Massachusetts to Blue Ridge Parkway Route

[dfnton]

:usa Just wondering if any member with previous experience can recommend a route mostly free of Interstate highway travel going from Western Mass to the North end of the Blue Ridge parkway. Planning an early April ride. Thanks. :usa

[Charles960]

I am no big fan of the BRP so I ahve to ask if you are planning to ride the BRP on purpose? There are tons of roads through the Carolinas and VA/WVA and PA that are just fine, without the severity of a BRP speeding ticket.

Charles

[scootrp125x]

:usa Just wondering if any member with previous experience can recommend a route mostly free of Interstate highway travel going from Western Mass to the North end of the Blue Ridge parkway. Planning an early April ride. Thanks. :usa

I havent ridden this route to the BRP but I lived in NJ and spend a good bit of vacation time in southern Vt so I have driven back and forth a few times in my car. Looking at Google maps, I would head south on Rte 7 to Great Barrington then make your way west over to Rte 9 in NY state. Go south on Rte 9 to Rhinebeck (stop at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome antique aircraft museum if you have time) then west on 199 over to Rte 209. Rte 209 goes through NY state into a beautiful part of NJ called the Delaware Water Gap. Rte 209 goes further west into PA all the way to the Susquehanna River. From there you can either go south along the river through Harrisburg or go a bit further west on other roads and then turn south. You will want to aim for Winchester Va which is the northern terminus of the BRP called the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Natl Park. If you go south through Harrisburg you can go through Gettysburg PA and Harpers Ferry WV, both are very scenic and it should be nice riding there.

There is an entrance fee to the Shenandoah National Park but once you are south of the park the rest of the road is free until you get to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Campgrounds along the Parkway are generally rustic but well maintained. Dont leave food in your tent because bears are numerous in the camping areas after dark. Boone and Blowing Rock are nice towns to check out along the way. Try to spend a night in the campground at Mt Mitchell State Park in North Carolina. Mt Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi and camping near the summit is always an experience because of the weather. There are only a few campsites (10 or less) and they fill up early. Try to snag a site early in the afternoon and then spend some time riding side roads off the Parkway. Dinner in the Mt Mitchell lodge is a good option too.

I was just reading online that the BRP will be closed from Rte 80 to the Mt Mitchell park from 11/1/06-4/30/07 due to tunnel construction. Check out this link for more info http://www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/momi/home.html.

I hope this gets you going in the right direction. I always enjoy riding the BRP. The low speed limit lets me take more time to enjoy the scenery. The lack of commercialism and sprawl along the parkway is a refreshing change from all but the most remote backroads. There are even a few motorcycle only campgrouds just off the BRP that you can find on the internet. Enjoy.

Mark

[FredRydr]

:usa Just wondering if any member with previous experience can recommend a route mostly free of Interstate highway travel going from Western Mass to the North end of the Blue Ridge parkway. Planning an early April ride. Thanks. :usa

I've been in both directions:

From Great Barrington

West - MA23
South - MA41/CT41
West - US44
South - Taconic Parkway
West - I84 to use the bridge over the Hudson until exit west of Middletown for US 6
West - US6
At Port Jervis, look for signs to River Road in Delaware Water Gap (on New Jersey side) pick up Nat'l Park pamphlet
South - River Road and roads along the east side of the river until I-80 (if you tire of the scenery, cross at Dingman's Ferry to US 209 South)
West - I-80 to cross Delaware River
South - PA 209 (bear with me, you will be off the four lanes soon)
South - PA 248 only to
West - PA 895 to end (this is nicer than parallel US 209 or PA 443)
West - PA 443 to end
South - Front Street
West - I-81 to cross Susquehanna River to exit for Wertzville Rd/PA 944
West - PA 944
South - PA 233 to end
South - PA 997 to Maryland state line
South - MD64
South - MD 66
South - MD 34 to cross Potomac River and West Virginia
South - WV 480 (called Leetown Rd after crossing WV 9) to Virginia state line to US 340
South - US 340 into Front Royal
South - Skyline Drive - park fee, 35 mph, and Federales who run radar through the windshield while moving - to end
South - BRP - ditto at 45 mph

I live in the middle, and have gone in both directions. Bear in mind that US 209 is deceiving on a map, because it can be heavy traffic between Port Jervis and Millerstown, depending on when and where. At Harrisburg, use I81 south to Plainfield exit instead, then PA 465 south to PA 233 if you need to shave off more time. Other shortcuts onto interstates are always there.

Fred

[scootrp125x]

Good point, Front Royal is the starting point for the Skyline drive, not Winchester.

[dfnton]

Thank you all, great info. Good point Charles, not sure how I will handle 45mph for hundreds of miles. Anyway, this has been a big help. Thanks again. Dave