The Tug Fork River is an undiscovered recreation-tourism destination in southern West Virginia. Nestled among the rolling hills, the river encompasses not only portions of the Mountain State, but flows into Virginia and Kentucky as well. Thrasher was recently selected by the Coal Heritage Highway Authority to develop a water access master plan for the entire 135-mile length of the Tug Fork to build stakeholder engagement and make the River an outdoor recreation destination.

To achieve this goal, Thrasher will provide complete planning and preliminary design services for access points all along the river. This will start with public engagement, opportunity analysis, market overview, and access point identification. Then, Thrasher will provide site plans and cost estimates for multiple locations and complete the state application for Water Trail designation.

This project is part of a larger effort to boost activity, jobs, and opportunities in an otherwise economically challenged region. The area is accessible to several major population centers and has the potential to become a true hub for recreation-tourism. Several groups are promoting the area for multi-day adventures – Tug Fork River’s water trail offerings are just one piece of the equation. This is an important variable in Thrasher’s work for the River, taking all aspects into consideration. Thrasher’s work with the nearby Hatfield-McCoy Trails System, offering a different style adventure for the traveling thrill seeker, is informing the process.