Hare and Dulles-Washington DC.

Black Bear Island is supported with a great community known for its friendly residents and laidback lifestyle. The largest and most popular 4th of July day parade in the state is hosted by nearby Alderson. The sleepy town of Alderson is a 10-minute drive and amenities include churches, elementary school, pharmacy, hardware/farm supply store, motel, bank, Dollar General, Family Dollar, gas/convenience stores, medical clinic and restaurants. Alderson is also home to “Camp Cupcake”, the minimum-security federal prison where Martha Stewart spent her vacation.  The 14,000-acre BSA High Adventure Camp is about an hour’s drive.

WILDLIFE

The mixture of mature forest, emerging forest, surrounding farm fields, old fruit trees, coupled with the abundant water supply from the Greenbrier River, create the perfect wildlife habitat. The “edge effect” created between, river, fields and forest is the textbook habitat for the resident wildlife. The edges create a miles long wildlife food plot. The hardwood forest produces tons of acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts and soft mast. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, squirrel, raccoon, fox and many species of songbirds, eagles, owls and raptors make up the resident wildlife population. It is hard to find a property that has a better mix of wildlife as there has been little or no hunting pressure for many years.
The river is a major contributor to the local ecosystem richness and diversity for both plants and animals. Great fishing is found in the Greenbrier River with small mouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bluegill present in good numbers.

The river and its surrounding aquatic plant life create a water supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. Much of the margin of the river is fringed by wetlands, and these wetlands support the aquatic food web, provide shelter for wildlife, and stabilize the shore of the river. The plant life associated with the wetland includes rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed, bee balm and algae.

There are many animals that live in the water and around the edges of the river and slough including raccoons, opossums, blue herons, bald eagles, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, minnows, fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrat, beaver, bull frogs, and redwing blackbirds.
Of course, there is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, water skaters, water beetles, damselflies, hellgrammites, tadpoles and various insect larve.

WATER RESOURCES

THE GREENBRIER RIVER 
Black Bear Island has an abundance of water resources, anchored by the 3000+/- feet of frontage on the Greenbrier River and 3000+/- feet of frontage on the Backwater Slough adjoining State Route 3, which provides the excitement of life on one of the nation’s great wild rivers. The focus of a vast outdoor-recreation destination, it flows undammed out of the lofty Alleghenies, attracting anglers, paddlers, and naturalists from across the globe.

BACKWATER SLOUGH HABITAT
The property is blessed with an old river channel sometimes referred to as a backwater slough (slew) or oxbow. The slough formed where the old channel of the river once flowed but now only flow in times of high water. Sloughs offer quiet backwaters and therefore, add immensely to the wildlife diversity. During a flood, water levels rise and fill the slew with fresh water. Once the river returns to normal levels, the water in the slough remains.
Some of the most common plants in these areas are cattails, water lilies, arrowheads, duckweed, sedges and rushes.

The slough is a hotspot for bird watching. Several species may be seen visiting including Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Heron, Great Egret, Great Horned Owl, Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, and many species of Neotropical songbirds.

In addition to the birds, the slough is a favorite habitat for migrating duck, otter, beaver, muskrat and geese. Some of the best fishing on the river can be found in the slough. Fish that arrive during river flooding become captive once the water recedes. They can grow very large feeding on abundant food sources consisting of minnows, muscles, snails, hellgrammites, crayfish, worms, algae, duckweed and various aquatic plants.

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the US that has two ownership titles, those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS. A title search for mineral rights ownership has not been conducted. All rights the owner has will convey with the property. A mineral title search could be conducted by a title attorney at the same time when the surface title search is being conducted.

BOUNDARIES

The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: Well will need to be drilled
Sewer: Septic system will need to be installed
Electricity: None
Telephone: Available nearby
Internet: Available via DirecTV, HughesNet, Dish Network or Cellphone 4G
Cellphone Coverage: Good

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property is accessed by a right-of-way from State Route 3 and also by the Greenbrier River.

ZONING

Summers County currently has no known zoning or subdivision regulations. However, all prospective buyers should consult the County Government and the Health Department for any changes and details regarding zoning, building codes, and installation of water wells and septic systems.

DEED AND TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: Deed Book 240 Page 44
Summers County, West Virginia
Acreage: 25 acres +/- (3 Islands)
Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Summers County (45), West Virginia
Talcott District (7)
Tax Map 9 Parcel 34
2018 Real Estate Taxes: $554.74

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Summers County School District
Due to the property location, Summers County Schools may be available.
Public Elementary Schools:
Talcott Elementary School
Public Middle School:
Summers County Middle School
Public High School:
Summers County High School

THE GREENBRIER RIVER

The lower Greenbrier River possesses the excitement of life on one of the nation’s great wild rivers. The focus of a vast outdoor-recreation destination, it flows untamed out of the lofty Alleghenies, attracting anglers, paddlers, and naturalists from across the globe.

At 162 miles long, the Greenbrier is the longest undammed river left in the Eastern United States. It is primarily used for recreational pursuits and well known for its fishing, canoeing, kayaking and floating opportunities. Its upper reaches flow through the Monongahela National Forest, and it is paralleled for 77 miles by the Greenbrier River Trail, a rail trail which runs between the communities of Cass and North Caldwell.

It has always been a valuable water route, with the majority of the important cities in the watershed being established river ports. The river gives the receiving waters of the New River an estimated 30% of its water volume. Over three-fourths of the watershed is an extensive karstic (cavern system), which supports fine trout fishing, cave exploration and recreation. Many important festivals and public events are held along the river throughout the watershed.  The Greenbrier is formed at Durbin in northern Pocahontas County.