Dancing Bear Lodge is located north of White Sulphur Springs West Virginia at the gateway to the Potomac Highlands and the Monongahela National Forest.  The 2-bedroom, 1-bath, 1,283 S/F lodge and 43 Acres border the Monongahela National Forest.

The Monongahela National Forest offers a bonus of 1000’s of acres of land to explore, hunt and enjoy the magic of nature.  Majority of the property is wooded with a field bordering Anthony Creek Stocked Trout Stream.  Field is fenced with high tensile wire, newer posts and several gates for access.  The property includes a 24 x 30 garage.

A versatile property that has everything you could want in a rural property.  Beautiful Views, Water, Easy Access, Fresh Air and Nature.  Towns, Stores and Entertainment within 30 minutes.   Dancing Bear Lodge is your adventure waiting to happen.

HIGHLIGHTS AND BENEFITS

• 43 exceptional acres adjoining the Monongahela National Forest
• Cabin well suitable for year round living
• 12+/- acres of bottomland for gardening and growing your own food
• Frontage on a crystal clear blue-line stream with headwaters on the National Forest
• Large detached garage/ workshop with concrete floor
• All minerals in title will convey
• Survey on file
• Several additional building sites
• Long views of distant mountains from the ridgetop
• Majestic hardwood and white pine forest
• Forest trails suitable for ATVing, hiking and horseback riding
• Electricity, phone and well, well on site
• Interior road system offer excellent access
• Located in popular Greenbrier County
• Wildlife population unparalleled – Boone and Crocket country
• Dark Skies, little or no light pollution for star gazing and planet observation
• Google Coordinates: 37.981595°(N), -80.093969°(W)
• Elevation Range: 2089 ft. to 2308 ft. +/-

THE LODGE

Lodge is heated with electric baseboard. Other utilities are electric, septic and shared well.  Appliances / furniture convey.   Lovely kitchen, large family room with fireplace.  Patio with outdoor masonry grilling area.

Room Dimensions:

Living Room  15 x 22
Kitchen  15 x 11
Bedroom 19 x 10
Bedroom 11 x 33
Bathroom  8 x 5

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.981595°(N), -80.093969°(W)
Address: 312 Brown Farm Rd., White Sulphur Springs, WV  24986
Elevation Range: 2089 ft. to 2308 ft. +/-

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

The Farm’s 28+/- acre timber resource acreage is composed of quality Appalachian hardwoods and white pine. This well managed timber resource can provide a great deal of flexibility to the next ownership in terms of potential harvest revenue and can be managed to provide cash flow opportunities to offset holding cost and long-term asset appreciation.

Capital Timber Value of the timber and pulpwood has not been determined.

Species composition:

The forest’s predominately well-drained upland terrain has led to a resource dominated by hardwood species. Overall, the species composition is highly desirable and favors Appalachian hardwood types, consisting primarily of:

Black Cherry Sugar Maple, Poplar/Basswood, Red Oak Group, White Oak/Chestnut Oak, Soft Maple, Hickory, Ash, and a host of associate species (black walnut, birch, beech).

There is a nice Eastern White Pine component in the forest that adds value and diversity creating an aesthetically pleasing environ.

Stocking, Stem Quality, and Forest Structure:

Forest-wide, most stands are fully stocked, providing the next ownership with a great deal of flexibility in shaping their own silvicultural legacy. Stem quality forest-wide can be considered excellent with the forest containing an abundant current and future veneer source.

The property’s timber component has been well managed over the years and generally consists or even-aged stands. The predominant timber stand contains 40-120-year-old stems ranging in size of 10”-36” dbh. Portions of this stand were thinned in many years ago as prudent forest management necessitated. Many sections of this stand are ready for a selective thinning which will generate considerable income.

Diameters are well represented across the commercial spectrum with a notable mature size class, as well as abundant pole size timber and growing stock. Average diameter with all sawtimber products 12” dbh combined has not been determined.

Breakdown by diameter class measured 4.5 feet above the ground on the uphill side of the tree has not been determined.

Several “Heritage Trees” are scattered throughout the forest and field edges. These ancient trees, some 200-300 years old, have withstood the test of time, weathering ice, wind, lightning strikes and fire.

The forest is healthy and there are no signs of pest infestations of Gypsy Moth. The Emerald Ash Borer, which has inundated the entire Northeast US, is present and the Ash component will significantly decline over the next decade. The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid in present and the Eastern Hemlock will decline over the next decade. There have been no forest fires in recent memory.

The forest floor is home to several types of mushrooms, medicinal plants, wild ginseng, ferns and cool green mosses. One could spend a lifetime getting to know this inviting environ.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

The rich soil, abundant water, 4-season climate, and gentle topography provide the necessary elements for a permaculture lifestyle. There are currently about 13 acres in fields that are suitable for hay or row crops like corn, pumpkins etc. The farm is currently being leased for growing hay.

There are a few fruit trees scattered about that were part of the early homestead. Crops of black walnuts and hickory nuts are produced each year from the abundant black walnut and hickory trees scattered about.

Honey bees would do well here, and it would be possible to produce maple syrup from the sugar and red maple trees growing on the property.

WILDLIFE

The mixture of mature forest, emerging forest, grown over farm fields, old fruit trees, coupled with the abundant water supply from the stream, create the perfect wildlife habitat. The “edge effect” created between, streams, farm fields, and the forest is the textbook habitat for the resident wildlife. The edges create long wildlife food plot. The hardwood forest produces tons of acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts, walnuts 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 hawks 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 hunting pressure for many years.

The larger creek (Anthony Creek) and ephemeral branches are a major contributor to the local ecosystem richness and diversity for both plants and animals. The creek and the surrounding aquatic plant life create a water supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. Some of creek margins are fringed by lowlands, and these lowlands support the aquatic food web, provide shelter for wildlife, and stabilize the banks. The plant life associated with the lowlands include, rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed, bee balm and algae.

There are many animals that around the edges of the creek, including raccoons, opossums, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrat, bull frogs, and redwing blackbirds. Of course, there is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, water skaters, water beetles, damselflies, tadpoles and various insect larvae.

Anthony creek is stocked periodically with trout by the WV Division of Natural Resources.

FOREST FARMING

The most common crops are medicinal herbs and mushrooms. Other crops that can be produced include shade-loving native ornamentals, moss, fruit, nuts, other food crops, and decorative materials for crafts. These crops are often referred to as special forest products.

Here are some specific examples of crops in each category that are currently being cultivated:

• Medicinal herbs: Ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, bloodroot, passionflower, and mayapple
• Mushrooms: Shiitake and oyster mushrooms
• Native ornamentals: Rhododendrons and dogwood
• Moss: Log or sheet moss
• Fruit: Pawpaws, currants, elderberries, and lowbush blueberries
• Nuts: Black walnuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts, and beechnuts
• Other food crops: Ramps (wild leeks), maple syrup, and honey
• Plants used for decorative purposes, dyes, and crafts: Galax, princess pine, white oak, pussy willow branches in the spring, holly, bittersweet, and bloodroot and ground pine (Lycopodium).

WATER

Dancing Bear Lodge has almost 800 feet of frontage on free-flowing Anthony Creek, a fantastic blue line stream that runs year-round. Additionally, there is a large hollow that may be active during periods of rainfall and snow melt.

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 AND SURVEY

The property was surveyed as part of a subdivision of Grass Run Farms. The survey plat is recorded in the County Clerk’s Office in Map Book 4 at Hanging File A-83. The northern boundary of the property is frontage on Anthony Creek. A portion of the eastern boundary is on the access right-of-way. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water:   Shared Well
Sewer:  Septic
Electricity:  MonPower
Telephone:  Frontier
Internet:  DishNetwork, HughesNet
Cellphone Coverage:  None

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property has a deeded access right-of-way for ingress and egress, 30 feet in width.

ZONING AND RESTRICTIONS

Greenbrier County is subject to some zoning and subdivision regulations. All prospective buyers should consult the County Commission and also the Health Department for details regarding zoning, building codes and installation of septic systems.  Some restrictions have been established by deed.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property is a combination of home grounds, a hay field, an area of undergrowth, and forestland. A breakdown of the land use acreage is as follows:

Home grounds: 3 acres +/-
Hay Field: 6 acres +/-
Undergrowth area: 3 acres +/-
Forestland: 31 acres +/-
(This summary is an estimation of current property use as determined from aerial photography. It is made subject to the estimation of property boundaries and any errors in the interpretation of land use type from the aerial photography utilized.)

DEED AND TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: DB 426 Pg. 837, Map Book 4 Hanging File A-83
Greenbrier County, West Virginia

Acreage: 43.1 acres +/-
Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:

Greenbrier County (13), West Virginia
Anthony Creek District (2)

Tax Map 29 Parcel 11; ACREAGE 9.6 AC LOT 3 GRASS RUN FARMS; Class 3; 2018 Real Estate Taxes $242.48
Tax Map 29 Parcel 12; 33.5 AC LOT 2 GRASS RUN FARMS; Class 2; 2018 Real Estate Taxes $396.44

2018 Real Estate Taxes: $638.92

SCHOOLS

Greenbrier County School DistrictPublic Elementary School:
White Sulphur Springs Elementary School

Public Middle School:
Eastern Greenbrier Middle School

Public High School:
Greenbrier East High School

Colleges
New River Community and Technical College (Lewisburg campus)
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

Private Schools
Greenbrier Episcopal School (PK-8)
Greenbrier Valley Academy (2-8)
Lewisburg Baptist Academy (PK-12)
Renick Christian School (2-7)
Seneca Trail Christian Academy (PK-12)

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

20 minutes from Greenbrier Resort
30 minutes from Sherwood Lake
45 minutes from Lake Moomaw
55 minutes from Cass Scenic Railroad
55 minutes from Green Bank National Observatory
1 hour 15 minutes from Snowshoe Ski Resort

SURROUNDING AREA

MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST
The Monongahela National Forest was established in 1920. Located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, the Monongahela straddles the highest ridges in the State, including the highest, Spruce Knob (4,863 ft), also the highest point in the Alleghenies. Elevation ranges from just under 1000′ to 4863′ above sea level. It protects over 921,000 acres of federally owned land within a 1,700,000 acres proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Region and portions of 10 counties.

Variations in terrain and precipitation have created one of the most ecologically diverse National Forests in the country. Approximately 75 tree species are found in the forest. Almost all of the trees are a second growth forest, grown back after the land was heavily cutover around the start of the 20th century. Species for which the forest is important include red spruce (Picea rubens), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), and mountain ash (Sorbus americana). The Monongahela National Forest includes eight U.S. Wilderness Areas and several special-use areas, notably the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area.

HISTORIC GREENBRIER VALLEY
The world-renowned Greenbrier Resort, with 800 rooms and 1600 employees, is located nearby in the sleepy little town of White Sulphur Springs. The 4-Star resort has a subterranean casino and is home to the PGA tour, the “Greenbrier Classic.” Several other area golf courses are available in the area – including Oakhurst Links, America’s first golf course, where guests play using old style hickory-handled clubs and ground-burrowing golf balls!

Lewisburg, which is the Greenbrier County seat, was voted the Coolest Small Town in America in 2011, combining the warmth of a close community with the sophistication of more urban locations. The thriving downtown historic district offers year-round live productions presented at the State Professional Theatre of WV, Carnegie Hall, distinctive dining venues, antique shops, award-winning galleries/boutiques, and two summer-season farmer’s markets. Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is a modern hospital and all attendant medical facilities, along with the many big box stores.

Lewisburg is home to the WV Osteopathic Medical School (600 students) and the New River Community and Technical College. The area is a strong economic generator with a solid workforce employed in county/state government, tourism, hospitality, medical, education, retail, construction, wood products, mining and agriculture.

The Greenbrier County Airport with WV’s longest runway provides daily flights to Atlanta and Washington DC. A picturesque train ride from White Sulphur Springs connects the area to DC, Phili, Chicago, and many other locations. By car, DC is 4 hours away and Charlotte is only 4.

Another 2-3 hours drive are located some of the finest recreational facilities in West Virginia , Winterplace Ski Resort, the 2000 acre Bluestone Lake, Pipestem State Park and Resort, the 80,000 acre New River National Gorge National Park, and whitewater rafting / fishing on the New River and Gauley Rivers. The new 10,600 acre Boy Scout High Adventure Camp, Summit (home to the US and World Jamboree) offers weekend visitors ziplining and canopy tours, ropes courses, climbing and repelling, mountain biking, as well as BMX and skate plazas. Five other area state parks and state forests offer unlimited hiking, horseback riding, ATV riding, and rock climbing opportunities.

THE GREENBRIER RIVER
At 162 miles long, the Greenbrier is the longest untamed (unblocked) 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 by the confluence of the East Fork Greenbrier River and the West Fork Greenbrier River, both of which are short streams rising at elevations exceeding 3,300 feet and flowing for their entire lengths in northern Pocahontas County. From Durbin the Greenbrier flows generally south-southwest through Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Summers Counties, past several communities including Cass, Marlinton, Hillsboro, Ronceverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, and Hinton, where it flows into the New River.

Along most of its course, the Greenbrier accommodated the celebrated Indian warpath known as the Seneca Trail (Great Indian Warpath). From the vicinity of present-day White Sulphur Springs the Trail followed Anthony’s Creek down to the Greenbrier near the present Pocahontas-Greenbrier County line. It then ascended the River to the vicinity of Hillsboro and Droop Mountain and made its way through present Pocahontas County by way of future Marlinton, Indian Draft Run, and Edray.

SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN
This relaxed ski resort sits on 251 acres of skiable terrain and 11,000 acres of wilderness nestled amid the Allegheny Mountains, which are part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range. It is positioned in the bowl shaped convergence of Cheat and Back Allegheny mountains, at the head of the Shavers Fork and Cheat River. Snowshoe is home to the second highest point in the state and the peak elevation for Cheat Mountain, at Thorny Flat, which reaches 4,848 feet above sea level. More than 5,000 guests enjoy Snowshoe’s slopes each season. In addition to Snowshoe’s remarkable ski and winter activities, it offers exciting summer activities such as extensive mountain biking trails, hiking trails, guided tours, horseback riding, ATV riding, a popular golf course designed by Gary Player, wedding and convention areas, and various other summer outdoor activities for all ages.