OVERVIEW

Mountain Top Escape is a 12-acre tract of land located in scenic Fayette County, West Virginia, home of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.  The land is close to Fayetteville, one of West Virginia’s “coolest small towns.”  This property offers nearly 360-degree mountain views and the mountain top would be a unique location to place your permanent residence.  Further, the property offers great sites to build a cabin or bring the camper for vacationing and spending long weekends.  This wonderful property is located within minutes of the recreational mecca of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve as well as many other of West Virginia’s beautiful State Parks and National Forests.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Near 360-degree panoramic views from the mountain top.
• +/- 12 wooded acres with access to the top of the ridge
• Excellent residential potential
• Possible recreational development potential – multiple cabin sites
• All utilities available at the main road – power, water, natural gas, phone/internet.
• Many recreational opportunities at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and nearby Summersville Lake and Recreation Area
• Other recreational opportunities found in the Monongahela National Forest, home of the Cherry River and Cranberry River.  Excellent trout fishing in these watersheds which are approximately 60 minutes from the property
• West Virginia’s newest State Park – Summersville Lake State Park is 20 minutes away.
• Babcock and Hawks Nest State Parks also found in Fayette County, WV
• Very accessible from Mountain Top Lane
• City amenities approximately 5 minutes away in Fayetteville, WV the Fayette County Seat and Oak Hill, WV which is 10 to 15 minutes from the property
• Four season climate – the fall of the year is spectacular and summers warm and breezy
• Within 60 minutes from Charleston, the State Capitol and West Virginia’s largest city
• An easy drive to higher population areas of Charleston WV, Beckley WV, and Lewisburg WV
• Jet airports in Lewisburg, Beckley and Charleston, WV

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 38.088632°(N), -81.115231°(W)
Address: Mountain Top Lane, Fayetteville, WV 25840. A 911 address has not yet been assigned.
Elevation Range: 1719 – 1849 ft. +/-

Drive Times (approximate)

Highways/Local Towns

US-19: 5 minutes
Beckley: 30 minutes
Charleston: 1 hour 10 minutes
Fayetteville: 6 minutes
Hinton: 1 hour
Lewisburg: 1 hour 5 minutes
Oak Hill: 15 minutes
Princeton: 1 hour
Roanoke, VA: 2 hours 20 minutes
White Sulphur Springs: 1 hour 25 minutes

Airports

Beckley – Raleigh County Memorial Airport: 40 minutes
Bluefield – Mercer County Airport: 1 hour 10 minutes
Charleston – West Virginia International Yeager Airport: 1 hour 10 minutes
Lewisburg – Greenbrier Valley Airport: 1 hour 20 minutes
Roanoke – Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport: 2 hours 20 minutes

Recreation

Avian Center – Three Rivers Avian Center: 1 hour
Golf – Bridge Haven Golf Course on the Gorge: 15 minutes
Golf – There are several additional golf courses in the surrounding area
Lake – Bluestone Lake: 1 hour 10 minutes
Lake – Little Beaver State Park Lake: 35 minutes
National Park – Grandview National Park: 40 minutes
National Park – New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Cunard River Access: 20 minutes
Resort – Glade Springs Resort: 40 minutes
Resort – Pipestem Resort State Park: 1 hour 10 minutes
Resort – The Greenbrier Resort: 1 hour 25 minutes
Skiing – Winterplace Ski Resort: 35 minutes
State Park – Bluestone State Park: 1 hour
State Park – Camp Creek State Park and Forest: 45 minutes
State Park – Little Beaver State Park: 35 minutes
State Park – Pipestem Resort State Park: 1 hour 10 minutes

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

Mountain Top Escape offers nearby access to unparalleled recreational opportunities.  Numerous recreational activities are anchored by the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and nearby Summersville Lake and Recreation Area.

Water-sports enthusiasts will find these waters ideal for boating, whitewater rafting, swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and windsurfing.

Fishing – Great fishing is found in the New River and Summersville Lake with bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and rock), flathead catfish, channel catfish, muskie and bluegill present in good numbers.  The Cherry and Cranberry Rivers in the Monongahela National Forest offer some of the best trout fishing in West Virginia.  These waters are stocked with beautiful rainbow, brook, and golden trout several times throughout the spring months and stocked in the fall as well.

Rock Climbing – Along the gorge of the Meadow River between Fayetteville and Summersville, WV, the Meadow River Climbing area is one of the fastest growing climbing areas in West Virginia. More than 450 routes ascend its highly featured cliffs of Nuttall Sandstone, which also outcrops in the nearby New River Gorge and Summersville Lake climbing areas. Much of the Meadow River climbing area is still being explored, which is part of its allure.

The Summersville Lake Climbing Area overlooks the largest lake in West Virginia, Summersville Lake, which is located just south of Summersville, WV. More than 350 routes ascend the cliffs that tower as high as 100 feet above its clear blue waters.

Nature viewing is first in line of recreational activities. Attentive wildlife management has been geared not to just larger animals. Equal consideration has been extended to increasing the numbers and diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, eagles, and hawks. White tail deer, black bear, beaver, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, duck, squirrel, raccoon, fox, and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population. It is hard to find an area that has a better mix of wildlife.

Stargazing-Planet Observation
Total or 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.  The night sky is filled spectacular cosmic treasures, from the moon and other planets to distant stars and galaxies.

Mountain Biking and Hiking

The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and the Summersville Lake Recreational Area both contain miles of trails that may be used for mountain biking and hiking.  The area also offers several State Parks and the Monongahela National Forest geared for these activities as well.

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

Mountain Top Escape’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 White Oak/Chestnut Oak, Red Oak Group, Poplar/Cucumber/Basswood, Sugar Maple, Soft Maple, and a host of associate species.

Forest-wide, most of the stand is 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 a future veneer source.

The timber stand has been managed for several decades using select cut timber harvests under the guidance of professional foresters. This stand contains stems ranging in size of 2” to 14” trees measured diameter at breast height. This stand is on the cusp of graduating into higher-value sawtimber diameter classes over the next 30 years.

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the United States that has two separate ownership titles; those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS.  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 lots (153, 154, 155, 156) that comprise the property are shown on that certain map or plat entitled “Map of New River Heights, near Fayetteville, West Virginia” recorded in Map Book 10 at page 17. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: WV American Water Company
Sewer: Would need to install septic system
Electricity: American Electric Power (AEP)
Gas:  Mountaineer Gas
Telephone: Frontier
Internet:  Optima/Starlink
Cellphone Coverage: AT&T coverage is good.

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property is accessed by Mountain Top Lane from Rock Camp Road off Beckwith Road – WV Route 16.

ZONING

Fayette County and towns are subject to zoning and subdivision regulations. All prospective buyers should consult Fayette County Planning and Zoning and the Fayette County Health Department for details regarding zoning, building codes, and installation of water wells and septic systems.

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: DB 836 Pg. 664
Fayette County, West Virginia
Acreage: 12.18 acres +/-

Real Estate Tax ID/Taxes:
Fayette County, West Virginia
New Haven District (1)
Tax Map 40H Parcels 75, 92, 111, 113; Class 3

2025 Total Real Estate Taxes: $102.28

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Fayette County School District

Public Elementary School:
Fayetteville PK-8

Public Middle School:
Fayetteville PK-8

Public High School:
Midland Trail High School or Oak Hill High School

SURROUNDING AREA

FAYETTEVILLE, WV

Fayetteville, West Virginia, with a population of just below 3,000, was listed as one of the 2006 “Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America” by Budget Travel Magazine and as “Best River Town 2013” by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine.  Fayetteville’s historic district is both charming and one of the most attractive locations for outfitters shops, boutique shops, and specialty restaurants in West Virginia. More than a dozen antiques shops were operating in the Fayetteville area in summer 2017, and five independent restaurants in the district were offering an outstanding selection of unique cuisine.

NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE – AMERICA’S NEWEST NATIONAL PARK!
One of the most exciting destinations for hiking, biking, climbing, and paddling in the eastern United States, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve was established by the National Park Service in 1978 and includes more than 80,000 acres in and adjacent to the New River Gorge and the valley of the New River. More than a million visitors annually climb rocks along the rim of the gorge near Fayetteville and paddle its whitewater runs on the New River and its tributaries. Countless miles of hiking and biking trails wander the park and climb into the surrounding mountains. The nearby Gauley River National Recreation Area likewise attracts thousands of tourists annually, notably rafters during “Gauley Season” in autumn when the river runs strong.

NEW RIVER

The New River is shared by boaters, fisherman, campers, park visitors, and local neighbors.  The New River is recognized as the “second oldest river in the world” and is estimated to be between 10 and 360 million years old. Its headwaters begin near Blowing Rock, NC and is one of the few rivers in North America that flows northerly.

Class I, II, III, IV and V rapids dot the entire 320 miles of New River making it a great paddling, tubing, and white-water rafting adventure. Beautiful cliffs, bluffs, and mountain views make it one of the most scenic rivers on the east coast.

New River Gorge National River includes 53 miles of free-flowing New River, beginning at Bluestone Dam and ending at Hawks Nest Lake. The New River typifies big West Virginia style whitewater. Within the park it has two very different characters. The upper (southern) part of the river consists primarily of long pools, and relatively easy rapids up to Class III. It is a big powerful river, but very beautiful, always runnable, and providing excellent fishing and camping. There are multiple river access points, and trips can run from several hours to several days.

The lower (northern) section of river is often referred to as “the Lower Gorge.” In a state that is justifiably renowned for colossal rapids, the Lower Gorge has some of the biggest of the big with rapids ranging in difficulty from Class III to Class V. The rapids are imposing and forceful, many of them obstructed by large boulders which necessitate maneuvering in very powerful currents, crosscurrents, and hydraulics. Some rapids contain hazardous undercut rocks.

Fast water, big rocks, and lazy/slow stretches are features of the New River. Water sports enthusiasts will find the New River ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and windsurfing. Great fishing is found in the New River with bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and rock), flathead catfish, channel catfish, muskie, walleye and bluegill present in good numbers.

SUMMERSVILLE, WV

The City of Summersville, with a population of about 3,500, is located in the heart of West Virginia and surrounded by cool and pristine waters coming from its mountains.  These waters provide world-class recreational activities such as boating on Summersville Lake, white water rafting on the Gauley or New Rivers, or hiking along the areas trail systems. Along the banks of these waters lay beautiful, dense hardwood forests, providing the trails, cliffs, and wildlife for the dry life adventurer.

SUMMERSVILLE LAKE

Summersville Lake is the 2nd largest rock-fill dam in the Eastern United States and the largest lake in West Virginia.  Bring your boat and jet skis to spend days of recreational fun on this 2,700-acre lake with over 60 miles of shoreline.  Fishing, boating, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and rock climbing are just some of the recreational opportunities that can be found at the Summersville Lake Recreational Area.

SUMMERSVILLE LAKE STATE PARK

Introducing West Virginia’s newest state park, Summersville Lake State Park.  Summersville Lake State Park is the State’s first new state park to be added in more than 30 years and sits on 177 acres on the northern shore of the state’s largest lake.  Activities include hiking, rock climbing, picnicking, camping, swimming, fishing, boating and mountain biking.

MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST

The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia. It protects over 921,000 acres of federally managed land within a 1,700,000 acres proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Region and portions of 10 counties.

The Monongahela National Forest includes some major landform features such as the Allegheny Front and the western portion of the ridge-and-valley Appalachians. Within the forest boundaries lie some of the highest mountain peaks in the state, including the highest, Spruce Knob (4,863 ft). Spruce Knob is also the highest point in the Allegheny Mountains.

The Monongahela National Forest is a recreation destination and tourist attraction, hosting approximately 3 million visitors annually.  The backwoods road and trail system is used for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Many miles of railroad grades are a link in the recreation use of the forest. (The longest is the Glady to Durbin West Fork Railroad Trail which is 23 miles long.) Recreation ranges from self-reliant treks in the wildernesses and backcountry areas, to rock climbing challenges, to traditional developed-site camping. Canoeing, hunting, trapping, fishing (particularly trout fishing), and wildlife viewing are also common recreational activities within the forest.