Skyline Drive Planning

[Dired]

Planning to ride (from NYC) Skyline Drive and looking for advice. This is scheduled for June 19-20-21. Planning to travel light, likely just a saddle bag or frame bag, credit card touring. If needed, might skip Day 3 and rent a car to head back.

Here's the setup:

Day 1:
Catch a direct train to Charlottesville from NYC, arriving at 10:40 AM.
Ride to Skyline Drive via Blue Mountain Brewery.
Distance/Elevation: 50 miles/3,000 ft.

Day 2:
Ride to Front Royale.
Distance/Elevation: 80 miles/4,000 ft.

Day 3 Options:
Option 1 (C&O Trail): Considering the original plan, but open to changes. Estimated distance/elevation: 70 miles/1,500 ft.
Option 2 (DC – Old Dominion Trail): Thinking of swapping for a smoother ride, potentially shortening the day. Estimated distance/elevation: 60 miles/1,000 ft. Skipping Harpers Ferry.
Question: Thoughts on swapping to the DC – Old Dominion trail?

Seeking advice on:
Recommendations on B&Bs along the route.
Tips for navigating the planned route or suggestions for detours.
Places along the way we shouldn’t miss.

Appreciate any insights or tips you guys might have!

[makoti]

Day 2 is to FRONT Royal.
How are you getting from Day Two to Day Three? Those aren't close. A good hours drive.
I also think your elevation is low for Day Two, assuming you are going right down Skyline. That direction is a bit more downhill, but I usually do an out/back from Front Royal, and it adds up to about 4000+ for 64 miles.
If you are on the Drive, there is very little in the way of services after Panorama. A store at Elk Wallow (I think that's where it is), some campgrounds.

[Dired]

Originally Posted by makoti

Day 2 is to FRONT Royal.
How are you getting from Day Two to Day Three? Those aren't close. A good hours drive.
I also think your elevation is low for Day Two, assuming you are going right down Skyline. That direction is a bit more downhill, but I usually do an out/back from Front Royal, and it adds up to about 4000+ for 64 miles.
If you are on the Drive, there is very little in the way of services after Panorama. A store at Elk Wallow (I think that's where it is), some campgrounds.

Appreciate your feedback! Edits made.
What would you say is the best way to break this up for adeqaute gaps between lodging?

[dsimon]

If you are staying on Skyline at one of the hotels just make sure you stop at the convenience store before you get there they are far and few in between and the Pollock dining room on Skyline is horrible we as a family usually do a once-a-year trip there and drive it. we have stayed up there once and have eaten in the Pollock Inn 2 times and twice it was bad. My bucket list a bit small is from front royal to hogs back and back. As Makoti was saying from Front Royal to Purcerville for the WO&D or to Leesburg for the C&O is pretty far from Front Royal and definitely will need a car.

[Spaghetti Legs]

The only B+B near the Blue Mountan Brewery I can think of is Wild Man Dan’s but that is a 2 night minimum. As an FYI, the brewery is on Hwy 151 which is pretty, but very busy. If you search an air BnB in Afton, VA, that’s right by the BRP/Skyline Dr terminus. If you find a place around there I can help you with routing. There is a lot of up and down to the riding between C-Ville and Afton. If you’re looking for a lunch spot, somewhere in Crozet might make a good choice to fit in a route.

Big Meadows Lodge on Skyline is good, has a restaurant and a beer bar and there’s another lodge further north. Might be worthwhile to consider arrive in Cville the day before stay the night there and head to Skyline in the AM. This is the route I used to go to Big Meadows as part of a tour with friends a couple years ago, but it does cut out the southern third of Skyline.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35711516


Edit: that route containts some gravel, not sure if that’s in your plan. Also, you should,consider riding through the tunnel to get up to Skyline


https://www.blueridgetunnel.org/

[glepore]

Blue Mountain is at the base of Reids Gap. Its not the way to start a big day not warmed up. Its 10-15% for several miles. But whatever.
I have an airbnb about 1/2 hour from Afton-at the start of Skyline. Really nice 1 Rm cabin w/ queen bed and bath, and a micro kitchen (microwave, sink, hotplate) https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5839258...r4O0zjaxjaFcNj. If you stay here I'll get you to Afton... or help if you stay elsewhere.

[unterhausen]

Every time I think about riding the skyline drive, I remember how much it costs and that I should sign up for the veteran's pass. I have ridden a good part of the blue ridge parkway, and it's usually a nice ride.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by Dired

Appreciate your feedback! Edits made.
What would you say is the best way to break this up for adeqaute gaps between lodging?

You could drop off the Drive into one of the local towns. I know the part close to Front Royal best. If you get off at 211, you're about 35 miles from Front Royal and you could stay in Luray or Sperryville. Either way, a healthy climb back up to the Drive.
Maybe at Rt 33? Elkton? I can't speak to that area, but I'm sure someone can

[Baron Blubba]

I live in Front Royal, literally .6 miles from the north entrance of Skyline. I’ll pm you with my number later, could probably offer some good advice.

Edit: And if anyone else needs Skyline or Shenandoah Valley logistical help, lodging, riding or dining company, feel free to message me or better yet email me: mike@b3bikes.com .

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by Dired

Planning to ride (from NYC) Skyline Drive and looking for advice. This is scheduled for June 19-20-21. Planning to travel light, likely just a saddle bag or frame bag, credit card touring. If needed, might skip Day 3 and rent a car to head back.

Here's the setup:

Day 1:
Catch a direct train to Charlottesville from NYC, arriving at 10:40 AM.
Ride to Skyline Drive via Blue Mountain Brewery.
Distance/Elevation: 50 miles/3,000 ft.

Day 2:
Ride to Front Royale.
Distance/Elevation: 80 miles/4,000 ft.

Day 3 Options:
Option 1 (C&O Trail): Considering the original plan, but open to changes. Estimated distance/elevation: 70 miles/1,500 ft.
Option 2 (DC – Old Dominion Trail): Thinking of swapping for a smoother ride, potentially shortening the day. Estimated distance/elevation: 60 miles/1,000 ft. Skipping Harpers Ferry.
Question: Thoughts on swapping to the DC – Old Dominion trail?

Seeking advice on:
Recommendations on B&Bs along the route.
Tips for navigating the planned route or suggestions for detours.
Places along the way we shouldn’t miss.

Appreciate any insights or tips you guys might have!

First I'll ask - is the goal to ride the entire length of skyline? Either way you're wildly off on your mileage. I am assuming you wont have a car following or transporting you around since you're taking the train into charlottesville.

Looks like a fairly direct route from charlottesville to Skyland Lodge or Big Meadows Lodge (the only two hotels in the park) is a closer to 60 miles and its double elevation in your itinterary. You can also go via Afton mountain and the south end of Skyline Drive and that would be ~90 miles. More places to stay off the mountain (Luray, New Market) if you dont mind the 20-25 minute climb back up the next day.

Riding into Front Royal on Skyline, especially starting up on the mountain, would be a nice day with a long descent into town, but that route is only about 40 miles.
Edit: Alternatively, you can ride down to Luray and over Massanutten to take Fort Valley into Front Royal - Fort Valley Rd going North is just a rollercoaster on a road bike, its so good.

From Front Royal into DC is doable via C&O but its a 110 mile day. You can shorten this by using the W&OD (paved) trail but its still 90 miles. Terrain is rolling (~50ft/mile), no big hills.

There are train stations closer - Burke, Manassas I believe - not sure if they get you where you want to go. Alternatively if you get to Ashburn, Va you can take the metro train into DC/Union Station (probably 90 minute train ride with a train change though) and this would shorten the day to 70-80 miles.

For lodging, there's only 2 places on Skyline Dr to say and they book very far out - its tough to get a room so you'd need to plan well ahead, no chance at rolling up and booking a room. Plenty of places to stay in Front Royal but nothing special or noteworthy I dont think.

Between Front Royal and any train stop closer to DC can be dicey and you'll want to choose your route carefully. Cant really help you from Charlottesville, other than going that direction is generally good to ride.

I think this is very doable, but you'll just have to plan ahead a little.

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by makoti

You could drop off the Drive into one of the local towns. I know the part close to Front Royal best. If you get off at 211, you're about 35 miles from Front Royal and you could stay in Luray or Sperryville. Either way, a healthy climb back up to the Drive.
Maybe at Rt 33? Elkton? I can't speak to that area, but I'm sure someone can

I spent some years growing up in Elkton. That's a steep section from the Drive down into Elkton. So it'll be a beast to go back up.

[rccardr]

You could also get an Uber or taxi from Front Royal to Middleburg, easy to route over to Purcelleville from there and then into DC.

[glepore]

Originally Posted by jamesdak

I spent some years growing up in Elkton. That's a steep section from the Drive down into Elkton. So it'll be a beast to go back up.

Not only is it steep, but its a major road with hairpins and fast traffic. No way I'd do it on a bike-kind of a deathwish. Motorists overcook stuff all the time and use what shoulder there is.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by glepore

Not only is it steep, but its a major road with hairpins and fast traffic. No way I'd do it on a bike-kind of a deathwish. Motorists overcook stuff all the time and use what shoulder there is.

If you want to get up to Skyline there's limited options though.

The 211 climb up is way better, but with both 211 or 33 getting to the bottom IMO is worse than the traffic on the climb, again with 211 from the east probably the best of all the options - . At least there's 2 lanes going up so you have a little more room. If you wanted to ride from the south end of skyline, getting over Afton to Waynesboro is not the safest route either.

[yarbsr02]

From Charlottesville, there are definitely backroads to get out to Blue Mtn Brewery, though the most peaceful of those have some gravel (Dick Woods Rd). Can use gravelmap.com to see where the pavement and dirt roads are.

Then from BMB, use Goodloe to Old Turnpike (my preference) to get up to Afton, followed by a short stretch on 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) to the southern end of Skyline Drive (N end of Blue Ridge Pkwy). I've done this plenty and never felt unsafe. That would be much better and scenic than going 250 all the way up. Lots of cycling out there, charge your blinky light and I'd think just fine. As others have said, not much in way of options for food/lodging on Skyline so that's likely the biggest challenge for credit card camping.

Happy to send you a preferred route from train station in town to BMB if helpful.