Boomer Minelands Recreation and Restoration Masterplan by cecinc

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Keslers Cross Lanes 16

PROJECT SITE

Smithers

38,600

Gauley Bridge 60

Ansted Charlton Heights Powellton

Fayetteville 61

Ka na w Fa ha ye Co tte un Co ty un ty

Garten

Babcock State Park

Oak Hill

Mt. Olive Correctional Facility

Population (2024)

Mt. Olive Branch Rd.

Nich

olas

Fayet

Bradley

Fayette Co. Cannelton Hollow Rd.

Sit eB ou nd ary

Meadow Bridge 41

PROJECT SITE 6 PROJECT SITE 9

PROJECT SITE

unty

Cannelton

Gauley Bridge Glen Ferris

Site Introduction The story of the Upper Kanawha Valley has always been tied to the land. Along Route 60, the Kanawha River cuts through a dramatic mountain corridor, linking communities such as Smithers, Boomer, Gauley Bridge, and Glenn Ferris with scenic landmarks like Kanawha Falls. For generations, this landscape supported mining, energy production, and other industries that shaped both the land and the local economy. As those industries continue to change, the former Boomer mine site presents an opportunity to re-imagine a former extractive landscape as part of the Valley’s next chapter, one rooted in recreation, restoration, innovation, and renewed regional investment.

Kanawha Falls

The site is uniquely positioned within a region where recreation-based tourism is already taking shape. The Appalachian Outlaw Trails are advancing nearby ATV trails, lodging, and visitor amenities; river towns throughout the valley are focused on improvements that welcome visitors; and the future NW New River Gorge Visitor Center in Longacre will only create increased visitation from National Park visitors. Within

This conceptual masterplan re-imagines the Boomer Mineland as a new kind of post-mining destination where outdoor recreation, ecological restoration, and energy innovation work together. Restoration areas, research facilities, and renewable energy opportunities create a platform for studying land repair and testing new technologies. The story of this process can then be used to create unique visitor experiences, educating the public through demonstration. Together, these ideas position Boomer as a model for how former minelands can evolve from places of extraction into landscapes of recreation, restoration, research, regional renewal, and a more diverse tourism economy.

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (2024)

$53,194

$105,800 Median Property Value (2024)

Property Subdivided Into 5 Property Owners (16,466 AC Total): • Kanawha Gauley C&C Co. (8,218 AC, 3 Parcels) • Penn Virgina Operating Co. LLC (8,116 AC, 2 Parcels) • James Marting and April Hobbs (115 Acres, 5 Parcels) • Clonch Industries, Inc. (6 Acres, 1 Parcel) • Harewood Properties, LLC (11 Acres, 2 Parcels)

Meadow Branch

PROJECT SITE

Alloy this growing network, the Boomer Mineland can serve as a complementary destination that builds on regional momentum while offering a different kind of post-mining experience. Its scale, land use history, and proximity to surrounding communities create a strong foundation for future reuse as part of a larger Upper Kanawha Valley recreation and redevelopment strategy.

15.8%

Data Collected from The U.S. Census Bureau + Dept. of Labor

Longacre

Mt. Carbon

Total Employer Establishments (2023)

Median Age (2024)

Median Annual Income (2024)

Smithers

Boomer

710

44.7

Gauley River Rd.

Raine

New River National Park and Preserve

te Co

612 41

Coun

Ga ule yR ive r

Fayette County Demographics

Summersville Lake

ul a Gauley River National Recreation Area

17 mi. to Site 9 21 mi. to Site 6 30 mi. to Charleston

21 mi. to Fayetteville

Kana wha River Deepwater Mountain Rd.

Falls View

Charlton Heights

Site Mining History Refuse Disposal Areas (Multiple) (Permittee: Kanawha Development Corp.) Revoked Permit Status 280 Acres

No Name (Permittee: Kanawha Development Corp.) Completely Released 235 Acres

Big Creek Number 2 (Permittee: Lexington Coal Company, LLC) Completely Released 639 Acres

Kanawha Services No. 1 Surface Mine (Permittee: Lexington Coal Company, LLC) A-3 Active, Reclaimed 2,415 Acres

Four Mile Fork Surface Mine (Permittee: Lexington Coal Company, LLC) A-4 Active, No Coal 750 Acres

Upper Winifrede Deep Mine (Permittee: Lexington Coal Company, LLC) A-4 Active, No Coal 24 Acres

Scrabble Creek #1 (Permittee: Lexington Coal Company, LLC) P-2, Phase 2 Release, Revegetated 343 Acres

Four Mile N Surface Mine (Permittee: Lexington Coal Company, LLC) A-2 Active, Reclamation Only 256 Acres

there is an opportunity to introduce 5 pickleball courts and 2 sand volley ball courts, which creates an opportunity for everyday use and recreational clubs. The Community Center Park is located along the confluence of Paint Creek and the Kanawha River. This creates an opportunity for a rental business that could provide kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, bikes, etc., to locals and visitors alike. Not only does this create an amenity, but also a business opportunity that would support the Town of Pratt through taxes. To support this area, a beach area and paddle launch area would be developed. This also provides opportunities to create fishing and picnic areas along Paint Creek and the Kanawha River. Each of these spaces also have dedicated parking so that local residents do not experience problems with the increased visitation. Throughout the site is a connecting trail that links together the three project sites.

Why Tourism? An Overview of Tourism in The Valley and Beyond

“Community Center Park” Concept from the 2024 Pratt Masterplan 1

Road Connection

5,000 Square Foot Community Building

30x20 Shelter / Pavilion

Entry Plaza

Amphitheater

Stage Area

Parking Areas (51 spaces)

Cross Walks

Landscape Buffers

N KA

Pickle Ball

16 18

Volley Ball

Sled Riding / Rolling Hill

11 12

Trail Head 13

Example Images

rris

n Ave

40x60 Multi-Purpose Building • Rentals, Restrooms, Concession

Staging Area

Pocket Park

7 14

River Front 16

Beach Area

Paddle Launch Area

Drop Off Loop

Picnic Grove

Trail Connections to River Front Park

Trail Connection to River Rat Campground

Amphitheater

6 5

e Str

Pickleball

tt Pra

n Ave

PAINT CREEK

gin

Vir

8 2

Biking

Rental Shop

Hiking

Sled Riding / Rolling Hill

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100

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Lig

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hted Skywa lk

Project Site

Adventure Recreation

ent Building

mphith ea nt A t ve

Recreation Areas

departure of WVU Tech, reestablishing it as a destination that draws visitors and brings energy back to town—much like football game days once did. This masterplan reframes the site as a place of gathering and celebration, creating new reasons for people to come together, visit Montgomery, and participate in shared experiences.

Overall, the Upper Kanawha Valley is emerging as a strong example of recreation-led redevelopment in southern West Virginia. The planning work completed to date demonstrates an increasingly coordinated approach that ties together land reuse, downtown revitalization, environmental restoration, and destination development. Moving forward, the long-term success of these efforts will depend not only on the construction of trails and access points, but also on continued investment in wayfinding, maintenance, lodging, local business support, and the creation of authentic, visitor-ready communities that can capture the economic benefits of increased regional tourism.

Community Center

Recent planning efforts in the Upper Kanawha Valley reflect a clear shift toward recreation and tourism as a primary strategy for economic diversification and community revitalization. Building on regional master planning efforts, local and regional partners have focused on creating a connected system of outdoor assets that includes trails, trailheads, river access, lodging, camping, and visitor support amenities along the Upper Kanawha Valley. Rather than viewing recreation as a stand-alone amenity, these efforts position it as economic infrastructure intended to attract visitors, support small business growth, and strengthen the Valley’s identity as a destination and link between the Charleston area and Tech the New Montgomery Trails Resort River Gorge, ultimately becoming the “Gateway the Gorge”. Once a vibrant centerto of community life, the site offers a meaningful opportunity to reconnect Montgomery to a place that was lost with the A planning diagram (shown right) from The Valley Regional This masterplan is shaped by a site-responsive approach that builds directly into existing landforms and makes use of current flat areas to minimize grading and disturbance. Roads, cabins, and tent platforms are carefully aligned with the natural terrain, allowing development Masterplan completed in 2021 illustrates this concept. A major to follow existing contours while preserving wooded buffers, views, and the overall character of the site. This strategy supports efficient while maintaining a strong connection between built elements and the landscape. emphasis of this work has been on construction linking communities to At the center of the plan, a primary event and gathering space anchors the site and serves as a hub for campground users and community programming. A small amphitheater is integrated into an existing terrace, using on-site cut stone to create seating, walls, and edges that outdoor recreation in ways that generate both local qualityreference the site’s history and reinforce a sense of permanence. The lighted skywalk is designed as a direct pedestrian connection to this central event space, establishing a strong visual and experiential link between the core amenities, adjacent development, and the town. of-life benefits and visitor spending. Planning in communities “Trails Resort” Concept such as Smithers, Montgomery, and Pratt have explored from the 2026 Montgomery how reclaimed mine lands, riverfronts, brownfield sites, and Recreation Campground downtown areas can be repurposed to support trail-based Masterplan Camp m r o si t tourism, water recreation, and related business development. atf Pl These efforts have targeted a range of user groups, including hikers, bikers, anglers, paddlers, and motorized trail users, with the goal of creating a diversified recreation economy that can operate across seasons and appeal to multiple markets.

Existing Conditions

“Mountain Adventures by Day, Exploring River Communities by Night” Conceptual Diagram from “The Valley” Regional Tourism Masterplan NORTH

Water Recreation

Unique Towns and Culture

120

Statewide Tourism by the Numbers (in 2024) Tourism Sustains...

97% of Employment in the WV Lodging Sector

59% of Employment in the 77.2 Million Visitors

(2.9% Increase From 2023 and Follows a Positive Trend)

$8.7 Billion Statewide Tourism Economic Impact

$1 Billion+ in Tax Generated Revenue

(Reducing tax burden by $835 per household)

60,000 People Employed Statewide by the Tourism Industry (7% of WV Workforce)

WV Recreation Sector

27% of Employment in the WV Food Sector

$170.64M Annual Travel Spending in Fayette County,

Powering 1,655 Jobs.

Clay Co.

Emerging Renewable Energy Research Facility

Boomer Mineland Today

Topographical features from the site’s historical land use provides ideal land for certain emerging renewable energy technologies, including ARES energy storage. Near by infrastructure and facilities support this future land use.

The former Boomer mine site provides several features that pair well for future redevelopment focused around tourism, restoration, energy generation, and research:

Site Research Facility Opportunity

• Former haul roads used by the mining industry create ideal circulation patterns across the site and provide primary site access off of Rt. 60. • Secondary site access is provided on the northern end of the property, off of Mt. Olive Branch Road. • Steep slopes limit development opportunities on a majority of the site; these areas lend well for hiking/biking/ATV trail development. • Ideal land for tourism development is centrally located on the southern portion of the site, with close connections to communities along the Kanawha River. • Southern portion of the site features scenic viewsheds of the Kanawha River Valley. • Tourism related recreation and development surrounds the property, creating an opportunity to support and expand. • Areas being actively mined and/or restored create opportunity for research into ecosystem restoration techniques on former minelands. • A former residential property provides possible future research facilities in the heart of the site. • Ideal terrain and proximity to electric infrastructure creates an opportunity for renewable energy R+D.

. Co a h o. aw e C n t Ka yet a F

Former haul roads connect to Mt. Olive Branch Road, creating secondary site access.

An existing residential property no longer inhabited provides facilities to establish a mine research facility, studying renewable energy and restoration techniques.

To Nearby ATV Trails

ATV Recreation Opportunity

Ecosystem Restoration Opportunity In-progress post mining reclamation work creates an opportunity to study ecosystem restoration techniques on former minelands. This can also create unique visitor experiences and hands on educational opportunities. Electric Transmission Corridors (typ)

Steep terrain limit development opportunities while providing ideal terrain for ATV trails/ elements and connections to nearby trail communities and clusters.

Sit

To Mammoth Preserve, Nearby ATV Trails

ary

Longacre Gauley Bridge

Existing infrastructure will need to be considered for future redevelopment of the project site. For many of the below, system capacity will need to be studied and system upgrades may be needed to support future uses.

Existing site entrance with access off of Rt. 60 connects to on-site roads, establishing an ideal future entrance. Former haul roads establish site circulation.

u l ey R i ve r

Ka na wh aC Fa ye o. tte Co .

Smithers

Utility Considerations for Development

User - Based Recreation + Community Connections A greater variety in elevation/topography changes create great opportunities for user-based recreation (such as hiking and biking) that connects to surrounding communities and is adjacent to the primary lodging opportunity.

Primary Site Access

• Water and Sewer: Public water and sewer service runs along the Kanawha River Valley and is provided by the Kanawha Falls Public Service District, Gauley River Public Service District, and WV American Water Company. • Electric: Nearby and on-site electric infrastructure exists and is provided by Appalachian Power. • Waste Collection and Disposal: Local waste management services are provided by A&W Sanitation, Inc. The City of Smithers provides their own garbage collection service. • Cellular Service: Cellular service on site is limited and/ or not dependable due to terrain and other factors. 4G LTE service is provided in the general area by AT&T and T-Mobile. • Broadband: Broadband internet service options are available surrounding the project site. Optimum and Frontier are the main cable providers, with Starlink, HughesNet, and Viasat, Inc. providing satellite services.

Secondary Site Access

Nich olas Co. Fay ette Co.

Ka na wh a

Glen Ferris 1

Kanawha Falls

Cathedral Falls

Riv er

Electric Transmission Corridors (typ)

Boomer Meadow Branch

Expansion of Local Visitor Attractions

Alloy

Primary Lodging Development Opportunity A central area with easy access from the site entrance features several unique landforms that lend well for lodging development, all within scenic viewsheds.

Kanaw ha Riv er

Charlton Heights

Falls View

Electric Transmission Corridors (typ)

Unique Development Landforms:

Opportunities are available to expand and connect to existing visitor attractions, Roadside Little including the Kanawha Falls Public Fishing Waterfall Area. Repair of a closed bridge can create access to Meadow Branch. Closed Bridge

Recreation, Community Connections, and Viewsheds Located on a bend in the Kanawha River creates scenic viewsheds of well known WV natural features, including Kanawha Falls. Featuring steep terrain, development opportunities are limited. The ridges and valleys create trail opportunities that provide connections to each community along the Kanawha River.

Boomer Mineland Conceptual Masterplan The Boomer Mineland Conceptual Masterplan re-imagines the former extractive energy landscape as a new kind of regional destination where outdoor recreation, ecological restoration, and renewable energy research come together to shape the future of the Upper Kanawha Valley. Located near major recreation assets and attractions, including Kanawha Falls and New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the site offers a unique opportunity to build on the region’s active tourism economy while establishing a sustainable model for former mineland redevelopment that supports West Virginia’s future.

• Paired with the Mineland Research Center. • Outdoor Facility to Test and Implement New Renewable Energy Technologies on Former Minelands. • Support State’s Future Energy Demand. • Ideal for ARES Energy Storage Technology Testing. Secondary Entry

Mammoth Preserve

Ecosystem Restoration Laboratory and Visitor Experience • Establish a ‘Living Laboratory’ to Test Different Ecosystem Restoration Techniques on Former Minelands. • Use Existing Landforms to Establish Different Typologies for Research. • Create Unique Visitor Experiences Through Different Landscapes with Trails, Lodging, and Educational Signage.

Mt. Olive Branch Rd.

Mt. Olive Correctional Complex

Connection to Surrounding ATV Trails, Recreation Along Gauley River

ATV - Driven Recreation and Adventure Amenities

Connection to Mammoth Preserve, Surrounding ATV Trails

ndary

Site Bou

rridor

• ATV Trail Development Area • Supporting ATV Programming and Amenities • Connections to Surrounding Communities and Nearby Trails

Camelton Hollow Rd. Gauley River Rd.

Smithers

ey ul Ga

Corridor

Longacre

User - Driven Recreation and Community Connections

r ve Ri

Paired with the restoration framework, the proposed Mineland Research Center and Emerging Renewable Energy Research Facility would position the Boomer Mineland as a living laboratory for land repair, energy transition, and public education. The site’s dramatic elevation changes, disturbed landscapes, and energy legacy make it well suited for exploring gravity-based ARES (Advanced Rail Energy Storage) technology, while also creating opportunities to study other emerging renewable energy systems. These efforts can be woven into the visitor experience through overlooks, and educational programming, allowing people to understand how a former extractive landscape can support new approaches to restoration and energy. Together, these strategies create a new identity for the site rooted in repair, regional renewal, and resilient land and energy systems.

Emerging Renewable Energy Research Facility

• Research Facility to Study Best Practices for Ecosystem Restoration. and Renewable Energy Implementation on Former Minelands. • Partnership with State Institutions to Support Current Research Efforts. • Establish Methods that Can Be Replicated Across State and Nation.

Ecosystem restoration is also a defining part of the visitor experience within the Boomer masterplan. Through a watershed stabilization approach, disturbed landforms, drainage areas, and stream corridors are restored as interconnected systems that slow runoff, reduce erosion, stabilize mine soils, improve habitat, and help limit potential downstream impacts from mineland-influenced drainage. Rather than treating restoration as a background condition, the plan reveals ecological repair through restored tributaries, wet meadow pockets, reforestation areas, seasonal pools, open grasslands, and other habitat typologies. Together, these areas establish a successional restoration process that visitors can experience and learn about, creating a living landscape where water, landform, vegetation, and wildlife demonstrate recovery in progress.

NORTH

Building on the momentum of nearby ATV tourism, the masterplan diversifies visitor experiences in the Upper Kanawha Valley by introducing recreation opportunities that appeal to a wider audience, including families, hikers, cyclists, overnight visitors, and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts. New lodging, hiking and biking trails, scenic overlooks, educational opportunities, and visitor amenities support the creation of a more comprehensive recreation destination. Trail links and community trailheads strengthen connections to surrounding towns, encouraging visitors to explore the mountain landscape during the day and return to nearby communities for food, lodging, services, and local experiences at night.

Mineland Research Center

Gauley Bridge

• Hiking and Biking Trails • Trail Connections to Communities Along Kanawha River Main Entry • Rim Trail. • Connection to Future New River Gorge NW Welcome Center

Glenn Ferris

User - Driven Recreation and Community Connections

Boomer

Mt. Carbon Deepwater Mountain Rd.

Alloy

Primary Lodging Development and Visitor Services Area • Main Lodge • Guest Amenities (Pool, Court Sports, Outdoor Living Spaces, Other Active and Passive Programming) • Ridgeline Cabins • Valley Cabin Village • Primitive Camping Village • Restaurant, Cafe, and General Store • Trailhead for Rim Trail and Other On-Site Recreation

Falls View Kanawha River

Charlton Heights

• Hiking and Biking Trails • Trail Connections, Trailheads to Meadow Communities Along Kanawha River Branch • Rim Trail • Overlooks to Capture Scenic Views • Dispersed Camping • Enhancement of Existing Visitor Attractions and Amenities • Repair of Closed Bridge for Pedestrian Access

Boonesborough Rd.

0’

2,500’

5,000’

1. Primary Lodging Development and Visitor Services

Surrounding the lodge, a range of overnight accommodations expands the visitor experience. Ridgeline cabins offer elevated views across the Kanawha River, while a nearby valley creates an opportunity for a clustered cabin village with shared outdoor amenity spaces. Further into the site, an RV campground and glamping areas provide additional ways for visitors to stay within the mountain landscape. Near the main lodge, a small-scale restoration demonstration park provides an accessible introduction to the larger ecological repair strategies proposed across the site. This demonstration landscape helps tell the story of the masterplan, allowing visitors to understand the site’s transformation before traveling deeper into the former Boomer Mineland.

A variety of on site camping options are provided, including: • RV Campground with typical amenities, including bathhouses, picnic shelters, and outdoor amenity spaces.

Plan Key

• A cluster of glamping sites featuring safari-tent style accommodations • Opportunities for dispersed camping along trails.

Amenity Area

7. Restoration Demonstration Park

3 4

6 8 8

Plan Key 1

Mountain Lodge, Visitor Amenities and Services, Trailhead

Ridgeline Cabins

Cabin Village

RV Campground and Amenities

Glamping

Recreational Trail Area with Dispersed Camping

Restoration Demonstration Park

Circulation Utilizing Former Haul Roads

Proposed Rim Trail Concept

Sit

Utility Hook Ups

ary

5. Glamping

u Bo

Fu ll S ize 45 ’R V

At the center of this area, the main lodge is positioned within a natural mountain bowl, creating a sheltered resort setting surrounded by dramatic landforms. The lodge is envisioned to include approximately 100 rooms, a restaurant, café, visitor information area, shops for small businesses, and outdoor amenities such as walking trails, a pool, sport courts, and passive gathering areas. It also serves as a primary trailhead for the Rim Trail and site excursions, as well as the main parking and facilities area for visitors accessing dispersed camping.

NORTH

Pa rki ng

The Primary Lodging Development and Visitor Services Area is envisioned as the main arrival point and hospitality hub for the Boomer Mineland destination. Easily accessed from Route 60 through the reuse of former haul roads, this area provides lodging, amenities, trail access, and visitor information before guests explore the broader landscape.

4. RV Campground and Amenities

To ATV, Restoration, Energy Programming

6 To River Communities Proposed Trails, Community Connections (typ)

1. Mountain Lodge, Amenities, and Trailhead

2. Ridgeline Cabins

3. Cabin Village

Design Features Include: • 100 Room lodge featuring mountain - resort design details. • Main center for visitor information, primary trailhead for on site adventures. • Check in facilities for other on site lodging options. • Passive and active outdoor amenity areas. • On site restaurant, cafe, and small shops for local businesses.

Design Features Include: • 75 Ridgeline cabins featuring stunning panoramic views across the Kanawha River Valley and landscape. • Offer a quieter overnight experience while close to on site amenities • Trails connect Ridgeline cabins to main resort area. • Cabin design can vary to provide a variety of visitor experiences.

Design Features Include: • 25 cabins designed to fit in between existing trees, located within a natural bowl landform. • Shared active and passive visitor amenities are centrally located within the village cluster. • Provides a visitor experience immersed in WV’s forests. • Located 1 mi. from main lodge, with trails providing pedestrian connections to on site amenities.

6. Dispersed Camping

2. User Driven Recreation and Community Connections

Hiking Trails

Smithers

Restoration

Plan Key

6 3

r ive

The plan also improves existing attractions along the Kanawha River corridor, including safer access to roadside waterfalls, pedestrian reuse of a defunct bridge, and expanded amenities at Kanawha Falls. Together, these improvements create a connected hiking and biking network that supports everyday use, regional tourism, dispersed camping, and a stronger recreation-based economy.

Connection to Mammoth Preserve

R ey

Trailheads in Smithers and Gauley Bridge provide parking, visitor information, restrooms, and access to the proposed Rim Trail system, which connects to the future New River Gorge NW Welcome Center at Longacre. Other trails tie remaining communities into the proposed trail system, linking Boomer with Smithers, Longacre, Gauley Bridge, and Glenn Ferris.

Camelton Hollow Rd.

Enhancement of Existing Attractions + Assets

ATV Programming

Trails are organized to highlight the site’s dramatic topography, scenic landscapes, and surrounding communities. Along the southern part of the site, routes follow ridgelines and valleys and can feature overlooks toward the Kanawha River and Kanawha Falls. Interpretive signage, overlooks, and small trail-based programs can be located at key points to share the site’s energy legacy and tell the story of development in the Upper Kanawha Valley.

NORTH

The User-Driven Recreation and Community Connections framework expands the Boomer Mineland into a trail-based recreation system for residents, day users, and visitors staying within the Upper Kanawha Valley. Roughly one-third of the site is envisioned for hiking and biking trail development, using former haul routes, ridgelines, and valleys to create a diverse outdoor recreation experience beyond ATV use.

To Energy Programming

ndary

u Site Bo

4 2

2 4

Plan Key 1

Circulation Utilizing Former Haul Roads

Primary Lodging Development, Visitor Services

User Driven Recreation Areas

Proposed Rim Trail Concept

Smithers Trailhead

Gauley Bridge Trailhead

Trail Connections to River Communities

Roadside Little Waterfall and Improved Access

Rt. 60 Bridge to be Improved

Expansion of Kanawha Falls Public Fishing Access

Future New River Gorge NW Welcome Center

Biking Trails

Gauley Bridge

Roadside Little Waterfall

Rt. 60 Bridge

Connection to Recreation Along Gauley and Kanawha Rivers Glenn Ferris Kanawha Falls

2 7

10 Meadow Branch

Kanawha Falls Public Fishing Access

8 3

The proposed recreation network builds on existing attractions and landscape features already present along the Kanawha River corridor and includes the following: • New trail access to the Roadside Little Waterfall and enhanced viewing area to improve safety, access. • Restore defunct Rt. 60 bridge to connect to the Meadow Branch Community, increase local connections. • Expansion of park amenities at the Kanawha Falls Public Fishing Access.

Falls View

Kanawha R

iver

Charlton Heights

Typical Trailhead Elements

Parking

Trail Kiosk

Restroom

UKV Rim Trail Concept

3. ATV Driven Recreation and Adventure Amenities

ATV Trails on Former Mine

Plan Key Restoration

ido Corr

1 3

Plan Key 1

Circulation Utilizing Former Haul Roads

Primary Lodging Development, Visitor Services

User Driven Recreation Areas

ATV Trail Development Areas

ATV Related Programming Opportunity Areas

Secondary Entrance via Mt. Olive Branch Rd.

ATV tourism continues to create new recreation and economic development opportunities throughout the Upper Kanawha Valley. The nearby Appalachian Outlaw Trails Resort features a 6-phase masterplan that creates a destination resort campus centered around ATV tourism. The final design includes a large scale event venue, a variety of lodging options, an event center hotel, day use riding facilities, and a town center core, complete with shops, restaurants, cafes, and more. The resort will provide trail programming on site and also provide connections to surrounding trail systems.

Gauley River Rd.

1 5

Appalachian Outlaw Trails Resort Masterplan

4 Smithers

ATV

ve r

Camelton Hollow Rd.

ul ey

Connection to Mammoth Preserve, Nearby ATV Trails

Connection to Nearby ATV Trails and Gauley River Recreation

Together, the ATV program builds on the regional recreation momentum within the Upper Kanawha Valley while diversifying visitor activities with hiking, biking, lodging, restoration, and educational components. By supporting connections to surrounding trail systems and nearby communities, this area can help extend visitor stays, increase local spending, and contribute to a stronger recreation-based economy locally.

r da

Within the ATV development clusters, existing landforms create opportunities for trail-based programming and support facilities. ATV-oriented lodging, gathering areas, skill-building zones, wash stations, and event spaces can add value to the overall riding experience. The layout is designed to create a more complete adventure tourism experience while concentrating motorized activity within defined areas of the site.

un Bo

Using former haul roads, disturbed landforms, and existing elevation changes, the plan establishes designed ATV corridors that allow riders to move across the site and continue toward nearby trail clusters. In this way, the site functions as both a pass-through connection and a supportive destination, offering select trail experiences, lodging, and rider amenities without making ATV use the sole focus of the property.

Energy

te Si

ATV recreation is already a growing tourism driver in the Upper Kanawha Valley, particularly through the momentum of the nearby Appalachian Outlaw Trails. The Boomer Mineland can build on this activity by creating a focused ATV recreation area that supports riders, strengthens regional trail connections, and adds another adventure-based experience to the broader masterplan.

Mammoth Preserve

Growth of Regional ATV Tourism

NORTH

Mt. Olive Branch Rd.

Gauley Bridge

Glenn Ferris

Ka n

As the Appalachian Outlaw Trails expand the region’s identity as an ATV destination, the Boomer Mineland can diversify local recreation offerings and also serve as a supportive hub with trail access, lodging, trailer parking, gathering areas, and rider amenities that help connect visitors to nearby communities and trail systems.

Riv

Kanawha Falls

ATV Oriented Lodging

Potential ATV Program Elements

2 Oversized Full Utility Parking RV Hook-Ups Stalls for - Water, Vehicles, Campfire Parking Sewer, Trailers, and Amenity Sized for Area Class A Electric ATVs

Cabin

Roadway

Skill Building Areas

Gathering Areas for Events

ATV Wash

Camping

Typ. RV Site

Energy 4

The Mineland Research Center supports this work by repurposing former residential facilities on site. Partnerships with universities, state agencies, and conservation organizations can help identify restoration practices that may be replicated across former mining landscapes. By pairing research with visitor access, the Boomer Mineland can become a model for how ecological repair, education, eco- tourism can work together within a restored post-mining landscape.

Wet Meadow

Design Features May Include: • Wet meadows, depressions, micro topography, passive AMD treatment. • Trails, Boardwalks, Overlooks, signage and themed lodging such as sky-domes.

NORTH

Case Study: The Wilds

Bo u

ar y

Plan Key

The Ecosystem Restoration Laboratory and Mineland Research Center are envisioned as a defining element of the Boomer Mineland Conceptual Masterplan, transforming the former mine landscape into a place for land repair, research, and public learning. Rather than treating restoration as a background condition, the plan makes ecological recovery visible through trails, overlooks, demonstration areas, and interpretive storytelling. Active mining and/or restoration can be observed in a central area of the property. This creates opportunities to test restoration strategies and study successful ecosystem recovery. Different land typologies can be established across the landscape through this process, including wet meadows in low-lying drainage areas, grasslands on flatter uplands, and forests along steeper slopes. These areas function as a living laboratory where restoration techniques are studied and refined while creating habitat, improving watershed health, and supporting long-term ecological recovery. Visitors can experience these landscapes through trails, educational programming, species interpretation, and immersive lodging opportunities.

To Secondary Entrance

4. Ecosystem Restoration Laboratory + Mineland Research Center

Camelton Hollow Rd.

ATV Programming

ATV Programming 3

Plan Key 1

Circulation Utilizing Former Haul Roads

Ecosystem Restoration Trailhead, Information, and Visitor Facilities

Ecosystem Restoration Research/ Living Laboratory and Visitor Experience - Implementing Wet Meadows, Grasslands, and Forests Based on Existing Conditions

Mineland Research Center and Facilities

To Primary Lodging Development, User Based Recreation, Site Entrance

Grassland

Design Features May Include: • Open areas with herbaceous plant material, micro-topography, pollinator plants • Trails, bird blinds, signage, and themed lodging such as safari tents.

Forest

Design Features May Include: • Successional planting zones, native trees, snags and other habitat creation strategies. • Trails, framed views, wildlife viewing areas, themed lodging such as cabins.

Located in Cumberland, Ohio, The Wilds is a nearly 10,000-acre conservation, research, and visitor destination developed on former surface-mined land. Shaped by decades of extraction, the site has been transformed into one of North America’s largest wildlife conservation centers, blending ecological restoration, endangered species conservation, scientific research, education, lodging, and nature-based tourism. The project leverages the scale, openness, and rolling landforms of the reclaimed mine landscape as defining assets. Today, the site supports a diverse mosaic of grasslands, prairies, wetlands, streams, riparian corridors, lakes, restored forests, and expansive wildlife pastures. Restoration efforts have included prairie establishment, wetland creation, stream and riparian enhancements, native planting, reforestation research, and invasive species management. Throughout its evolution, The Wilds has also served as a living laboratory for post-mining ecological recovery and wildlife conservation, supported by partnerships with zoos, universities, public agencies, and conservation organizations. Ongoing research in species recovery, habitat restoration, forest succession, wetland and stream health, veterinary science, and long-term ecological monitoring allows the landscape to continue evolving while generating knowledge that can inform the restoration of other disturbed sites. A key measure of the project’s success is its ability to translate ecological restoration into a memorable visitor experience. Open-air safaris, specialty wildlife tours, birding, horseback riding, ziplining, educational programs, cabins, yurts, and camping allow visitors to engage with the restored landscape at a scale rarely found in traditional parks or wildlife facilities. Together, these experiences make ecological recovery visible and engaging while helping transform a former industrial landscape into a regional tourism and economic development asset.

Mt. Olive Correctional Facility

The Emerging Renewable Energy Research Facility is envisioned as a forward-looking extension of the Boomer Mineland’s energy legacy, transforming a former extractive landscape into a place for testing, demonstration, and education around new energy systems and technology. Paired with the Mineland Research Center, this facility would explore how former minelands can support the next generation of renewable energy infrastructure. The northern end of the property is well suited for this type of development, offering relative separation from other site activities, convenient access from existing routes, adaptable topography with meaningful elevation change, and proximity to electric transmission infrastructure.

Mt. Olive Branch Rd.

Plan Key

Camelton Hollow Rd.

Bou nda ry

Mammoth Preserve

A key opportunity for the site is Advanced Rail Energy Storage, or ARES, a gravity-based energy storage technology that uses rail cars, elevation change, and weighted mass to store and release energy. The Boomer Mineland’s slopes, former haul roads, and grade changes create physical conditions that may support this type of system. Supported by the research center, researchers and engineers can test implementation techniques and study how former minelands may be reused for renewable energy storage. Trails, overlooks, and interpretive signage can showcase this process to visitors, demonstrating how post-mining landscapes can support productive and innovative new uses. While ARES serves as the primary technology concept, the facility could also support research into other renewable energy systems, grid resilience strategies, and adaptive reuse approaches for former minelands. Through educational programming and public-facing demonstration areas, visitors could learn how energy landscapes can evolve from extraction toward restoration, innovation, and long-term regional resilience.

Case Study: Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES)

NORTH

Site

5. Emerging Renewable Energy Research Facility

ARES Concept ATV Programming

Plan Key 5 Restoration

Circulation Utilizing Former Haul Roads

Emerging Renewable Energy Research Facility

3 4

ATV Programming To Primary Lodging Development, User Based Recreation, Site Entrance

UPPER CAR STORAGE AREA

OVERHEAD CHAIN SYSTEM, POSSIBILITY FOR SOLAR PANELS

GENERATOR EQUIPMENT + TRANSITION ZONE

Mineland Reserach Center and Facilities Secondary Entrance via Mt. Olive Branch Rd. Transmission Corridor

TYPICAL ARES DESIGN SECTION The below graphic explains the basic system components and requirements for the ARES Rail technology. The area identified for implementation features steep slopes with plateaus for the storage areas. Access branches off of the main circulation network proposed.

20% - 50% SLOPE, MINIMUM 800' ELEVATION DIFFERENCE LOWER CAR STORAGE AREA

SUPPORTING WV’S ENERGY GRID This concept does not provide significant energy generation. Instead, it complements renewable energy sources (such as solar) by storing energy when it is being produced and releasing it when needed (i.e. when sun is not shining). This technology proposed could support a nearby utility scale solar project in development on Mammoth property (by others).

TRANSITION ZONE

CONTROL CENTER/ MAINTENANCE

Advanced Rail Energy Storage, or ARES, is an emerging gravity-based energy storage technology utilizing weighted rail cars, electric motors, and elevation change to store and release electricity. When excess power is available, the system moves heavy mass cars uphill, converting electricity into gravitational potential energy. When the grid needs power, the cars move downhill and the motors operate as generators, returning electricity to the grid. While ARES does not generate electricity itself, it supports renewable energy systems by storing excess power and helping balance peak demand, grid reliability, and energy resilience. A design precedent for this technology concept is the ARES Nevada GravityLine project in Pahrump, Nevada. It is located at the Gamebird Pit, a working gravel mine. The project demonstrates how previously disturbed extraction landscapes can be repurposed for clean-energy storage infrastructure. While the project is described as a 5 MW demonstration project on approximately 20 acres, earlier design concepts explored a larger 50 MW utility-scale on the site. This reinforces the broader potential for the technology to provide utility scale, grid-balancing services to support renewable energy expansion and integration. ARES is particularly relevant to former minelands because these sites often include the physical conditions needed to implement the system, such as substantial grade change, existing access corridors, and proximity to energy infrastructure. Rather than viewing mine benches, haul roads, and steep slopes only as challenges, ARES uses them as tools that support a productive post-extraction landscape. The rail technology can complement renewable (solar) energy, ecological restoration, recreation, interpretive/ educational programming, and workforce development, while positioning the site as a demonstration of adaptive reuse, energy resilience, and post-mining innovation.