“I think we took the black trail by mistake,” I said as Chris navigated down a rocky, steep mountain slope that had me picturing rolling over and losing a limb. Thankfully, we found our way back to the gentler green trail.
With its mountainous terrain and scenic rivers, Southwest Virginia is popular for outdoor recreation. We got a big dose of it during our ATV adventure at the Western Front Hotel in St. Paul, Virginia.
We liked our rustic-chic hotel room with a sitting area and red mini-fridge. The restaurant, Puerto Nuevo, was so good we ate there three times.
Accommodations at the Western Front Hotel
Western Front Hotel has 30 rooms in a variety of configurations, with king and queen rooms and suites to some with sitting areas and bunk beds. For families or larger groups, there’s an Adventure Suite with two queen beds, two bunk beds and a sitting area with a sleeper sofa.
Every room has the cherry red retro-style mini fridge and furniture made from reclaimed wood. And there’s space if you’re carting a lot of gear for your Appalachian outdoor adventure.
The hotel has ADA-accessible rooms and is pet-friendly. There’s even a Pooch Package that includes dog treats from a local bakery, bed, water bowl and complimentary dog toy.
Other packages include a Spearhead Trails ATV Package, Small Group ATV Adventure, Take a Hike Package and Romantic Getaway.
Activities at the Western Front Hotel
A big draw is the nearby Mountain View Trail. Part of Spearhead Trails, Mountain View Trail has 100 miles that connect St. Paul to Coeburn.
Western Front Hotel, an authorized Polaris ATV Rental Center, has ATVs for rent and you can do what we did – hop on one at the back of the hotel and set off on the paved roads a short distance until you reach the trail.
After putting on our helmets and armed with a map, plenty of water and a sense of adventure, we headed out to the trail. At one intersection we weren’t sure which way to go, and after we begin a steep descent over teeth-rattling boulders, I began to suspect we had chosen the wrong path.
It took all the power the ATV had to get us over some of the huge boulders, but in spite of my fears, we made it safely back to gentler slopes. I thought about stepping out but was concerned Chris, in full-speed-ahead mode, wouldn’t notice and continue miles without me while I was left to contend with bugs and bears.
We encountered a few massive mud pits and Chris took great delight in revving up the motor and gunning through them, kicking up a spray of mud to cover us and the ATV. I giggled like a little kid jumping in a mud puddle, my fear of death now assuaged. If you return with a clean ATV, did you even really go on the trails?
(Usually an ATV refers to a one-seater vehicle, while a UTV has at least two seats and a roof and is much more stable. I’m referring to our vehicle as an ATV because that is what the hotel does, but I am kinda scared of ATVs – I’ve read about too many accidents – and made sure ours had a roof and four wheels before I agreed to take the adventure.)
In addition to the ATV adventure, you can also go hunting, fishing kayaking or tubing on the Clinch River with Clinch Life Outfitters. They offer guided tours or you can go on your own with a 24-hour rental and shuttle service.
Sadly, the river was too high the day we were supposed to go kayaking, but we took a drive to check out the Clinch River, just a few blocks from the hotel.
For a more leisurely activity, you can lounge in Adirondack chairs in The Backyard and make s’mores for a sweet treat, or if you’re lucky, listen to live music on the stage. Or you can play a game of pool or darts, cards or board games in The Roost, a community game room.
Check out the shows at the nearby 202-seat Lyric Theater, where you can see plays, concerts, magic shows and movies. The theater was built in the 1950s and after being abandoned for years, was beautifully restored and reopened in 2023.
Dining at the Western Front Hotel
In a nod to the coal-mining history of St. Paul, guests have a metal bucket in their room where they place their breakfast order, desired time of delivery and leave outside. In the morning, the bucket was placed outside our door with juice, muffins and yogurt, all we need to get the day started.
With few restaurants in town, we were hopeful we would like Puerto Nuevo, which we entered from the lobby of the hotel.
Wow, it was so good we were blown away. In addition to an extensive Mexican menu, there are also other dinner items. I had fajitas for lunch one day, served on a sizzling hot platter. We opted for seafood both nights, loving the salmon, fried perch and fried shrimp.
While I may not make it back to St. Paul any time soon, I may make it to one of their 14 other locations in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief