GLEN JEAN, W.Va. (WBOY) — If you’re planning to enjoy West Virginia’s only national park in the next week, one historic trail will not be available, according to a press release.
The Town Loop Trail in Fayetteville, which goes through Nuttallburg, which was once a bustling mining community and shows the mine’s old tipple. The trail, which attracts those interested in the Fayette County area’s history, is a half-mile trail of moderate difficulty.
On Sunday, crews began plugging a private gas well near the trail, and the trail will continue to be closed until approximately Sunday, March 5. During that time, the Town Loop trailhead and Park Look parking area will be closed.
The plugging project is part of a nationwide effort to plug orphaned gas wells no longer in use, according to the New River Gorge press release. Unplugged wells can leak methane into the air and release toxins into groundwater.
Another orphaned gas well in the Gauley National Recreation Area is also scheduled to be plugged and reclaimed later this year.
