I am planning a tour of the Skyline Drive and BR Parkway next summer and am hoping to take Amtrak to the start. From what I can tell, the closest station to Front Royal is in Manassas. Can anyone tell me what the ride is like from Manassas to Front Royal (traffic, mileage, terrain, points of interest) and/or recommend a route?

Thanks,

soup

I am planning a tour of the Skyline Drive and BR Parkway next summer and am hoping to take Amtrak to the start. From what I can tell, the closest station to Front Royal is in Manassas. Can anyone tell me what the ride is like from Manassas to Front Royal (traffic, mileage, terrain, points of interest) and/or recommend a route?

Thanks,

soup

If you start at Union Station in DC you can easily get to the W&OD trail which will get you through all the Northern Virginia congestion. The train station in Manassas in right in the middle of town which is really congested (it might be ok early Sunday morning).

The wife and I have ridden all over this area and to get from Manassas to Front Royal I would try to get to the W&OD rather than take the back roads near Manassas. The route would be something like W&OD to Purceville to 7 to Berryville then some back road fooling around to Front Royal. Alternately I would try to find an Amtrack station on the western side of the Blue Ridge to start from.

At any rate check out bikewashington.org and see if they suggest anything.

Sounds like it will take the better part of a day to get from DC to Front Royal. In other words, I will not make any progress down Skyline on Day 1. Is that a fair estimate?

I have 10 days max. I might just skip Skyline, take the train to Charlotteville, and start my tour in Waynesborro. Skyline sounds great, though.

Thanks for your help-- bikewashington.org is a super site.

soup

Sounds like it will take the better part of a day to get from DC to Front Royal.
A few years ago I rode Skyline Drive, leaving from my house in Alexandria, taking the W&OD MUT to the end and cycling back roads from Purcellville to Bears Den Trail Center in Bluemont. Second day was to Front Royal where we stayed in a motel. Third day to Big Meadows for camping. Fourth day to a motel in Waynesboro and the fifth day a short ride to Staunton where we picked up a train back to Alexandria. A leisurely pace for sure.

You would probably spend 2+ days getting to and completing Skyline Drive....unless you enjoy MB1-length rides. Will the seven remaining days be enough for the Blue Ridge Parkway? The first day getting to Skyline Drive could be enjoyable in itself. I think we found Snickersville Turnpike out of Purcellville, took Blueridge Mountain Road (great cycling road!) to a short mad downhill dash on truck-heavy shoulderless US Route 50 to turn left onto Howellsville Road just before the Shenandoah River.

If you train into Staunton you could hit the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waynesboro. I'm unsure of the Amtrak situation now, but back then The Cardinal route offered roll-on unboxed bike handling for $10. I think The Cardinal crosses Rockfish Gap to head to Charlottesville from Staunton. Too bad you can't disembark at the Parkway.