Hillcrest WMA | Hiking & Wildlife Chester WV

Most rentals point you to the nearby attractions

At Hillcrest, the attraction starts the moment you step off the porch.

The Historic Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area — 2,212 acres of protected public land managed by the WV Division of Natural Resources — sits directly against the estate. Because Hillcrest borders it, there's no drive to a trailhead and no scramble for parking. It's one of the most diverse pieces of public land in the northern panhandle, and it's open to everyone.

A different West Virginia

Formerly the Hillcrest Public Hunting and Fishing Area, this Hancock County tract was a working cattle farm before it was converted to wildlife habitat and managed by the WVDNR for decades. The land runs from flat bottomland to gently rolling upland, threaded with old orchards, crop fields, scattered woodlots, and thick brushy edges.

Unlike most WV public land — steep, forested ridgeline — Hillcrest is open and rolling, a farmland character hunters compare to the Midwest, and hikers find is a wholly different West Virginia from the rugged mountains further south.

Walk out and explore

Hiking & Trails

Gentle, lightly traveled

A wide grass access trail leads in from seven perimeter lots. Terrain is workable for a broad range of ages and fitness. Download the WMA map in the Avenza app for offline GPS before you go.

Bird Watching

A Hancock County hotspot

Orchards, grasslands, and brushy edges draw pheasant, wild turkey, indigo bunting, scarlet tanager, yellow-breasted chat, and many more. April through June is the richest window.

Wildlife & Photography

Deer at dawn and dusk

White-tailed deer work the field edges morning and evening; red fox, coyote, beaver, and mink are all present. The open landscape photographs beautifully in every season.

The land keeps changing

Spring

April–May

Wildflowers in the orchards, turkeys gobbling across the fields, migrants moving through in waves. The prettiest season for hikers and naturalists.

Summer

June–August

Warm-season grasses at full height, fawns moving with their does at dusk, bird life at its most vocal — and sunsets over the Ohio River valley below.

Fall

Sept–November

Peak season. Multiple hunting seasons open, woodlot edges turn gold, deer move in the early rut, and the rare wild-pheasant season opens. Book early.

Winter

Dec–March

Snow on the rolling fields, deer tracks woodlot to woodlot, bare orchards against a grey sky. A frosted morning with no one else in sight is genuinely restorative.

One of the panhandle's premier public hunts

You hunt Hillcrest on your own West Virginia license, the same as any member of the public. Game includes white-tailed deer, wild turkey, rabbit, squirrel, mourning dove, and grouse — plus one of the few remaining self-sustaining wild ring-necked pheasant populations in the state, which the WVDNR manages the habitat specifically to sustain.

A 100-yard range sits within the WMA for sighting in before season; confirm current hours with the WVDNR. Hillcrest carries special deer and pheasant regulations that differ from statewide rules — always confirm current seasons, legal methods, and bag limits at wvdnr.gov before your hunt.

Ask about the Hunter's Base Camp

What to bring

For hunting

A valid WV hunting license (wvhunt.com)
Hunter orange during firearms seasons
Current regulations from wvdnr.gov

For hiking & nature

Comfortable boots — morning grass is wet
Binoculars and a camera
Insect repellent in summer

For everyone

Water
The Avenza WMA map, downloaded for offline use
A plan to pack out all trash

More within reach

5 min

Tomlinson Run State Park

1,398 acres of forested park with trails, a stocked lake, fishing, and camping — a completely different landscape from the open WMA, minutes away.

10 min

The Ohio River

Bass, catfish, and walleye on the upper river. Ask us about seasonal pontoon outings offered with select stays.

15 min

Mountaineer Casino & Resort

For evenings when the wilderness gives way to a different kind of entertainment.

Good to know about public land

The Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area is public land managed by the WV Division of Natural Resources, open to all members of the public year-round. We don't maintain the grounds, so grass can be high at times — long pants and bug spray are recommended. Visitors are welcome to walk and explore on foot. During active hunting seasons we recommend guests wear blaze orange as a courtesy and safety measure. Please respect hunters, pack out all trash, and follow all posted WMA rules. Hunting and fishing licenses are required for those activities — see wvdnr.gov for current regulations.

2,212 acres, right past your door

Most rentals point you to the nearby attractions

A different West Virginia

Walk out and explore