Pocosin Fork Forest overlooking the banks of Pocosin Fork Creek is a beautiful 60 +/- ac wooded mountain property ready for that getaway cabin or a forever home. Along the banks of the beautiful mountain creek you will find the remnants of the old homestead where a family once lived, where some of the old apple trees still keep a watch over the old homestead.  The spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the beautiful Pocosin Fork Creek valley, and the sound of the water falls as Pocosin Fork Creek flows the total length of the property make it a wonderful spot to call home.  If you are looking for privacy and seclusion with abundant opportunities for adventure, biking, horseback riding, ATV, or just enjoying nature, this is the place you have been looking for in Almost Heaven West Virginia.

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.440069°(N), -81.195049°(W)
Address: Little Rich Creek Road, Rock, WV 24747. A 911 address is not assigned to a property without structures.
Elevation Range: 2231 ft. to 2630 ft. +/-

Drive Times (approximate)

Towns and Colleges
Athens and Concord University: 30 minutes
Blacksburg, VA and Virginia Tech: 1 hour 20 minutes
Bluefield: 35 minutes
Princeton: 20 minutes

Airports
Mercer County Airport, Bluefield: 35 minutes
Raleigh County Memorial Airport, Beckley: 55 minutes
Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport, Blacksburg: 1 hour 20 minutes

Recreation:
Golf – Elks Golf Course, Princeton: 30 minutes
Golf – Fountain Springs Golf Course: 50 minutes
Golf – Pipestem Resort State Park: 50 minutes
Lake – Bluestone Lake: 55 minutes
Resort – Pipestem Resort State Park: 50 minutes
Skiing – Winterplace Ski Resort: 40 minutes
State Park – Camp Creek State Park & Forest: 30 minutes
State Park – Pipestem Resort State Park: 50 minutes

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

Complimenting this property is a timber resource that is well positioned for value appreciation, with ready to harvest timber. With an attractive species mix, adequate stocking levels, and favorable diameter class distribution, the timber amenities represent strong components of the value to the investor. This well-maintained 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. The forest is predominantly 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, Poplar, cucumber, sugar, Red Oak, and soft maple and a host of associated species.

WILDLIFE

Pocosin Fork Forest is an ideal wildlife preserve, surrounded by farm fields with a stream that runs along the edge of the property and the Appalachian hardwood forest.  The use of constant and adherence management goals have promoted overall wildlife health, facilitated by the harvest of game and the development of food plot areas.  These attributes increase the carrying capacity and species diversity at Pocosin Fork Forest.  The diversity of tree species, coupled with the abundant of water supply and numerous fields around the property create a perfect wildlife habitat. The edge effect created between creeks, hollows, ridges, and rock outcroppings on and around the property benefit all the residential wildlife. Whitetail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrels, rabbits, bobcats, raccoon, foxes and many species of songbirds, owls, and raptors make up the resident wildlife population. The hardwood forest provides the essential nutrient source and produces tons of hardwood mass which include acorns, hickory nuts, and beechnut which create a hunter’s or a nature enthusiast’s paradise.

WATER

Pocosin Fork, a blueline stream, runs with most of the long northwestern boundary. It should have waterflow nearly year-round, especially during a rain event or periods of 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

Most of the northwestern property boundary runs with Pocosin Fork. Another section of the northwestern boundary appears to run with Little Rich Creek Road Route 12/1. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water:  A well would need to be drilled
Sewer:  A private septic system would need to be installed
Electricity:  Available nearby
Telephone:  Unknown
Internet:   Available through satellite providers:  Starlink, HughesNet
Cellphone Coverage:  Fair

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

A section of the northwestern property boundary appears to be with Little Rich Creek Road Route 12/1.

ZONING

The 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.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

This property currently is forestland.

(This 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 1106 Pg. 612
Mercer County, West Virginia
Acreage: 60 acres +/-

Real Estate Taxes: 
Mercer County (28), West Virginia
Rock District (11)
Tax Map 24 Parcel 111; Class 3

2024 Total Real Estate Taxes: $596.46

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Mercer County School District

Public Elementary School:
Spanishburg Elementary School

Public Middle School:
PikeView Middle School

Public High School:
Pikeview High School

Higher Education:
Concord University, Athens
Mercer County Technical Education Center, Princeton

RECREATION AT POCOSIN FORK FOREST

Nature viewing is first in line of recreational activities. Attentive wildlife management has been geared not to just game 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, hawks.

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

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

Shooting-sports devotees find all the land and privacy needed to enjoy:

• Paintball-Airsoft-Laser tag-Archery tag
• Shotgun sport shooting including Skeet, Trap, Double Trap and Sporting Clays
• Rifle & Handgun shooting: bullseye, silhouette, western, bench rest, long-range, fast draw
• Archery and Crossbow competition shooting
• Plain ole’ plinking: Grandpa’s old 22 single shot rifle and a few tin cans make a fun day

All Terrain Motorsports
This property has several forest trails that are perfect for experiencing the property from an ATV or UTV. These exciting machines handle the wide variety of the forest’s terrain.

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, Horseback Riding and Hiking
Hunting is a first-class experience. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, duck, squirrel, raccoon, fox and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population. It is hard to find a property that has a better mix of wildlife.

SURROUNDING AREA

The surrounding area offers unlimited soft recreational activities including white water rafting, golfing, fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching and rock climbing. Snow skiing at the Winterplace Ski Resort is a 40 minutes away. In 1 hour you can catch the Amtrak train in Hinton and ride to Chicago or New York City. The Greenbrier Valley Airport is an hour away and the Beckley Airport is just 50 minutes away. Yeager Airport in Charleston WV is an easy 90-minute drive on I-77.

The property is supported with the thriving community of Princeton and the college town of Athens. The area is a strong economic generator with a solid workforce employed in county/state government, tourism, hospitality, education, retail, construction, wood products, mining and agriculture. The surrounding area is richly blessed with a wide array of cultural events that keep life interesting and satisfying.

Charleston is West Virginia’s state capitol and is an easy 90-minute drive. 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.

Beckley is a 50-minute drive, has a population of 34,000, and is the county seat of Raleigh County. All amenities are available in Beckley. Beckley is located at the intersection of I-77, I-64 and US 19 so easy access to Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Charleston and Cincinnati is just around the corner.

The world renowned 4-Star Greenbrier Resort, home of the PGA tour, is an hour drive. Several other area golf courses are available in the area. The New River Gorge recreation area offers white water rafting, rock climbing, ziplining, camping and horseback riding. The nearby and very popular 100+ mile long Hatfield-McCoy ATV trail makes for a very active recreation area.

UPS and FedEx service this area also.

Situate within an hour’s drive of the confluence of the New River, Bluestone River and Greenbrier River, the 2000-acre Bluestone Lake, at Hinton is truly a gateway to water recreation. The 80,000-acre New River National River Park, Bluestone State Park, Pipestem State Park Resort and 17,000-acre Bluestone Wildlife Management Area are recreational cornerstones in the area. The new 10,000-acre Boy Scout high adventure camp is an hour’s drive.

THE NEW RIVER AND BLUESTONE LAKE

The New River Gorge was a vast and largely unsettled wilderness until the C&O railroad was built on the eastern side of the river in the 1880’s. The railroad opened up the rich coalfields and virgin timber stands of the region. Early “mountaineers” settled the area and soon were carving out mountain farms and raising families.

The property is located in the heart of the recreational mecca area encompassing the New River and 2000-acre Bluestone Lake at Hinton. The New River is the second oldest river in the world, preceded only by the Nile; it is the oldest river in North America. The New River is unique because it begins in Blowing Rock, N.C. and flows north through Virginia into West Virginia. The Nile and Amazon are the only other major rivers that also flow north. Year after year, it produces more citation fish than any other warm water river in WV. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, hybrid striped bass, and muskie are all common species of fish found in the New River and Bluestone Lake.

Bluestone Lake is over 2000 acres at summer pool and is the state’s third largest body of water. Great hunting and fishing opportunities abound at the 17,632-acre Bluestone Wildlife Area adjacent to the park and nearby Camp Creek State Forest.

HATFIELD-MCCOY TRAILS

The Hatfield-McCoy Trails System (HMTS) is made up of over 600+ miles of trails and located in the rich mountains of southern West Virginia. The 600+ mile HMTS is second only to the 2000 mile long Paiute ATV Trail in Central Utah.

As one of the largest off-highway vehicle trail systems in the world, HMTS is open 365 days a year and offers something for every skill level. The trail system caters to ATV, UATV, and motorbikes (dirt bikes), but hikers, mountain bikers, and horse riders can also use the trails. The trail system is a multi-county project, including West Virginia counties Logan, Kanawha, Wyoming, McDowell, Mercer, Wayne, Lincoln, Mingo, and Boone.

The name of the trail system is derived from the names of two families, the Hatfields and McCoys, who famously feuded near the West Virginia and Kentucky border after the Civil War.

Law enforcement officers patrol the trail to assure compliance with safety regulations. Motorized users of the trail system must wear a DOT-approved helmet and are prohibited from “doubling” (having a passenger), unless their vehicle is designed for two people. These rules, and a host of others, have allowed the trail system to enjoy a quality safety record, despite an increase in ATV-related injuries around the country.

THE NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK and PRESERVE

The 70,000-acre New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a unit of the United States National Park Service (NPS) designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. Established in 1978 as a national river, the NPS-protected area stretches for 53 miles from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted. The park was officially named America’s 63rd national park, the U.S. government’s highest form of protection, in December of 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a relief bill.

West Virginia is home to parts of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a foot path that stretches more than 2,100 miles between Maine and Georgia; the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, which cuts through 16 states for 4,900 miles; the Bluestone National Scenic River; and Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. Now, over 70,000 acres of land, bordering 53 miles of the gorge, has earned the government’s protection.

The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities. New River Gorge is home to some of the country’s best whitewater rafting, mainly from the Cunard put-in to the Fayette Station take-out, and is also one of the most popular climbing areas on the East Coast.

Home to the New River, which drops 750 feet over 66 miles, with its Class V rapids, has long drawn adventuresome rafters and kayakers to this whitewater area. The New River, which flows northward through low-cut canyons in the Appalachian Mountains, is actually one of the oldest rivers on the planet.

Rock climbing on the canyon walls, mountain biking and hiking on trails that flank the river, and wildlife viewing—bald eagles, osprey, kingfishers, great blue herons, beavers, river otters, wild turkeys, brown bats, snakes, and black bears—are all popular activities within the park.

Begin your experience with a stop at Canyon Rim Visitor Center, which is situated on the edge of the gorge, for maps, current information, and chats with a park ranger. You can learn any pertinent safety protocols and visit the bookstore.

The New River Gorge Bridge is a work of structural art. Construction of the bridge began in 1974, and was completed in 1977. The Bridge spans 3,030 feet in length and is the third highest bridge in the U.S., at 876 ft. During Bridge Day, an annual one-day festival celebrating the construction of the Bridge, BASE jumpers launch off the 876-foot bridge and parachute down to the New River. New River Gorge is the only national park in the U.S. that permits this extreme activity.

NEW RIVER REGION OVERVIEW

The New River is shared by boaters, fisherman, campers, park visitors and local neighbors. The waters of the New River system contain a mosaic of hydrologic features and aquatic habitats that support a highly productive aquatic ecosystem that includes distinct populations of native fish, mussels, crayfish, and a broad array of other aquatic life, including rare amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

The 320-mile New River rises in the Blue Ridge region of North Carolina and flows northeastward through the Appalachian uplands to Radford, Va., where it turns northwestward and passes through a series of narrow valleys and gorges into southern West Virginia. It ends where it joins the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River. In WV, the New River is entrenched in a steep and narrow valley, the most narrow part of which is known as the “New River Gorge.”

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 rafting adventure. Beautiful cliffs, bluffs, and mountain views make it one of the most scenic rivers on the east coast.

New River Gorge National Park 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 a number of different river access points, and trips can run from several hours to several days.

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. Year after year, it produces more citation fish than any other warm water river in WV.

The New River Gorge was a vast and largely unsettled wilderness until the C&O railroad was built on the eastern side of the river in the 1880’s. The railroad opened up the rich coalfields and virgin timber stands of the region. Early “mountaineers” settled the area and soon were carving out mountain farms and raising families.

Principal tributaries of the New in West Virginia include, from south to north, the East River, the Bluestone River, and the Greenbrier River.