HeadHouse Trail, Nuttallburg mine, WV

On 10/4/2021 we hiked the HeadHouse Trail near Fayetteville, WV to visit the remnants of the Nuttallburg mine. The hike is only 1.3 miles out an back. It descends 493 feet on a gravel trail which makes the way up a bit difficult without multiple stops. Fall colors were starting to show which made the trail more enjoyable. There were gigantic rocks along the way with a few climbers trying to conquer them.

According to the exhibits on site, this mine was active for 85 years (1873-1958). Though it is 52F inside at all time, the air coming out felt quite cold. It is difficult for me to imagine men tunneling inside this dark mine day in and day out to earn a living. I felt spoiled working in a heated, air conditioned office. The money they earned was based on the weight of the coal they mined. Signs at the site explain that the main structure is called the headhouse. Coal from the mine was weighed and sent down to the gorge through a conveyor that is visible in the photos below. Another trail leads to the bottom part, but it sounded too strenuous to take on.

I am glad we hiked this trail. I had never visited a mine site before so this hike was quite educational. Beautiful fall colors and interesting rock formations added to the experience. I appreciated the exhibits explaining its operation.

References AllTrails, Nuttallburg Trails