ATV tourism surge offers companies probability to increase meals, lodging companies | Information

MONTCALM – The shutdowns and restrictions of a pandemic have hit the beaches and other venues hard by reducing the large crowd they depend on.

In March 2020, Governor Jim Justice closed the Hatfield-McCoy Trail to help contain the spread of COVID-19. The move was a setback for Southwest Virginia businesses that rely on ATV tourism, but drivers returned in large numbers when the trail network reopened in late May 2020. In February of this year, the judiciary congratulated the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority on their record-breaking sale in 2020.

Restaurants, accommodations, and other businesses that cater to driver needs have had their customers returning, and that surge has created a need to expand. One example is the Mud Pit ATV Resort near Montcalm. Mike Laraway, his wife Sherie and their business partners Arnold and Caroline Sandy bought the resort from its original owners and worked on expanding it.

Mike Laraway took the time to talk about the changes after working on four new cabins. All four were recently delivered.

“The four new ones have kitchens, so they all have cooking utensils,” he said. “There is a bedroom in the back with a queen-size bed and a bunk bed in the front. The cooking utensils are the greatest. He looked at the other cabins. “All of these have porches, but (the new ones) are big enough for you to sit on.”

The mud pit had nine cabins and five RV sites when the new owners bought the resort in June 2020 shortly after the trail network reopened. Last autumn, the car park was expanded and 10 new parking spaces for mobile homes and parking spaces for the new cabins were created.

ATV resorts and other companies serving the tourists are seeing customers arrive more frequently.

“The way we’ve been told is usually people book around 60 days for their reservations,” said Mike Laraway. “What we see is a shorter time; In two weeks our reservations may not be full, but then they will. You turn around. You know they’ll fill up in a week. I think people’s mentality has changed the way they book because of the COVID. We are very busy. I know the trail system has sold more passes in the past year than ever before. We’ve done very well in the six months we’ve owned it. “

Providing lodging for ATV enthusiasts is usually seen as a weekend business, but more midweek business is also seen, he said. People who bring their RVs tend to stay longer than guests who rent a cabin. RV owners stay around a week, while guests in cabins stay an average of three days.

“Our investment in our RVs (locations) is less and after we’re done, of course, we don’t earn as much per night anymore. But we also don’t have the hassle of cleaning and the extra work that comes with (cabins), ”said Mike Laraway. “I think it’ll be more of a clear win in the long run.”

The resort’s business is expanding to include more souvenirs and equestrian accessories such as goggles, gloves and helmets. Drivers often arrive in Mercer County and find that they have left their helmets or other device at home. So they buy new ones from the local stores where they are.

And sometimes they buy a new helmet because they don’t like their old one, said Mike Laraway. He expects the new influx of ATV tourism to continue.

“I think they look at the weather and their schedules and say, hey, I can go now, let’s go now instead of planning long-term. I think a lot of those big vacations have been taken away from people, ”he said. “You can’t go to Cancun, you can’t go to Disney. People choose to do more of this stuff. You’re out and about, you do your own thing, you come back and you can chat if you want, but a lot of people stay to themselves. That way, it’s easy to create social distance. “

Other companies are expanding to meet the needs of ATV drivers. A new dining room for 24 guests was recently completed at the nearby Old School Grocery and Grill. The new space is accompanied by plans to expand the kitchen and storage space. Another register is added to handle the sale of hiking permits.

“In any case, our sales have grown tremendously and our RV pitches and cabins remain full. And we’ve expanded our menu, ”said Samantha Penland. The owner of the food and grill is Eugene Penland.

Samantha Penland estimated that the business “doubled”. She said the latest stimulus money handed out by the federal government has helped people feel better about taking vacations.

“Yeah, we’re really growing,” she said. “I think it’s a great place.”

– Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com