Skyline Drive to DC route recommendations?
01-31-08, 02:36 PM
#1
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Skyline Drive to DC route recommendations?
I'm planning a cycling tour from Charlottesville to Washington DC, via Skyline Drive, for a week this summer. From Front Royal, would you recommend going to a) Harpers Ferry and taking the C&O canal trail or b) Purcellville and taking the W&OD trail? Why? Any particular area attractions?
Background: my daughter and I, we're not hammerheads, we're not in a hurry, planning about 50 miles per day, 2 or maybe 3 days for Skyline drive, on road bikes, light touring gear, picnics and restaurants -- not full cooking, hammock camping, some hotels.
Background: my daughter and I, we're not hammerheads, we're not in a hurry, planning about 50 miles per day, 2 or maybe 3 days for Skyline drive, on road bikes, light touring gear, picnics and restaurants -- not full cooking, hammock camping, some hotels.
01-31-08, 02:41 PM
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If you're using road bikes, go to Purcelville and the W&OD... I've done the C&O end to end, and it's much better with a mountain bike, or at least wide tires...
Either way, enjoy the trip-- Skyline is great, you'll get lots of speed on the downhills, and the uphills aren't that bad.
train safe-
Either way, enjoy the trip-- Skyline is great, you'll get lots of speed on the downhills, and the uphills aren't that bad.
train safe-
01-31-08, 03:15 PM
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Agree with buleito. Skyline drive is a lot of ups and downs. Very pretty, but lots and lots of traffic in the summer, especially on the weekends. Personally I would head toward purcelleville and do the W & OD trail if you wanted a straight shot away from traffic. The other suggestion would be to head up thru wv into the area of Poolesville, Antietem, Shepherdstown, etc. Some very nice scenery and some back roads that are not too bad. Cross the Potomac at White's Ferry and then take back roads towards Potomac. You can pretty much stay along the river, but not on the C & O trail. If you are riding standard road tires and wheels your bike and butt won't take it. When you hit Potomac follow Falls Road to MacArthur blvd all the way into DC. You will be into urban traffic but once in Georgetown you can get off onto paths and such.
01-31-08, 06:04 PM
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First the route I (mostly) know. It works pretty well, but it spends some time on route 55:
From Front Royal make your way over to route 55 and head east
(bit of traffic but there are not too many ways thru the mountain) go about 15 miles.
R at T on route 17 (traffic)
Half mile and L on Maidstone Rd / 713
In Rectortown, R on Rectortown Rd / 713, then L on Atoka Road / 713
R at T in Atoka (nice little store in town)
R / east on Route 50 (heavy traffic so use shoulder.)
Half mile and cross route 50 to St Louis Rd / 611
Turns into Silcott Springs Rd / 690 at Snickersville Pike (you'll go about 13 miles on 611 and 690)
R at T at Main St in Purcellville.
About a half mile and L on 23rd or 21st St (either will do)
(Purcellville Family Restaurant on Main St is a good place to eat)
W&OD trail head is at the old train station.
An alternate route that I have seen on maps. I haven't tried much of it, but would like to -
From Front Royal take E 6th St (turns into Happy Creek)
Turns into Morgan's Ford at I-66
R on Howellsville Rd (if you cross the Shennandoah River you've gone a couple hundred yards too far.)
This is a nice ride along the river for about 10 miles
R at T on route 50 / route 17 (traffic)
Go east one mile and L on Mt Carmel Rd / 606 (don't know this next part so I can't vouch for them)
Go about 10 miles on 606, turns into Feltner Rd, turns into River Rd
T's at route 7 (traffic). Go west for about two and one half miles to Bluemont.
Bear R onto Snickersville Pike / 734
L on Silcott Springs Rd / 690 to Purcellville.
Front Royal to Leesburg is a bit over 50 miles. Sounds ok for a days riding, with hotels at each end.
Front Royal, Purcellville and Leesburg are all good towns to explore.
Harpers Ferry is also fun, I'm just not sure how best to get there from the Valley on bike.
Have fun!
* * *
Added:
Here's a way up towards Harpers Ferry. I haven't ridden the stretch between Berryville and H.F, but that area is popular with the local club and expect it is good riding.
The route would be less hilly than the others, with some good sight seeing, especially Harpers Ferry.
From Front Royal take E 6th St (turns into Happy Creek)
Turns into Morgan's Ford at I-66
Cross the Shennandoah River (very low bridge, might not be open during a rain)
Turns into Milldale Rd / 624 (the views east across the valley is very pretty)
Turns into Red Gate Rd / 264
Crosses route 17 / 50 and turns into Bishop Meade / 255 (some traffic)
Millwood has a good little store and an historic mill that's worth a stop.
At route 340 go R on Briggs Rd / 617
L at Lockes Mill / 618
L at Springbury Rd / 618
Bear R on Jack Enders Blvd
R at East Main / 7 (L takes you into Berryville, some things to explore here)
R / east on Route 7 (traffic)
L at Wickliffe Rd / 608
Cross into West Virginia
R at Kabletown Rd / 25
R at T at route 9 and quick L onto Cattail Run Rd
R at Keys Ferry Crossing / 26
Joins Bloomery Rd / 27 in Millville (might be a L, but you'll be heading north)
R at Alstadts Hill Rd
At route 340 go R to stay on Alstadts Hill Rd
R on Point Field Dr (may be on route 340 briefly)
L on Campground Rd
L on Shoreline Dr
Cross route 340
Turns into W. Washington St / business 340
Stay on W. Washington thru Bolivar and into Harpers Ferry
Turns into High Street
L at end to town to Bridge across Potomac to Maryland
You can take the C&O down to DC (about 60 miles) or to Brunswick (5.5 miles) and cross back to Virginia (if you're interested I have nice routes to get you back to Leesburg) or you can take the roads parallel to the river thru Frederick and Montgomery counties.
From Front Royal make your way over to route 55 and head east
(bit of traffic but there are not too many ways thru the mountain) go about 15 miles.
R at T on route 17 (traffic)
Half mile and L on Maidstone Rd / 713
In Rectortown, R on Rectortown Rd / 713, then L on Atoka Road / 713
R at T in Atoka (nice little store in town)
R / east on Route 50 (heavy traffic so use shoulder.)
Half mile and cross route 50 to St Louis Rd / 611
Turns into Silcott Springs Rd / 690 at Snickersville Pike (you'll go about 13 miles on 611 and 690)
R at T at Main St in Purcellville.
About a half mile and L on 23rd or 21st St (either will do)
(Purcellville Family Restaurant on Main St is a good place to eat)
W&OD trail head is at the old train station.
An alternate route that I have seen on maps. I haven't tried much of it, but would like to -
From Front Royal take E 6th St (turns into Happy Creek)
Turns into Morgan's Ford at I-66
R on Howellsville Rd (if you cross the Shennandoah River you've gone a couple hundred yards too far.)
This is a nice ride along the river for about 10 miles
R at T on route 50 / route 17 (traffic)
Go east one mile and L on Mt Carmel Rd / 606 (don't know this next part so I can't vouch for them)
Go about 10 miles on 606, turns into Feltner Rd, turns into River Rd
T's at route 7 (traffic). Go west for about two and one half miles to Bluemont.
Bear R onto Snickersville Pike / 734
L on Silcott Springs Rd / 690 to Purcellville.
Front Royal to Leesburg is a bit over 50 miles. Sounds ok for a days riding, with hotels at each end.
Front Royal, Purcellville and Leesburg are all good towns to explore.
Harpers Ferry is also fun, I'm just not sure how best to get there from the Valley on bike.
Have fun!
* * *
Added:
Here's a way up towards Harpers Ferry. I haven't ridden the stretch between Berryville and H.F, but that area is popular with the local club and expect it is good riding.
The route would be less hilly than the others, with some good sight seeing, especially Harpers Ferry.
From Front Royal take E 6th St (turns into Happy Creek)
Turns into Morgan's Ford at I-66
Cross the Shennandoah River (very low bridge, might not be open during a rain)
Turns into Milldale Rd / 624 (the views east across the valley is very pretty)
Turns into Red Gate Rd / 264
Crosses route 17 / 50 and turns into Bishop Meade / 255 (some traffic)
Millwood has a good little store and an historic mill that's worth a stop.
At route 340 go R on Briggs Rd / 617
L at Lockes Mill / 618
L at Springbury Rd / 618
Bear R on Jack Enders Blvd
R at East Main / 7 (L takes you into Berryville, some things to explore here)
R / east on Route 7 (traffic)
L at Wickliffe Rd / 608
Cross into West Virginia
R at Kabletown Rd / 25
R at T at route 9 and quick L onto Cattail Run Rd
R at Keys Ferry Crossing / 26
Joins Bloomery Rd / 27 in Millville (might be a L, but you'll be heading north)
R at Alstadts Hill Rd
At route 340 go R to stay on Alstadts Hill Rd
R on Point Field Dr (may be on route 340 briefly)
L on Campground Rd
L on Shoreline Dr
Cross route 340
Turns into W. Washington St / business 340
Stay on W. Washington thru Bolivar and into Harpers Ferry
Turns into High Street
L at end to town to Bridge across Potomac to Maryland
You can take the C&O down to DC (about 60 miles) or to Brunswick (5.5 miles) and cross back to Virginia (if you're interested I have nice routes to get you back to Leesburg) or you can take the roads parallel to the river thru Frederick and Montgomery counties.
Last edited by cc_rider; 02-04-08 at 11:35 AM.
