Tipple Trail

Tipple Trail is an easy walk from Nuttallburg's parking area into the former coal-processing site. The published length is 0.6 mile one way, or about 1.2 miles out and back if you return the same way; allow roughly an hour to walk and explore. The main mapped path is about 0.47 mile. Several short paths overlap around the machinery, and the available area map does not make clear which are included in the published distance, so wandering through the site adds some steps.

Walk west toward the tall conveyor and tipple, the structure that transferred coal down to the river-level processing area. A long battery of coke ovens lies beyond it; the ovens turned coal into coke for steelmaking. The conveyor and tipple system dates to Henry Ford's 1920s operation. The tipple with the conveyor is the defining view here, so take it from the path and leave the historic structures alone. Bicycles are allowed only on the trail section that passes under the conveyor and follows the top of the ovens; visitors going to the fronts of the ovens or under the tipple need to walk.

John Nuttall began buying coal-rich land and building the mine's infrastructure in 1870. The C&O Railway reached the gorge in 1873, making Nuttallburg one of the early coal towns shipping New River coal. Henry Ford leased the mines in the 1920s to supply his steel mills, then sold his interest in 1928 when he could not control or buy the railroad that carried the coal. Production ended in 1958, leaving a mix of standing machinery, building foundations and forest-covered remains.

This visit is about more than mining equipment. The road into Nuttallburg passes through the former African American community, where roadside pull-offs interpret local life. From the parking area, a separate walk back along the road reaches the clubhouse and post-office remains; crossing the Short Creek bridge gives another look at the community's history. These are side walks, not part of the 0.6-mile trail measurement.

Use the Nuttallburg parking area on Keeneys Creek Road (County Route 85/2), about 4.1 miles from Winona. The road is narrow, winding and steep, with gravel and single-lane sections where drivers may have to back up; large vehicles and trailers are not advised. There is a restroom at the main lot. Accessible parking is another 0.1 mile beyond it, closer to the tipple; that is an access point, not a confirmed accessibility rating for the trail itself. Pets are allowed on trails on a physical leash no longer than six feet, and there is no drinking water at the trailhead.