Real McCoy Cabins Story

Real McCoy Cabins isn’t just a business—it’s a family adventure. What started as Donald (Don) and Virginia (Ginger) Cates building a small but successful business in Miami turned into something bigger: a dream to create a place where the whole family could work together, live out their values, and share their love of the outdoors.

As lifelong ATV enthusiasts, the Cates family would pack up every year and drive over 1,000 miles—one way!—to ride the Hatfield-McCoy Trails in West Virginia. Those trips sparked an idea: what if we built a business right in the middle of the trails we love most? After exploring trail systems and communities that offered both opportunity and that small-town, family-first feel, they found their perfect spot—Pocahontas, Virginia. And just like that, the wheels were in motion.

Of course, this wasn’t the family’s first rodeo when it came to travel. With years of softball tournaments up and down the East Coast and countless family vacations, they had stayed in every kind of lodging imaginable. Most of them? Let’s just say they left plenty of room for improvement. That gave them a vision: build cabins that feel like rustic luxury, with all the little details that make a stay unforgettable.

Their goal? Simple:

• Cozy cabins designed with comfort and style.
• Hospitality that feels like home, from fresh hot breakfasts to boxed trail lunches.
• The extras that matter, like crockpot dinners waiting when you get back from a long day on the trails.

The Cates family set out to create not just a place to stay, but an experience worth coming back to again and again.

The Journey

• January 2015: The adventure begins. The property is purchased, construction on the first cabin starts—and of course, one of Virginia’s coldest winters decides to show up. Permits, codes, delays… you name it, they faced it.
• July 2015: A historic flood tests the property’s new drainage system. Spoiler: it worked like a charm.
• October 2015: Three cabins are completed, and the first guests arrive—filling all three cabins and RV spots! Their enthusiasm for supporting the local community was contagious. In fact, one guest ended up buying a business in Pocahontas and another purchased a vacation home nearby.
• November 2015: The Grand Opening of Real McCoy Cabins. The reviews start rolling in—5 stars across the board.
• 2016: Cabins #4, #5, and #6 open, along with the Real McCoy Country Store and Kitchen. The dream keeps growing.

Today, Real McCoy Cabins is thriving with thousands of happy guests, many of them loyal regulars (some on their 14th stay!). With over 11,000 followers on social media and a wall of glowing reviews, the Cates family is proof that when you mix passion, perseverance, and a little mud on the tires—you can build something truly special.