I am leaving Baltimore on Friday morning, Is there a better rout to take to SnowShoe then mapquest, Mapquest say 6hrs to get there. that true?
Thanks
Matt

Hi Matt,
I'm not sure the best way to get there, but I know you can do it in less than six hours. If you look at the Q & A section of the main site...several routes to the 'Shoe have been mentioned. Hope this helps!

Went there over XMAS (from GlenBurnie area), and it took about 5 hours (with a couple of quick stops).

I used the directions provided by IBOTTA (you can search for em), and it was nice, but I might not go that way if weather was an issue.

The snowshoe site says to go out 70 from the Baltimore area, but that just didn't make sense to me.

Good luck

Matt,
I replied to your other post but I'll reply here: I live in Clifton/Centreville. I take 66W, 81S, 33W, WV 28S, WV 66W, to Snowshoe Drive. I can imagine that 33W can get nasty if the weather is bad though. I believe that the elevation marker says it's 3400+ feet at the top of the 33W climb. I've been able to make it there in slightly under 4 hours from my house via this route

-Warren-

I often use the route Warren stated and from Alexandria I have done it in 4 hrs 15 min. I have also driven it after a big storm and with snow tires, barely got thru.

I usually take I-66w, I-81s, Rt-55w, WV-Rt28/33, WV 66w. From Centreville, it usually takes me 4.5 hrs with a stop at the Sheets in Petersburg. Petersburg is the last stop before leaving civilization if you're driving late night. You get to drive on a nice stretch of Corridor H and get to go by Seneca Rocks if you want to stop for a vista. Corridor H is open for about 10+ miles, its a stretch of super highway that you can go 65+ miles an hour on.

I haven't taken Warren's route in a long time.

Has anybody taken both of these routes recently? If so, which do you prefer?

Forget Mapquest ...

We take the same route as SCVWA. Only difference is whether we come from work (Arlington) or home(Germantown). Works is obvious; 66W. Home we head up 270N to Frederick (coming from Balmer you would take 70W) and then 340W to 522 to Front Royal where we pick up our normal route. We have tried just about everything to find a shorter/faster/easier way to Snowshoe but this is still about the best. Normal travel time is between 4 to 5 hrs depending on weather and road conditions.

I also usualy take SCWA's route. Gas prices at the Sheets station in Petersburg are not bad, but the lowest gas prices on this route are at the first two stations that you encounter after getting on Rt. 55 west at Strasburg. The first station (about 2 miles after I-81) usually has slightly higher prices than the second but has longer hours of operation and restrooms (but they were broken last weekend). The second station is about 5 miles west of I-81. It consistently has the lowest prices for gas on this route.

Tom

Has anyone tried the route via Harrisonburg? I tried it a couple of times last year and couldn't decide if it was better than the the route listed above (pass Seneca Rocks into Cass on 28). I know it's a bit longer but there seemed to be less mountain driving which makes it easier. On the downside there is no Corridor H like stretch.

EWWWWW!!

Oh yes we have tried the Harrisonburg route ... never again. It was white knuckle all the way. Fog, freezing rain, night driving, switchbacks until you were dizzy, plus it took us forever. We left Vienna at 4:30 and got to Snowshoe at 12:30 midnight. Going home several days later wasn't much better .. only took 6 hours rather than 8.
No thanks ... will never do that drive again. Best route is still Strasburg/Petersburg/Seneca.

MM, I occasionally take that route when I am driving during the day and the weather is good. It can provide a pleasant change of scenery, but the drive is longer. You go over three big mountains: Shenandoah Mtn. east of Franklin on the VA-WV line, North Mtn. between Franklin and Judy Gap, and Allegheny Mtn. between Judy Gap and Thornwood (where Rt. 28 meets Rt. 250). I'm pretty sure that results in more mountain driving than on the route through Petersburg and Seneca Rocks.

Tom