Camp Cloverlick on the Greenbrier River

A two-bedroom cabin on more than nine wooded acres, Camp Cloverlick adjoins Seneca State Forest and the Greenbrier River and overlooks the Greenbrier River Trail. The cabin is a drive of approximately 30 minutes from Cass, Marlinton, and Snowshoe Mountain Resort. This property borders the 12,884-acre Seneca State Forest.

OVERVIEW

On the Greenbrier River near Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Camp Cloverlick includes a two-bedroom cabin on more than nine wooded acres adjoining Seneca State Forest. Ideally suited as a retreat, it is located in one of the most remote-but-accessible mountain regions in West Virginia.

Designed to provide an exceptional view of the valley, the village of Clover Lick, and towering Cloverlick Mountain, the cabin includes two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a two-level, open-plan great room that includes a kitchen and dining and living areas. The living area opens onto a large deck that accommodates additional living space. A level patio area, a parking area, and a flagstone-lined fire ring are also located alongside the cabin. A gated, graveled drive leads up to the cabin from the river and Clover Lick Road.

The property is principally wooded in oak and hickory with a planting of maturing white pine near the cabin. Several young red spruce, usually found in forests on the mountain tops, have seeded themselves near the cabin. The woodlands that extend upward and to either side of the cabin ascend into the unbroken forest that mounts the summit of a Thorny Creek Mountain, much of which is part of the 12,884-acre Seneca State Forest. The lower slope of the property is likewise forested but also includes the country lane that extends into the state forest and a section of single-lane Laurel Run Road, a paved county route that provides easy access to the property.

The property extends for more than 300 feet along the Greenbrier River, a popular fishing and kayaking stream renowned for its pristine character. A five- minute walk from the cabin, the 77-mile Greenbrier River Trail is an increasingly popular hiking, bicycling, ski-touring, and horseback-riding route that follows the river from near I-64 at Lewisburg to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.

Camp Cloverlick is central to the region’s outstanding tourist attractions, including Cass Scenic Railroad, Green Bank Observatory, and the Highland Scenic Highway. The Pocahontas County seat at Marlinton is a drive of fewer than 30 minutes from the cabin, and other remarkable attractions such as Watoga State Park, the Falls of Hills Creek, Droop Mountain Battlefield, and Cranberry Glades Botanical Area are a drive of less than an hour from the cabin.

ATTRIBUTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Two bedrooms, one bathroom
• Adjacent to 12,884 acres of Seneca State Forest
• Two-level great room with living, dining, and kitchen areas
• Sunset-facing deck with a view of valley, river, mountains
• Cathedral ceilings, oak-paneled walls
• Casement windows accommodate air circulation
• Electric baseboard and wood stove heat
• Kitchen with multiple shelves
• Gated, graveled driveway
• Sloping forested property
• Frontage on Greenbrier River and Laurel Creek Road
• Dark-skies area ideal for stargazing
• Five-minute walk from Greenbrier River Trail
• Five-minute walk from the cabin to the river
• Half-hour’s drive from Pocahontas County seat at Marlinton
• Half-hour’s drive from Snowshoe Mountain, Cass Scenic Railroad, Green Bank Observatory
• Hour’s drive from Falls of Hills Creek, Watoga State Park, Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park
• Hour-and-a-half drive from expressways I-64 at Lewisburg and US-48 at Elkins; two-hour drive from US-19 at Summersville, I-81 at Staunton, Va.
• Private airfield nearby at Green Bank; public airport with flight service at Lewisburg

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 38.330901, -79.967560
Address: 103 Clover Lick Road, Huntersville, WV 24934
Elevation Range: 2,280 to 2,520 feet above sea level

CABIN

Built in 1991 by the current owner, the 20-by-30-foot Cloverlick Cabin was designed for practical comfort. The cabin includes two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a two-level great room that includes kitchen, dining, and living areas. The living area opens onto a large deck that accommodates outdoor living space. A wood stove and electric baseboard heat keep the cabin warm in winter, while air-conditioning has never been needed in summer thanks to the wooded hillside environment. The cabin is plumbed and drained, though owners and their guests have opted to bring water to the property on their visits rather than rely on a well, spring, or cistern. Located 80 feet above the level of the Greenbrier River, the cabin is well above the flood zone.

• Kitchen/Dining 10 x 11
• Living Area 10 x 18
• Bedroom 10 x 12
• Bedroom 10 x 12
• Bath 6 x 7
• Deck 35 x 12

Total Interior Living Space = 600 square feet

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the U.S. that have two ownership titles, those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS. The coal, oil, and gas of the properties have been reserved in prior deeds of record.

UTILITIES

Water: Owners carry water to the cabin, which is plumbed. A well could be drilled.
Sewer: Septic
Electricity: Available (Mon Power)
Telephone: Available (Frontier)
Internet: Available (Frontier)
Cellphone Coverage: Unavailable in National Radio-Quiet Zone
Solid Waste: Countywide waste removal program

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

Laurel Run Road (County Road 1/4) follows the Greenbrier River along through the lower end of the property. A paved, one-lane route, snow removal is provided through winter to provide access for public school bussing.

ZONING

Pocahontas County currently has no zoning outside of corporations and flood zone areas. However, all prospective buyers should consult the county government and its health department for any changes and details regarding zoning, building codes, and the installation of septic systems.

DEED AND TAXES

Deed Information: Deed Book 369 Page 378
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Acreage: 9.885 acres +/-

Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Pocahontas County (38), West Virginia
Huntersville District (6)
Map 1A Parcel 1; CLOVER LICK

Total 2017 Real Estate Taxes: $242.40

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Pocahontas County School District

Public Elementary School:
Green Bank Elementary School

Public Middle School:
Green Bank Middle School

Public High School:
Pocahontas County High School

HISTORY OF CLOVER LICK

A quiet village that boasts no more than a score of dwellings, Clover Lick was once a bustling little lumber town on the Greenbrier Railroad. Four sawmills operated in the community in the early 1900s. From about 1905 until 1910, the DeRan Lumber Co. operated a mill on Clover Creek near its mouth on the Greenbrier. The operation extended a spur railroad with at least nine miles of track along the creek westward into the valley between Cheat and Cloverlick mountains. Shortly thereafter, the F.S. Wise & Sons opened a mill at Clover Lick near the mouth of Laurel Creek and timbered the forest eastward toward Thomas and Sitlington creeks.

In 1924, the West Virginia Game and Fish Commission purchased a 10,847-acre tract on Thorny Mountain east of the community, which, in cooperation with the Raine Lumber Co., began to develop the first West Virginia state forest, named for the Seneca of present-day New York. Seneca war parties traveled through the region on a warpath now known as the Seneca Trail to battle southern tribes in the Carolinas. The state built a fire tower on Thorny Creek Mountain in 1924 and built the first public campground in West Virginia there in 1928.

Following the Great Depression, timbering operations, and activity in the village at Clover Lick gradually decreased, and in 1978, after several decades of disuse, the railroad’s right-of-way was transferred to the state as a recreational trail. Since then, historic sites along the trail, such as the depot at Clover Lick, have been restored. Many buildings in the village maintain their historic character, notably the general merchandise and surrounding homes.

CLOVER LICK GEOLOGY

Camp Cloverlick overlooks a remarkable landform celebrated by scientists as well as sightseers—an isolated, broad valley regarded for its scenery. In the 1929 West Virginia Geological Survey report for Pocahontas County, geologist Paul H. Price noted: “It is this writer’s interpretation that the Greenbrier River formerly circled the knoll west of Clover Lick but later captured itself by cutting a channel across the point where the town of Clover Lick now stands. This is evidenced by the old river channel surrounding this knoll but now occupied, in part, by Cloverlick Creek and Glade Run.”

As a result of its level character, the lick was a favorite wayside for pioneers, who would camp and graze livestock there during their travels across the Alleghenies into Kentucky. A salt spring, or lick, attracted deer and elk to the area. A palisaded fort was located in the valley in the mid-1700s.

Overlooking the valley above the ancient channel, the cabin enjoys an exceptional view not otherwise available along the Greenbrier River—a vista that extends westward some five miles to the peak of Cloverlick Mountain, which ascends to 4,248 feet above sea level, among the highest elevations in the Allegheny Mountains in the eastern U.S.

SURROUNDING AREA

POCAHONTAS COUNTY AND THE UPPER GREENBRIER RIVER

SNOWSHOE SKI & RESORT

Welcome to Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia’s Premier Adventure Destination

Here at 4,848 feet above sea level, we live by the rules of the mountain… Sometimes that means calling in sick on a fresh powder day or fist-bumping complete strangers… Always it means answering loud and clear when the Mountain is calling. A summary of the history of Snowshoe Mountain includes; When Thomas “Doc” Brigham laid his eyes on the Cheat Mountain and Back Allegheny in 1972, he saw more than just a couple of mountains that had been logged barren. His vision was Snowshoe Mountain, a resort that over the years since it is opening in 1974 has become one of the East Coast’s top resorts for winter fun.

Much has changed here at Snowshoe Mountain since opening day on December 19th, 1974. Today our beautiful village has just about everything you could need up here on the mountain, but back then there were only a couple of buildings. The Shaver’s center, the old pump house, a water treatment plant, and dorms for employees. At that point there was not a place for guests to stay, and the closest spot to lodge was over forty minutes away in Marlinton. Ed Galford, now our Vice President of Operations, was here back then in the 74/75 winter season as a snowmaker.

“That was the thing, we had a great resort but nowhere for guests to stay.” Galford said.

In 1976 a local businessman, Fred Burford, took over the business and changed everything with projects that focused on the importance of lodging and the importance of expanding ski areas.

“We had a big growth year, we built the Powder Monkey lift, we expanded the water facilities for making more snow, we built Timberline and Spruce Lodge, which are both gone now,” Galford said, “We built Shamrock, Treetops, and Leatherbark, which are all still on the mountain today. All of that appeared within a one and half year period.”

But interest rates were high back then, and in the mid 80’s the resort went back to the bank for a couple of years. When Japanese developer, Tokyo Tower Development Company Limited, purchased the resort in 1990 they had bought Silver Creek, once a rival resort from across the mountain. They built the golf course; they bought the inn at the bottom of the mountain and most importantly they brought skier visits up to 450,000 a year.

Real change began when Intrawest purchased the resort in 1995. They added snow tubing and night skiing at Silver Creek and built the first terrain park. Intrawest began phase one of Village construction and opened Rimfire Lodge in 1999. After that, the Village expanded rapidly into what it is today. Now we are embarking on another exciting time for the resort, as we enter into new ownership yet again. Snowshoe and our sister Intrawest resorts became part of an even larger family of mountains in 2017 with Alterra Mountain Company. And the buzz at 4,848 feet is that the future of Snowshoe Mountain is brighter than ever.

Estimated drive times to Snowshoe

Charlotte, NC – 6 hours
Charlottesville, VA – 3 hours
Columbus, OH – 5.5 hours
Lexington, KY – 6 hours
Pittsburgh, PA – 4 hours
Raleigh, NC – 6.5 hours
Roanoke, VA – 3 hours
Richmond, VA – 4 hours
Washington, DC – 4.5 hours

CRANBERRY GLADES/NATURE CENTER

The Greenbrier River is one of the longest untamed rivers in the eastern U.S. From source to mouth, it flows 162 miles through some of the most scenic lands in eastern West Virginia, descending out of the loftiest mountain forests through some of its most beautiful bluegrass farms. The stream is a favorite destination for anglers and paddlers and is ideal for light tackle and fly fishing. The river in Pocahontas County is traditionally stocked with trout once in February and once every two weeks in March, April, and May. Because it is undammed, the river benefits from a lack of motorized river traffic. Much of the upper river is too shallow to accommodate deep-draft boats, to the benefit of kayakers and other recreational paddlers.

GREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL

A five-minute walk from the cabin, the Greenbrier River Trail follows the upper Greenbrier River through Clover Lick. The trail is an increasingly popular hiking, bicycling, ski-touring, and horseback-riding route that extends more than 77 miles from near I-64 at Lewisburg, in the south, to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, in the north. Especially on weekends, the trail-access parking area at the Clover Lick depot may be busy with recreational enthusiasts. The trail was named by Backpacker magazine one of the top ten hiking trails in the U.S. The depot is also a popular river launch site for kayakers and canoers. At less than a 1% grade, this trail is perfect for families.

Take your family on a bicycle ride – forget the city, the traffic, and the rush. Relax, enjoy the scenery and the wildlife here in Pocahontas County along one of West Virginia’s most successful rail-to-trail conversions.

Beginner and intermediate mountain bikers will appreciate the packed gravel surfaces on the majority of the Trail.  More advanced bikers will find greater challenges on the adjoining mountain trails and abandoned logging roads that characterize the national forest bordering the Trail.

Horseback riders will find days of exhilarating fun from one end of the Trail to the other and back again.  Amenities along the Greenbrier River Trail include potable water and primitive camp sites.  Rest room facilities are located every 8 to 10 miles.

SENECA STATE FOREST

The 12,884-acre Seneca State Forest, which adjoins the cabin property to the south, is the second-largest state forest in West Virginia and one of the most remote properties in the state park and forest system. Public hunting and fishing are available throughout. Campgrounds are located near the center of the forest, along with rustic cabins. The forest’s historic Thorny Knob Fire Tower is also available for rent as a unique lodging option. The 330-mile Allegheny Trail passes through the forest on its route along the Allegheny Mountains. A branch of the Appalachian Trail, it approaches within two miles of the cabin.

Snowshoe Mountain, five air-miles from the cabin, though a 30-minute drive by backroad, Snowshoe Mountain is among the most popular ski resorts in the east-central U.S. The resort includes two ski areas, two terrain parks, and 57 downhill slopes that uniquely descend from the ski villages at the top of the mountain. The resort is also among the chief destinations for mountain biking in the Virginias. The International Mountain Bicycling Association has designated the Snowshoe Highland Ride Center as a silver-level destination. The resort boasts 23 restaurants and pubs, 34 lodges and cabin villages, and supports many off-mountain lodging venues year-round.

CASS SCENIC RAILROAD STATE PARK

The home of one of the most popular excursion trains in the U.S. and the restored ghost town of Cass, this popular state park is among the most popular railroad and timber industry heritage sites in the U.S. In addition to the train, which ascends to Bald Knob, at 4,842 feet above sea level, one of the highest summits in the state, the park boasts one the best-restored lumber towns in the nation. Twenty-two company houses in the town have been restored as vacation cabins while other historic structures house the depot and a museum, restaurant, visitor center, and workshops.

GREEN BANK OBSERVATORY

One of the most remarkable scientific institutions in the U.S., the Green Bank Observatory has attracted astronomers and sightseers to the region since the 1950s. Established by the National Science Foundation, it was located in this remote area because of the protection against radio interference the mountains provide. The world’s largest steerable radio telescope operates here, as does the Tate telescope employed in the first U.S. search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The observatory is central to the National Radio-Quiet Zone, a federally managed area of more than 13,000 square miles in which sources of radio interference are limited.

MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST

The boundary of the vast Monongahela National Forest encompasses more than 1,700,000 acres in mountainous eastern West Virginia and includes many of

the highest peaks in the Allegheny Mountains. Eight national wilderness areas and nine national natural landmarks are located within the forest. Expansive

groves of red spruce and balsam fir, rare south of New England, carpet many of the mountain tops within the forest. Highland sods and bogs are found in much of the area, including the regionally famous Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, a drive of about an hour from the cabin. World-renowned locals within the forest include Seneca Rocks and Dolly Sods.

CRANBERRY GLADES

The Cranberry Mountain Nature Center has many interesting features that appeal to visitors of all ages and backgrounds, including an exhibit hall, auditorium, events, and programs. The center also features a native plant garden, a nature trail, and many events geared toward children. While visiting the nature center, take a few minutes to walk the interpretive trail around the grounds. Signs will point out tree species and give facts on many uses of the trees. There is a beautiful overlook where you enjoy a picnic lunch and view the sites from Stamping Creek, just down the mountain, to the mountains of Virginia in the distance.

WATOGA STATE PARK

The park consists of 10,100 acres filled with recreational activities including hiking, swimming fishing and boating. Vacation cabins are open year-round.

PEARL S. BUCK BIRTHPLACE

The Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Museum showcases the home in which the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author was born in 1892.

BEARTOWN STATE PARK

The park is one large rock formation split into sections and clefts large enough for walkways. The Park is noted for its massive boulders, overhanging cliffs, and unusual rock formations. A boardwalk allows easy access and interpretive signs provide insight into the area’s ecology.

DROOP MOUNTAIN BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK

This is the site of West Virginia’s significant Civil War battle. The battle is re-enacted each October for history buffs.

On November 6, 1863, the federal army of Brigadier General William W. Averell, in his second attempt to disrupt the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad at Salem, Virginia, faced again the Confederate troops of Brigadier General John Echols. Throughout the morning, Echols’ smaller Confederate Army held the high ground and blocked the roadway with artillery, but in the afternoon was overwhelmed by the crushing advance of Federal Infantry on his left flank.

Following the collapse of his lines, General Echols retreated south into Virginia with the remnants of his command. Federal troops occupied Lewisburg on November 7 but were burdened with prisoners and captured livestock; General Averell elected to return to his headquarters in Beverly.  He waited until early December to lead a third and ultimately successful attack on the vital railroad.

Operations in the Shenandoah Valley in the spring of 1864 drew remaining confederate troops out of West Virginia, thus leaving the new state securely under the control of the federal government for the remainder of the war.

The battlefield site was purchased by the state in 1928 and dedicated on July 4, 1929 as a memorial to the casualties of the battle.  The Park was rebuilt through the efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps who built a system of trails and a wooden observation tower.  Land acquisitions over the years resulted in the 267 acres the Park boasts today.

Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is located in the southern portion of Pocahontas County and is the site of West Virginia’s last significant Civil War battle.

The Division of Parks assumed administration of Droop Mountain Battlefield in 1937 after the Division of Forestry held stewardship for many years and the ark remains essentially the same as it was in the beginning.  A small Civil War museum was refurbished in 1974 from an early forest division cabin.

A replica Civil War cannon was acquired in 1965 and helps add period atmosphere to the park.  A re-enactment of the famous Civil War battle is held on alternating years complete with smaller skirmishes, ladies social, and period worship service.

Reports of ghosts and voices from the Civil War period, having been seen and heard in the park, have circulated through the years since the battle.  Reports from more recent years include the sound of galloping horses. A headless confederate specter has been reported to be seen on more than one occasion in addition to the figure of what appeared to be a sleeping confederate soldier lying against a tree.

Whether you come to hike the family-friendly trails, peer over the valley from the lookout tower, or probe the ghost tales in person, you will find Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park an exciting and educational experience.

GOLF

The Raven Golf Club at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort offers an incomparable golfing experience.  Ranked the #1 Public Golf Course in West Virginia by Golf Week Magazine, this majestic 18-hole course, designed by Gary Player in 1993, is a combination of beautiful surroundings, world class amenities and exceptional staff services.

With some dramatic 200 hundred-foot drops from tee to landing area, these links fit perfectly into their scenic mountain surroundings and offer spectacular views from nearly every tee. The beautiful course, set high in the Allegheny Mountains, is sure to capture both mind and spirit offering challenging tests of golf in a peaceful and inspiring setting.

The Pocahontas Country Club, located just south of Marlinton, is a challenging 9-hole course noted for rolling terrain and unmatched scenic surroundings. A good score here demands accurate approach shots and a deft touch around the green. The challenging signature hole is a 201-yard, elevated tee, par 3 that requires a long accurate tee shot over water.

Both courses are open to the public and provide an outstanding golfing experience for all levels of golfers.

MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, Pocahontas County is the place to ride. We boast over 375 miles of trails that are open to bikes from gentle grades of rail trails to the exhilarating thrill of steep downhill single track, there are endless options for all enthusiasts. Whichever route you choose, you will be traveling through a rugged terrain that has challenged generations of “mountaineers” before you. For centuries, Shawnee Native Americans claimed these mountains as a seasonal hunting ground, teeming with wildlife in a vast forest crossed by pristine rivers. Pioneers with Scots-Irish, German, and English roots began settling in this wild area in the late 18th century. These strongly independent people persevered to create homes in remarkably difficult conditions. Soon, the mountain forests also attracted industry.

Beginning in the late 1800’s and lasting well into the 1920’s, most of the forested land in Pocahontas County was harvested for its magnificent trees and mined for its valuable coal. Railroad grades were built by Italian immigrants to reach nearly every ridge and hollow. Their hard labor, matched with horses and steam shovels, built many of the trails you can enjoy today. Thankfully, the forest has rebounded from this activity, so that today the mountains are once again “wild and wonderful”.

Our amazing biking is made possible by the vast amount of public lands in this county which include five state parks, two state forests and a large portion of the Monongahela National Forest. We are rural in nature, offering unmatched scenic beauty and quaint small towns. Our Mon Forest Towns Partnership is identifying ways to grow conservation and nature-based recreation in communities that result in environmental and economic gains. Together, we can contribute to a forest in which nature, visitors, communities, and economies thrive. We invite you to become a part of this new story.

When visiting our area, we recommend that you plan your trip ahead of time. Be prepared for limited cell phone coverage. Service is available in the Hillsboro, Marlinton, and Snowshoe areas from select providers. The village at Snowshoe Mountain, the town of Cass, local libraries, visitor centers, restaurants, and lodging offer guest Wi-Fi. You can stay in touch with the outside world, while enjoying Nature’s Mountain Playground.

MOTORCYCLE TOURING

From tracing the Appalachian Mountains, to riding alongside river bends in the valleys below – Pocahontas County is a motorcycle haven with impeccable routes and scenic vistas.

Nature’s Mountain Playground is a motorcyclist haven, from the elevated routes that trace our mountain tops to the easy curves that follow the river bends below – we have got the perfect ride here for you. Pocahontas County is a motorcycle mecca, with easy access to routes expanding into Virginia and into our neighboring West Virginia counties. From Seneca Rocks, to Goshen Pass, we are central to it all. Of course, you do not ever have to leave Pocahontas County – from the Highland Scenic Highway to scenic US Route 219 on your way in, our roads are in impeccable condition and provide road thrills all themselves. History, hospitality, and uniqueness all aid in making Pocahontas County an epic destination. Stay in an old company house and ride the scenic train at Cass Railroad State Park, or cruise by the world’s largest steerable telescope at Green Bank Observatory – the route you choose is up to you, but regardless of the direction you take off in, grand adventure is the end destination.