# N. Shenandoah/Skymass area - Advice please!



## clonechemist (Sep 8, 2006)

Hi all, I'm trying to plan a cycling trip to the Shenandoah National Park region and wanted some route advice from anyone in the know.

Basically, would it be safe/scenic/comfortable to ride portions of Highway 340 from Luray VA to Front Royal VA? I'd like to do a 60-90 mile loop starting from Front Royal down Skyline Drive, but the Massanutten section of the classic 'SkyMass' route may be a bit hard to handle after a day of climbing.

Any input would be appreciated!


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

clonechemist said:


> Hi all, I'm trying to plan a cycling trip to the Shenandoah National Park region and wanted some route advice from anyone in the know.
> 
> Basically, would it be safe/scenic/comfortable to ride portions of Highway 340 from Luray VA to Front Royal VA? I'd like to do a 60-90 mile loop starting from Front Royal down Skyline Drive, but the Massanutten section of the classic 'SkyMass' route may be a bit hard to handle after a day of climbing.
> 
> Any input would be appreciated!


I've ridden sections of 340 when canoeing (leave bike at take out point, ride back to jeep at put-in) on the Shenandoah River. Not terrible, but there is no shoulder and speed is fairly high. So it would depend on how comfortable you are in those situations. Scenery is ok, and the hills aren't too bad (mainly, it's just not going up over Mass mtn - once on Fort Valley Rd, the terrain is similar to 340). Personally, if I wasn't just going to go out and back on the Drive, I'd just do the traditional SkyMass loop. 85 miles, 8000 or so feet of climbing.


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## bikesandbikesandbikes (Feb 21, 2011)

I drove up the back way along the roads you mentioned and was thinking how nice it would be to ride up there (340 in particular). It was in the middle of the day on a Friday and it looked fairly safe, but like Jwiffle said, the average car speed is around 55 mph. There didnt seem to be many sharp corners, but I would be concerned about cars coming from behind when going over the hills. I tried to merge my biker/driver mindset on the drive in case I ever rode up there.


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## JimF22003 (Apr 30, 2009)

I've only ridden on 340 from Bentonville in to Front Royal, but it wasn't particularly pleasant. Very, very little shoulder and there was a lot of traffic. Riding on Fort Valley Rd. by contrast is fantastic.

Climbing up over Massanutten from Front Royal is pretty steep, but it's not mega-long in the steepest parts. You could walk part of the way if you really had to. 

I'd do that before I would ride on 340


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## clonechemist (Sep 8, 2006)

Thanks guys. This is all the motivation I need to sack up and do Massanutten.



JimF22003 said:


> I've only ridden on 340 from Bentonville in to Front Royal, but it wasn't particularly pleasant. Very, very little shoulder and there was a lot of traffic. Riding on Fort Valley Rd. by contrast is fantastic.


Since we're riding from the state park near Bentonville, I thought this portion would be necessary, but google maps seems to indicate a potential route west of the river by crossing the river on SR613/Indian Valley Rd at the south end of the park and proceeding toward Front Royal.



JimF22003 said:


> Climbing up over Massanutten from Front Royal is pretty steep, but it's not mega-long in the steepest parts. You could walk part of the way if you really had to.
> 
> I'd do that before I would ride on 340


Cool. I've heard there is gravel on the Massanutten route? Is it sketchy? Is it on an ascent/descent?

Thanks!


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

clonechemist said:


> Cool. I've heard there is gravel on the Massanutten route? Is it sketchy? Is it on an ascent/descent?
> 
> Thanks!


It was a couple years ago I last did it, but I don't remember any gravel. If there was any, I'm pretty sure it was on an ascent. (Sky-Mass, rather than Mass-Sky, which is a popular alternative).


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## JimF22003 (Apr 30, 2009)

> Since we're riding from the state park near Bentonville, I thought this portion would be necessary, but google maps seems to indicate a potential route west of the river by crossing the river on SR613/Indian Valley Rd at the south end of the park and proceeding toward Front Royal.


Bentonville to FR isn't all that bad. It's only about ten miles I think. I did it on a weekend so there was a good bit of traffic. During the day during the week it probably would be no problem.

If you want a a nice few extra miles, detour from Bentonville to Browntown and then to Front Royal. That's the route I was on when I came in from Bentonville on 340.

There is a nice crossing on Indian Hollow that turns in to Panhandle Road going north to Mountain Road. Unfortunately a good part of Panhandle Road is unpaved. It would be fine on a cross bike, but I wouldn't want to ride it on a road bike.

The crossing of Massanutten is steep but is well paved, so no excuses there  

Have fun!


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