Description
Less than a half mile from America's newest national park, this outdoor adventure property includes more than 13 landscaped acres near the rim of the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. A half-mile north of the New River Gorge Bridge on the US-19 expressway, the property is home to one of the state's chief whitewater outfitter basecamps. It's fewer than two miles from downtown Fayetteville and offers unparalled access to the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and the region's best hiking, biking, paddling, and rock-climbing areas.
ATTRIBUTES AND HIGHLIGHTS
Outdoor adventure resort property
Five-acre primitive campground
Proximity to park trails, climbing routes
13 acres adjoining US-19 expressway
On scenic route beneath New River Gorge Bridge
0.5 miles ABOUT THE NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE
The property looks out across the northern district of the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, central to the fastest-growing tourism region in West Virginia. Congress established the 70,000-acre park in 2020, ushering in revolutionary nationwide interest in the region as a destination for travel and residency.
Articles in Time, Vogue, and USA Today have since accelerated interest in the area globally, as has television coverage by major networks. Time magazine named the park among the "World's 100 Greatest Places."
Long a renowned destination for hiking, biking, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting, it now attracts more than two million visitors annually. Officials predicted an increase of more than 20 percent in visitation in its first year; however, the increase appeared to be nearer 70 percent as of October 2022.
ABOUT TOURISM DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS
The property may be eligible for tourism development tax credits and other financial incentives as a result of its proximity to the national park. For further information, contact listing agent or contact the W.Va. Department of Tourism.
LOCATION
Google Coordinates: 38.076064, -81.069068
Address: 211 Oscar White Road, Lansing, WV 25862
Elevation Range: +/- 1,756 to 1,898 feet above sea level
ABOUT THE PROPERTY
Since the 1990s, this landscaped commercial property has been the home of New & Gauley River Adventures, one of the principal whitewater rafting guide services operating in West Virginia and a driving force in the development of outdoor recreation in the state. It has been developed to take advantage of its location along the US-19 expressway at the corner of Lansing-Edmond Road, an important local route used to access many of the region's hiking trails and climbing access areas.
Reception Center
A one-story reception center of more than 7,000 square feet houses two offices, a reception area, and a showroom for outdoor apparel. It has long served as the company's reception center and admistrative offices. A large deck off the showroom acts as an outdoor gathering space and includes a proscenium for speakers. The building includes a half bath and a laundry.
Great Lodge
A three-story lodge building of more than 20,000 square feet includes a dining hall, lower-level tavern, and men's and women's shower rooms as well as a one-bedroom dormer apartment. The lower floors open onto decks that overlook the lower property and its bus-parking lot.
Breeze Hill
The home of one of the region's best known restaurants, this historical cottage has been converted and expanded into an outdoors restaurant. It includes approximately 1,300 square feet on its first floor as well as more than 500 square feet of attic space. In addition to the restaurant building, the property boasts more 2,500 square feet of outdoor gathering space, including a covered performance area and stage of more than 1,300 square feet.
Historic Simms House
Long the home of Emma Simms, this historical two-bedroom, one-bath cottage built in the 1890s has been carefully preserved. It includes approximately 1,300 square feet on its first floor as well as more than 400 square feet of attic space. It has tradionally been used as a vacation rental and staff quarters.
Old Store
Now used for storage, a former one-story, concrete block building of more than 2,000 square feet has been used as a residence for guides. It includes two bedrooms, a kitchen, a full bath, and an unfinished basement. The
Campground
A primitive RV campground has been developed on an eight-acre meadow and woodland ajoining the chief resort buildings. Four camper sites with fire rings and picnic table have been opened along the gravel road leading through the campground.
Other Structures
Several smaller buildings on the property serve as storage areas, repair shops, and as ancelary lodging.
MINERAL RESOURCES
West Virginia is one of the states in the U.S. 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
The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.
UTILITIES
Water: Municipal
Sewer: Septic
Electricity: Appalachian Power
Telephone: Frontier
Internet: Starlink, Frontier, Optima
Cellphone Coverage: Various Carriers
ACCESS/FRONTAGE
Approximately 350 feet of the property extend along Lansing Edmond Road (WV-82), part of the principal route into the New River Gorge beneath the New River Gorge Bridge. A bus-parking entrance has been built off the road extending to the reception building, as has a secondary entrance to the upper property. More than 1,900 vehicles passed the entrance in 2022, according to the W.Va. Dept. of Transportation. At the upper end of the property, more than 1,000 feet front along Oscar White Road, a rural road that ends beyond the property and provides access to its lodge and restaurant.
ZONING
Properties in Fayette County are subject to some zoning and subdivision regulations. All prospective buyers should consult the local government for details regarding zoning and building codes.
PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY
The property is commercial and has been operated as a basecamp for one of the state's chief whitewater rafting guide services since the early 1990s.
DEED AND TAX INFORMATION
Deed Information: Deed Book 392 Pg. 555; Deed Book 526, Pg. 697; Deed Book 542, Pg. 147; Deed Book 587, Pg. 328
Fayette County, West Virginia
Acreage: 13.17 acres +/-
Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Fayette County (10), West Virginia
New Haven District (1)
Tax Map 50: Parcels 1,2,3,5, 127; Class 3
2022 Real Estate Taxes: $6453.20
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Public school students may attend Ansted Elementary, Ansted Middle School, and Midland Trail High School. The Fayette Institute of Technology is located 15 miles south at Oak Hill. Several private schools operate in the area, and home-schooling programs are supported.
HIGHER EDUCATION
The southern campus of West Virginia University is located 30 miles to the south at Beckley. Satellite campuses of Concord University and New River Community & Technical College are also located at Beckley. Appalachian Bible College is located 25 miles to the south at Bradley. The larger campuses of Marshall University, and West Virginia University, and West Virginia State University are a drive of approximately two hours.
HEALTHCARE
Hospitals with emergency units are located nearby at Oak Hill and Montgomery, 20 and 35 minutes from the property respectively. State medical centers at Charleston and Morgantown are an hour's drive west and two-and-a-half hour drive north. A Veterans Administration Medical Center is located at Beckley, a drive of half an hour south. Several medical and emergency care clinics serve the upper region, while the area's moderate climate and access to trails, gymnasiums, and athletic centers support healthy living.
TRANSPORTATION
MOTOR VEHICLE: Interstate expressways 77 and 64 and US-19 join nearby, providing easy access to Richmond, Charlotte, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Washington, D.C. FLIGHT: Yeager Airport, at Charleston, is the largest and busiest flight-service center in the region. RAIL: The Amtrak passenger station at Montgomery is a 20-minute drive from the property and provides direct access to Charleston, Washington, Chicago, and New York City.
Approximate hourly drive times to regional U.S. cities include Charleston, W.Va., 1; Morgantown, W.Va., 2.5; Columbus, Ohio, 2.5; Pittsburgh, Pa., 3.5; Cincinnati, Ohio, 4; Charlottesville, Va., 3.5; Richmond, Va., 4.5; Winston-Salem, N.C., 3.5; Charlotte, N.C.: 4; and Washington, D.C., 5.
CLIMATE
Due partly to the sheltering nature of its narrow valley, the New River sustains a microclimate more typical of warmer, more southerly latitudes Though it may appear as a large mountain stream, the New has already traveled more than 300 miles from the summits of the Blue Ridge in North Carolina, and it has heated by the time it reaches the gorge.
The gorge is a preferred location for gardens as its warm microclimate accommodates a longer growing season. It remains relatively free of heavier snows that blanket the surrounding highlands. Mean annual precipitation at the property is estimated at 37 to 47 inches, mean annual air temperature at 50 to 52 degrees F, and its frost-free period at 140 to 170 days.
RECREATION
The New River Gorge region is known nationally as a chief destination for rock climbing and whitewater rafting. However, it affords access to a seemingly limitless variety of recreational pursuits now being explored by national park visitors. It invites hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, paddling, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting, and the area accommodates a number of walking and field-sports facilities, including stadiums, playgrounds, and walking and biking trails. Skiing and snow-tubing at Winterplace is an hour's drive south, and the Snowshoe Mountain ski areas are a two-hour drive to the northeast.
DINING & RETAIL
Directions: From US-19 at Fayetteville, travel US-19 north 2.3 miles to a right turn onto Lansing-Edmond Road. Proceed 0.2 miles to a left into the lower parking area or 0.3 miles to a left into the upper parking area on Oscar White Road.
