OVERVIEW

Mill Branch Retreat is a great mountain get-a-way or to set up your remote office. Great views, woods and fields to enjoy every day and night. Close to the New River Gorge National Park and has a house that is move in ready.

ATTRIBUTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

• 108.25 +/- acre multi use property with forestland (84+/- acres), fields (15+/- acres), overgrown field (7+/- acres) and lawn (2+/- acres)
• The New River Gorge National Park, Bluestone Lake and Wildlife Management Area, the Greenbrier and New Rivers are less than 30 minutes away
• This property has an existing trail network throughout the property
• Surrounded by timber tracts and farms in a nice rural neighborhood
• Superior access adjoining state road – FedEx/UPS/USPS delivery
• Dark skies with little light pollution for star and planet gazing
• Many very ancient “Heritage” trees scattered about the forest and old fields estimated at 100-200 years old
• All minerals interest that the owner has will convey
• Existing home with electricity and good cellular coverage
• An old log house dating to the late -1800’s
• Storage shed, wood shed and pump house are by home. There is also an old home used for storage across Mill Branch Rd from house lot
• Wildlife is very abundant
• Low taxes, low population density

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.727909 (N), -80.937561 (W)
Address: 885 Mill Branch Rd, Shady Spring, WV 25918
Elevation Range: Approximately 2525’ to 2860’

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the US that has two separate ownership titles; those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS. The mineral rights are believed to be intact and 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 is being sold by the boundary and not the acre.

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property may be accessed by Mill Branch Road (RT 22/3) and has over 3900’ of frontage on Mill Branch Road.

UTILITIES

Water: Spring fed cisterns
Sewer: Existing septic tank, cleaned and inspected in 2016
Electricity: on site and connected to house
Telephone: on-site
Internet: Possibly onsite through cell phone carrier or satellite service
Cellphone Coverage: Very good

ZONING

This property is in the Richmond District of Raleigh County which has the least zoning requirements of the county. The property is listed as R1 – Rural Residential District for zoning purposes.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

15 +/- acres of hay fields and 84+/- acres of forestland that was last harvested in 2010. A 7+/- acre area which was a field at one time is in the early transition to forestland. There is 2+/- acres around the house and storage buildings, plus a small area around an old home that is used for storage by current owner across Mill Branch Road from the house lot.

Timber management, recreation and farming are primary uses of this property.

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: Deed Book 5052 at pages 3604 and 3599
Acreage: 108.25+/-

Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Raleigh County, West Virginia
Richmond District
Tax Map 16 – Parcels 14, 15, 16, and 17
2022 Real Estate Taxes: $836.96

SCHOOLS

Raleigh County School District
Public Elementary School:
Shady Spring Elementary

Public Middle School:
Shady Spring Middle School

Public High School:
Shady Spring High

University/College:
New River Community and Technical College
West Virginia University Tech
Bluefield State College – Beckley Campus
University of Charleston – Beckley
Appalachian Bible College

Private Schools:
Trinity Christian Academy
Mt Tabor Christian School
Mabscott Christian Academy
Greater Beckley Christian School

HOME

Highlights
Manufactured home built in 1997
1620 sq. ft. (60’ x 27’)
Large covered front porch with deck extension
3 Bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms
Open kitchen/dining room
Family room
Heat electric forced air
Vaulted Ceiling

Room Dimensions
Living Room: 18’4” x 13’
Kitchen: 14’ x 13’
Dining Room: 11’ x 13’
Family Room: 15’5” x 13’
Master Bedroom: 14’4” x 13’
Bedroom 2 & 3: 10’4” X 13’
Utility Room: 8’ x 5’6”

RECREATION

The property offers unparalleled recreational opportunities. Numerous recreational activities are anchored by the nearby Greenbrier, New and Bluestone Rivers, New River Gorge National Park, 2000-acre Bluestone Lake and 18,000 acre Bluestone Wildlife Management Area.

Cold Water Fishing can be found throughout the region. Many of the tributaries of the Greenbrier and Bluestone Rivers are stocked with trout. The head waters of some streams hold the native Brook Trout. Several special regulation sections of some streams offer fly-fishing only areas. The Cranberry Back-Country area hosts 16 miles of secluded trout fishing and may only be accessed by non-motorized transportation.

Warm Water Fishing in the Greenbrier, New and Bluestone Rivers are some of the best in the region. Smallmouth bass and muskie are the big draws. The Greenbrier River is great for the novice kayaker or canoeist to fish, the New and Bluestone Rivera are for the more experience boaters only but has the best fishing for trophy sized fish. The New River has an excellent population of the native Eastern Highlands walleye. This walleye subspecies grows faster and produce quicker than their northern cousins. Great fishing is found on both rivers for crappie, catfish, pike and bluegill.

Water-sports enthusiasts will find the nearby rivers and lakes are ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and windsurfing.

Nature viewing is next in line of recreational activities. Wildlife viewing is not just for larger animals. Equal consideration is given to a diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, eagles and hawks. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, geese, squirrel, raccoon, fox and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population.

Stargazing-Planet Observation
Near total darkness can be still be found on the property, thereby affording the opportunity to view the night sky in all its brilliant wonder.

All Terrain Motorsports: Experience the property from an ATV or UTV. Riders are welcome to ride all public roads that do not have a painted dividing line and there are miles and miles of open roads in the area. These exciting machines handle the wide variety of the forest’s terrain. Please check WV DMV regulations.

Dirt bikes can also be a lot of fun and they come in all sizes and horsepower to fit anyone who enjoys being on two wheels.

Mountain Biking and Hiking
The land may be used for mountain biking or hiking and the area offers several state and national parks geared for these activities.

Rock Climbing on the Meadow and New Rivers
183 routes with opportunities for easier traditional routes as well as hard sport routes and some mixed routes as well.

WILDLIFE

The nearby New River, Greenbrier River, and Bluestone Lake & River are major contributors to the local ecosystem richness and diversity for both plants and animals. There are many animals that live year round and at other times in the water and around the edges of the rivers/lake, including beavers, otters, minks, raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, king fishers, minnows, native fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrats, bull frogs, eagles, owls, hawks and redwing blackbirds.

The miles of “edge effect” benefit all the resident wildlife. In addition to those listed above, white tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, fox, and chipmunk, make up the resident wildlife population.

Area winged wildlife includes Neotropical songbirds, turkey, grouse, eagles, herons, hawks, woodcock, owls, ravens, king fishers, ravens, crows, ground nesters, and hummingbirds and many types of waterfowl.

Of equal importance, there is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, water skaters, water beetles, damselflies, hellgrammites, tadpoles and various insect larvae.

Great fishing is found in the Bluestone River, Greenbrier River, New River and Bluestone Lake with small and large mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskie, walleye, pike and bluegill present in good numbers.

The rivers, lake, and creeks, and their surrounding aquatic plant life, create a water a water-supported community with a wide variety of wildlife.

The hardwood forest of the surrounding mountains provides the essential nutrient source and produces tons of hard mast including acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts and black walnuts. Soft mast includes stag horn sumac, black cherry, tulip poplar seeds, maple seeds, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

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 possible crops:

• 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)

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

The timber resource is well positioned for future timber income over the coming decades. The 108.25+/- acre property has approximately 84 acres of forestland that has trees in the 15 to 100+ year-old range. The forest resource is composed of upland Appalachian hardwoods and wetland hardwood species. The species composition consists primarily of Poplar, Oaks and Hickory.

The forest floor is home to several types of mushrooms, medicinal plants, ferns and cool green mosses.

THE AREA

Mill Branch Retreat is an easy drive to higher population areas of Charleston, Princeton and Beckley.

Nearby Beckley offer grocery stores, restaurants, banks, auto parts stores, hardware, hospital, dentists and most other city amenities. Beckley is the Raleigh County seat and is the economic and governmental hub of the county.

Charleston is West Virginia’s state capitol (1-1/2 hours). Charleston is West Virginia’s largest city with a population of some 50,000 and a metro area of 225,000. It is the center of government, commerce, culture and industry. There is a commercial airport with daily flights to most major hubs.

Nearby interstates I-77, I-64 and I-81 offer easy access to Washington DC, Richmond, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Charleston and Cincinnati.

The surrounding area offers unlimited recreational activities including white water rafting, golfing, fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching and rock climbing and snow skiing.

Highlights:

• 30-90 min to Beckley, Princeton, Lewisburg, 80,000-acre New River Gorge National Park, 2,000-acre Bluestone Lake, Pipestem Resort and Bluestone State Park, Sandstone Falls, Snowshoe Ski Resort, Winterplace Ski Resort and the 4-Star Greenbrier Resort, 3000-acre Summersville Lake>
• A picturesque Amtrak train ride from Hinton (30-minutes) connects the area to DC, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and many other locations
• Washington, DC is 5 hours, Richmond and Charlotte are 4 hours
• Charleston (1.5 hr), Beckley (40 min), Lewisburg (1 hr) airports offer jet service to major hubs
• Charleston, the WV state capitol is a 1.5 hour drive and offers all large city amenities
• Easy access to I-64, I-77, I-79, US 19, US 220
• 30 minutes to the New River Gorge National Park and Reserve
• The Bechtel Summit Reserve, the12,000-acre Boy Scouts of America’s high adventure camp (60 min)
• The 18,000-acre Bluestone Wildlife Management Area is 30 minutes
• The 47,815-acre Cranberry Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is 2 hours

SURROUNDING AREA

NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK AND RESERVE
The Newest National Park in America at your back door… Just a short 30 minute drive from the property will take you to the amazing New River National Park. An awe inspiring visit that is sure to bring a new experience each and every time. Once you see it, it’s something you’ll never forget.

Rock climbers have long prized the sandstone cliffs of West Virginia’s New River Gorge, which was designated as a national park and preserve in December 2020.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is known for its 53 miles of free flowing whitewater that cuts through sandstone cliffs towering as high as 1,000 feet in the air. It boasts class III through V rapids and plenty of boulders to keep even the most experienced rafters engaged. The upper part of the river is calmer and more welcoming to new rafters.

The area also boasts more than 1,500 climbing routes, as well as a 12.8-mile system of mountain bike trails built by the Boy Scouts. There are moments, as you drift through the deep canyon walls of the New River Gorge, when it feels like you’ve got the whole world to yourself. It’s just you and the river, littered with massive, prehistoric boulders that were here when the coal mining camps were built, and the fur trading posts before them, and the Shawnee and Cherokee villages before those.

In a river that geologists say could be one of the world’s oldest, you can lose yourself in time. Then the current picks up, and you’re back to paddling like mad, navigating the chutes and eddies of heart-pounding white water. Since the 1960s, West Virginia’s New River Gorge has drawn adventure seekers to its rapids and rock walls, and those rafters and climbers have long considered it a hidden gem. But the curtain is being drawn back on the canyon, because part of it has become America’s 63rd national park. New River Gorge National River’s 72,186 acres is just like its name “New”. The Newest National Park and Preserve in America.

BLUESTONE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
Bluestone Wildlife Management Area offers visitors a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities on 18,019 acres.

Being adjacent to Bluestone Lake, the state’s second largest body of water, the area offers guests boating, canoeing and fishing opportunities. Hunting is offered due to the wildlife management area status, and Bluestone has over 330 primitive campsites and picnic sites along New River, Bluestone Lake and Indian Creek. Avid fishermen can enjoy float fishing and stocked trout fishing in Indian Creek. Hiking and equestrian trails are also popular.

Summers County Camping operates the campgrounds: “Bertha”, “The Mouth of Indian Creek”, “Cedar Branch” and “Shanklin’s Ferry” in the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area. Over 200 primitive campsites.

BLUESTONE LAKE
Bluestone Dam spans the New River, forming Bluestone Lake, the third largest lake in West Virginia. With a 2,040 acre surface area, the lake provides boaters, water skiers, and fishermen with great recreational opportunities. This concrete gravity dam is used for flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife.

Bluestone Lake is a flood control reservoir located on the New River near Hinton, West Virginia. At its normal pool level, Bluestone Dam impounds a 10.7-mile stretch of the New and its tributary, the Bluestone River. Normally approximately 2,040 acres in size, the lake can grow to over 36 miles long at flood control pool. At higher water levels, the lake extends into Giles County, Virginia.

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources operates Bluestone State Park and Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, each encompassing portions of the lake. Camping and other activities are available in these facilities.

Easily accessible from I-77 and I-64, Bluestone Lake is located at Hinton, WV, on WV 3 and 20.

NEW RIVER
A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.

Hinton is the southern gateway to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. A once booming railroad center, the town has a large historic district, railroad museum, antique shops, and restaurants.

The largest waterfall on the New River, Sandstone Falls spans the river where it is 1500 feet wide. Divided by a series of islands, the river drops 10 to 25 feet.

Sandstone Falls marks the transition zone of the New River from a broad river of large bottomlands, to a narrow mountain river roaring through a deep boulder strewn V- shaped gorge. The falls form the dramatic starting line for the New Rivers final rush through the New River Gorge to its confluence with the Gauley River at Gauley Bridge to form the Kanawha River.

GREENBRIER RIVER
The Greenbrier River is 162 miles long and is the last free flowing river east of the Mississippi. 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 is the gateway to water recreation and fun as it is at most times lazy and easy to navigate.

The Greenbrier River is formed by the confluence of the East Fork Greenbrier River and the West Fork Greenbrier River in the town of Durbin, West Virginia. From Durbin the Greenbrier River flows southwesterly through Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, and Summers Counties. It flows through several communities including Cass, Marlinton, Hillsboro, Ronceverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, and Hinton. The Greenbrier River joins the New River in the town of Hinton, West Virginia.

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.

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 the future town of Marlinton, Indian Draft Run, and Edray.

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.

BLUESTONE RIVER
The lower 10 miles of the designated segment flow through an 800-foot deep gorge and offer warmwater fishing, whitewater boating when water level permits, and hiking along the river on a trail between Bluestone and Pipestem State Parks. Spectacular views of the river gorge may be seen from overlooks at Pipestem. A major portion of the lands are managed by the state to provide hunting opportunities; wild turkey is the featured species.

The Bluestone River rises along the northern flank of East River Mountain, 2.5 miles southwest of Springville, Virginia, and flows northeast 83 miles through Mercer County and Summers County in West Virginia to join the New River. Eleven miles of its lower course are protected by the National Park Service as the Bluestone National Scenic River.

PIPESTEM RESORT STATE PARK
Stretches over 4,050 acres in the Bluestone River Gorge of West Virginia and boasts scenic views of steep terrains, rugged wilderness, and rushing waters against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains. The park derives its name from a local shrub that Native Americans and early pioneers used to create shafts for their tobacco pipes. This “pipe stem” became the namesake of Pipestem Resort State Park.

Adventure lovers and nature enthusiasts are attracted to Pipestem Resort State Park for its plentiful recreational activities. There’s no shortage of things to do at the park, whether it’s getting an adrenaline rush from zip lining, hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding through the wilderness or heading to the waters of Long Branch Lake and Bluestone River for kayaking, fishing, and swimming. And that’s not even including the Nature Center’s educational programs, open-air concerts at the amphitheater, or the 18-hole championship golf course. Tour the treetops of West Virginia with a bird’s eye view of the Bluestone Gorge. In 2018 Bonsai Design, the country’s premier builder of ziplines, built a world class canopy tour at Pipestem Resort State Park. The course includes nine zips, a cable bridge and a belay.

For nature-lovers, our zipline tours satisfy the desire to be outdoors in the trees, communing with nature. For adrenaline junkies, the course crosses the Bluestone Gorge three times at heights of more than 300 ft. Four of the zips range from 1,000 to 1,700 ft. in length. Guests will zip from tree to tree at speeds up to 50 mph.

The final zip ends at Mountain Creek Lodge where guests are transported to the top of the mountain on Pipestem’s 3,410 ft. aerial tram.

GRANDVIEW AT THE NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK
Grandview at New River National Park. Aptly named “Grandview”, this park hosts many opportunities to see the beautiful scenery around the New River Gorge. Grandview provides some of the most dramatic scenery found in the park and is a popular place for hiking, picnicking, and sightseeing. Grandview is a peaceful place to relax and unwind while enjoying outstanding views of the New River. From 1400 feet above the river at Main Overlook, visitors are rewarded with one of the most outstanding views in the park. On a clear day you can see directly into the heart of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, including seven miles of the New River and its watershed. From Main Overlook visitors can also get a glimpse of some of the gorge’s unique cultural history. From here you see an active railway and the town of Quinnimont, where the first coal was shipped out of the gorge in 1873.

Grandview is a great place to see the spectacular displays of The West Virginia State Flower the “Rhododendrons” that bloom here every spring. The purple Catawba rhododendrons bloom in mid-May, while the great white rhododendrons bloom in July. Also found at the park will be the West Virginia State bird the male Red Cardinal a colorful representative of our state. The legislature officially adopted the black bear as the state animal of West Virginia on March 23, 1973. Black bears are found in all of West Virginia’s 55 counties. Other official animals of the state are the brook trout, honeybee,and the Monarch Butterfly

Grandview includes overlooks of the New River, a visitor center, five hiking trails, ranger-led walks and talks, summer outdoor dramas, and picnic areas with playgrounds. Grandview is home to Theatre West Virginia, which features outdoor drama presentations from June through August such as Alice at Wonderland, Oklahoma, Honey in the Rock, Tarzan, The Hatfields and McCoys Annie, Trumpet in the Land, Romeo and Juliet, The Wizard of Oz, Rocket Boys, Grease, Footloose, and many more. Each year a series is scheduled for live outdoor dramas in the park amphitheater. Every year is a fun filled season with audiences cast and crew all in the heart of the park. Nature’s backdrop.
Since 1961, “Honey in the Rock,” the beloved outdoor musical drama has kept the state’s story alive, performed each summer for thousands of West Virginians and tourists. GrandView is (West Virginians’) state theater. “There are beautiful theaters in several places in West Virginia, quality work, but this theater was built as the only place you can come to see the History in West Virginia. This plays a special role in southern West Virginia, because it tells our story.

Grandview was originally a part of the West Virginia State Park system. In 1939, the state of West Virginia purchased 52 acres of land at Grandview to develop a day use park. The Civilian Conservation Corps built roads, shelters, and a picnic area, all still in use today. Construction began in 1960 on the 1200-seat Cliffside Amphitheater. The children’s playgrounds, recreation area, and additional walkways were built from 1961 to 1964. After more than 50 years as one of West Virginia’s most popular state parks, Grandview was transferred to the National Park Service in 1990. In 2020 GrandView Became part of the New River National Park Service. America’s Newest National Park. Rightfully the “New” as many have and will always refer to the New River.

Aptly named “Grandview”, this park hosts many opportunities to see the beautiful scenery around the New River Gorge. There are also picnic shelters, a nice play area that includes a volleyball court and basketball court, and clean restrooms (with running water). The trails are clearly marked, with at least two main options to catch nice views, and also an easily accessible main overlook that is close to the main parking lot.

The Turkey Spur Overlook can be accessed by a road, or visitors can walk the trail along the canyon rim from the main overlook. The trail is wide enough for at least a couple of people, and is well-maintained with gravel along most of it. Most of it winds through beautiful rhododendron bushes, creating an interesting “tunnel” effect. Turkey Spur has some steps to climb, but the view is worth the climb. From the top, you can see the Amtrak station at Prince and the historic Thurmond area below.