OK, this is the OFT ASKED QUESTION! I have seen this before... BUT put your thinking on ... I live near BWI. When I go to Whitetail I take the following route -- this is the shortest of several I've tried.

1) 97 North to 100 West
2) 100 West to 29N, then 70 W
3) 70 all the way to Whitetail

Total mileage for me: 101 miles, time: 90 minutes (excessive speeding)

NOW - Mapquest suggests for me to go to Timberline that I take 370 around, then up and out western maryland and down. ODD! Now doubt I would make the 70 change as above, still taking me past whitetail, up to cumberland, and then down 220.

Eyeballing it, it looks like I could follow 340 at Frederick, pass through Harpers Ferry, Winchester area, until it hits 220 (?) again and then down to timberline area. LOTS OF LITTLE BACK ROADS HERE... still tempting...

Also there's the total alternative approach for me -- cut through DC. Yes, I could cut through DC, 50/295/395 to 66 WEST, and then follow that out to 81N, then across 50/29 ... ( I have had good luck with that little trick of 295->395)...

ANY ONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? Yes, of course you do, this has been discussed a billion times, sorry!! ;-)

JohnFMH actually wrote up a nice little article on how to get to timberline.

Here is the link:

http://www.timberlineresort.com/shortcuts.asp

Good luck.

Northern route not bad. You have alot of interstate, if the congestion around Frederick is not too bad. My perferred route, particularly in the winter, is to continue on past Cumberland and drop down thorough Deep Creek and Oakland on 219. This will take you on into Thomas/Davis/CV. Sounds like the long way but it is interstate until you get to 219 and not many switch backs from there on.

If it is easy enough to get to 66, I would recommend 66-81-55-42-93. It is the southern route to CV and not bad road, particularly now that Corridor H is open from Baker to Moorefield. I can make it in 3 hours from Arlington on a good day without a lot of traffic on 66 to Manassas.

Thanks for the advice... I think the southern route sounds promising. On an early saturday morning, I can get to downtown arlington in 20 min using the 295->395 "button hook"... so 3:20 doesn't sound too bad at all really!

I live just North of the Baltimore City line (Lutherville/Timonium) and I would say the best way by far from the Baltimore area is 70 to 68 to 220 to 50W. Left on SR 93, then left on SR 32. For more detail, see T-Line's website. Mapquest sometimes gives very screwy directions. Without speeding, I can do this in 3-3.5 hours with minimal stops in good weather conditions. If you are like me and don't have 4WD, if there is snow on 93, I would recommend taking it slow, which added another 30 min. in my case.

the northern route is best.thru cumberland & down 220.The best southern route is get down to the dc beltway, take the dulles toll rd, go around winchester,take i think 522 north to 29 southor west..this is straighter & faster than 50.Link back up with 50 ,go to 93 on up to davis. This was the fastest route from beltsville md 5 years ago.I tried them all!!

http://www.dcski.com/news/2003/10_24_2003/directions.php3

Read the article as well as the comments.

Thanks for all the advice, I think both the southern and northern route sound like they might be about the same from where I am at, so either one could work just fine.

Having said that, I'm curious about the southern route and might try that one. The TRICK from the eastern side of DC is to take 295 SOUTH to 395 SOUTH, then pick up 110 at the pentagon, and then pick up 66 right at Rossalynn/Key/Iwo ...

THE PROBLEM is this -- there is NO direct connection from 295 SOUTH to 395 SOUTH. Instead you are left with several options, and I prefer the "button hook".

This involves going to exit 3a(?) I think -- and taking this around (it's a clover-leaf, so take the half clover-leaf) so you are now going on 295 *NORTH*...

Immediately facing you will be the connection to 395 SOUTH as there *is* a direct connection from 295 NORTH to 395 SOUTH.

Now take that and follow that over the river to 110/Arlington area & then pick up 66...

Coming back you can do the same thing but it's a BIT trickier. You have to pick up 295 SOUTH MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD from 395, merge right a couple of times until you are on 295 SOUTH again...

Now you want to go NORTH so take the button hook around, 3a again, and then you are on 295 N, and that's what you want...

That little maneuver, with the right traffic (aka early saturday am!) can save -- well a few minutes vs going around beltway... ;-)

Does any of that make *ANY* sense at all? I can try again, if it was confusing. Best to try it once perhaps before actually using it on a trip... it's taken me years of practice to get it down, and every now and then I still screw it up!

We go to SS from Germantown and follow 340 from Frederick to 81, get on to 55 at Strasburg. Its 4 lane 90% of the way. There is a short section of 2 lane but the traffic is so light you will hardly notice it. From there I imagine you can follow any of the near 'Corridor H' routes mentioned previously to get to Canaan/T-line.

Ah duh, I am assuming you are coming from BWI via 70 which brings you right into Frederick in which case the 70-340-81 connection will make your drive really easy.

[This message has been edited by snowcone (edited 01-15-2004).]

Look what are you trying to go down & around dc for??Drop down to 495 west to the dulles toll.You want to sight see or get there the fastest??

I second Snowcone's advice on 70-340-81, but I would advise taking the northern route unless you are curious to see the NEW ROAD. From Baltimore, the northern route is faster (70-68-220-50-93-32).

Best Food: Mr Tucker's Wood Fired Pizzas on Naves Cross rd just before Cumberland.

Cheapest Gas: Sheetz in Cressaptown or Keyser. I also like the Exxon at Indian Springs (like Sheetz, it has a decent mini mart).

Food and Supplies: Wal-Mart Supercenter in New Creek or Shop & Save in Davis.

Rest Stop: South Mountain or Sideling Hill.