W. Va. Code § 20-14-8 — WV Code / Chapter 20 / Article 14 / Section 8
§20-14-8. Prohibited acts, penalty.
Status: in_force

(a) A person may not enter or remain upon the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area without a valid, nontransferable user permit issued by the authority and properly displayed, except properly identified landowners or leaseholders or their officers, employees, or agents while on the land that the person owns or leases for purposes related to the ownership or lease of the land and not for recreational purposes;

(b) A person may not consume or possess any alcoholic liquor, nonintoxicating beer, nonintoxicating craft beer, or wine at any time or any location within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area.

(c) The operator and all passengers of a motor vehicle within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area shall wear size-appropriate protective helmets at all times. All operators and passengers shall wear helmets that meet the current performance specifications established by the American National Standards Institute Standard, z 90.1, the United States Department of Transportation Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 218 or Snell Memorial Foundation Safety Standards for protective headgear for vehicle users.

(d) Each trail user shall obey all traffic laws, traffic-control devices, and signs within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area, including those which restrict trails to certain types of motor vehicles, motorcycles, or those equipped with roll cages.

(e) Each trail user shall at all times remain within and on a designated and marked trail while within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area.

(f) A person may not be on any trail within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area at any time from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise, except in an emergency.

(g) Every person within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area who is under 16 years of age shall at all times be under the immediate supervision of, and within sight of, a person who is at least 18 years of age and who either is a parent or guardian of the youth or has the express permission of a parent or guardian to supervise the youth. No parent, guardian, or supervising adult may allow a child under the age of 16 years to leave that person’s sight and supervision within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area.

(h) A person may not ignite or maintain any fire within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area except at a clearly marked location at a trailhead center.

(i) A person within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area may not operate a motor vehicle in any competition or exhibition of speed, acceleration, racing, test of physical endurance, or climbing ability unless in an event sanctioned by the authority.

(j) Every person operating a motor vehicle within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle by the provisions of §17C-1-1 et seq. of this code except where inconsistent with the provisions of this article and except as to those provisions of §17C-1-1 et seq. of this code which by their nature can have no application and may not operate a motor vehicle in violation of those duties.

(k) A person may not possess a glass container while riding on a motor vehicle within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area.

(l) A person may not operate or ride in a utility terrain vehicle, as defined in §17F-1-1 et seq. of this code, or any other motor vehicle with bench or bucket seating and a steering wheel for control unless equipped with seat belts meeting at a minimum federal motor vehicle safety standard and properly worn by the driver and all passengers.

(m) (1) No child under the age of six years may be allowed on any trail within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area; and

(2) No child under the age of eight years who is required to be placed in a child passenger safety device system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards pursuant to §17C-15-46 of this code while occupying a motor vehicle may be allowed on any trail within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area; and

(3) All persons operating or riding upon an ATV, UTV, or motorcycle as defined in §20-15-1 et seq. of this code shall follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for that vehicle relating to age and size limitations for operators and passengers.

(n) (1) A person who violates any provision of this section, except for subsection (e), is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $100.

(2) A person who violates subsection (e) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined $1,000: Provided, That in the event the person’s violation of subsection (e) of this section causes damage to a landowner’s property outside of the designated and marked trail within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area or interferes with a landowner’s or lawful possessor’s use of the property outside of the designated and marked trail within the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Area, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined $2,000.

(3) Prosecution or conviction for the misdemeanors described in this subsection may not prevent or disqualify any other civil or criminal remedies for the conduct prohibited by this section.