Staunton Va to Elkins WV

[ferndaleflyer]

Any suggestions? DP with a Toad. Looks like every road is 2 lane and crooked as a snake.

[kyhawk]

hypoxia wrote:
I took 250 last summer on the way from Charlottesville to the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Someone told me when I left that West Virginia roads were so twisty you could put your arm out the window and hit yourself on the back of your head. They weren't far off on that. Roads were OK, just narrow and twisty. I did it with a 45' coach dragging a pickup. The Asylum was worth the trip.

My DW wants to tour the Asylum next summer. It sounds like fun, except I worry about them wanting to keep her. Anyway, did you camp in the area? I'm just starting to research campgrounds there, but it's always better to get info from someone who's been there. The roads don't really worry me, but I didn't see too many campgrounds in the area.

[KD4UPL]

250 is a fine, scenic, well maintained road. It is used regularly by tractor-trailers. My father sometimes makes 2 trips a day into and out of Highland County in his tractor-trailer. There are 6 mountain (I think) just to get across Highland County. You will do a LOT of steering, gearing down, and braking. It's just the way it is.

[hypoxia]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
That's not a road I have been on but there are some VERY steep up's and down's (8%+). If I could avoid that route I would. If it made no sense to avoid that route I would take it, but just plan to take it slow!

Bill, I don't recall any hills that steep, nothing made any impression on me except the constant turning.

[ferndaleflyer]

The observation made above about touching your own rear end on some of the turns is only 1/2 of it, its so steep you can see the TOP of your RV going up hill....I just thought someone might have found a better way after all these years. Trust me Bill when I started RVing I was in a covered wagon on mud roads. LOL. I'll be 79 in a couple of weeks and we are planning on heading out west in the fall. Going to Petersburg VA Thursday and went to West Palm Beach for Christmas......Going to Elkins area to ride Cass Railroad.

[Bill_Satellite]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Any suggestions? DP with a Toad. Looks like every road is 2 lane and crooked as a snake.

And what's wrong with those roads? If you plan to never drive on a 2 lane road you will never be able to experience the beauty of this Country.
So, I went to Google Earth and took a look at the Elevation Profile. That's not a road I have been on but there are some VERY steep up's and down's (8%+). If I could avoid that route I would. If it made no sense to avoid that route I would take it, but just plan to take it slow!

[ferndaleflyer]

Thanks. I came across 250 when my daughter was going to Sweet Briar and have also been on 33 so I guess 250 is it.....You got to cross the mountains.

[bukhrn]

Most of WVA is Uphill, both ways. but I love it, especially southern WVA, some of the nicest folks you'll meet anywhere.

[naturist]

There is only one way that makes any sense at all to go from Staunton, VA to Elkins, WV: US 250. Yes, it is two lanes. Yes it goes through the mountains, but short of hiring a helicopter, or teleporting, there is no alternative that makes any sense.

I have taken that route many times over the years, even dragging a travel trailer. It's not bad at all. It does indeed go up and down and even around. But it is a major highway and not at all painful. And while there are both coal trucks and fracking rigs on the road, the fact they ARE on the road should reassure you that big rigs can indeed traverse it.

Sure, you COULD go via US 33, which is both out of the way, but worse with regard to up and down and around. You could also take I-81 to Hagerstown, I-68 to Morgantown, I-79 south to Weston, WV, and then US 33 BACK east to Elkins. Besides adding around 300 miles to the trip, that route, too, is up and down and around, even on the interstates.

[lryrob9301]

Been that way several times, not the best of roads as described and quite a bit of elevation change. Also did I mention the COAL TRUCKS that will run you off the road if you get in their way and slow them down.

[schlep1967]

Really not many options without adding a lot of miles. If you are really worried about the twisty roads your only real option would be 64 to 219. Adding about 100 miles.

[hypoxia]

I took 250 last summer on the way from Charlottesville to the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Someone told me when I left that West Virginia roads were so twisty you could put your arm out the window and hit yourself on the back of your head. They weren't far off on that. Roads were OK, just narrow and twisty. I did it with a 45' coach dragging a pickup. The Asylum was worth the trip.