Had a taste of biking on the Blue Ridge Parkway last week, and I’d like to return for a much longer ride. It looks awesome.
When would be the best time of year to ride there? I figure May or September, assuming it would be too busy with cars in summer or fall. With no shoulders, it wouldn’t be great with heavy car traffic, but looks amazing if car traffic was light.
Who’s biked there and has recommendations on best time of year to ride there?
Ride it year round! Park at the entrance at Front Royal. The first four miles are killer. You can either turn around after 50 miles or turn off Skyline Drive at Luray and take the road back to your car. Or go all the way to I64.
Any time that it’s not icy. They close it when it gets icy. December to February.
Agreed. Anytime it’s over 45* there will be bike out on Skyline.
There are also great running trails all throughout the park. Start in front royal and bike a couple hours, then run up the dickey ridge trail to the visitor center.
Thanks for the info, but aren’t there too many cars on the road to make it enjoyable in the summer (families on holidays) and in the fall (leafers)?
It is so long you really don’t have to worry too much about it. The busiest time where people are not paying attention to there driving is when the leaves change. Always its busiest time. Enjoy it if you are close to it.
Yeah. I was there this year when the leaves were changing. Busiest I’ve ever seen it. Lots of fat people on Harleys. But it is pretty long and there are enough cyclists where the people in vehicles are generally aware that cyclists are out. Plus the people all congregate at the scenic overlooks, which are very small portions of the actual parkway.
Rode it from Front Royal to Cherokee a few years ago. Here’s a brief post of the trip with pics included. Reading it again I’m embarrassed to see that I didn’t reply to some of the questions asked. Not sure why. Perhaps I was out of town and forgot about it. Apologies to those who posted and did not get an answer. BTW, we went in May. Traffic was light but weather was a crap shoot. If I did it again I’d wait till June.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=2867333;search_string=blue%20ridge%20parkway;#2867333
SLD is a bit sketchy in the fall with distracted drivers. The other problem during busy time is cars pulling in/out of overlooks. Most other times of the year it’s great. I personally don’t love ridng there because it gets repetitive with out and backs etc. I live ~20-25mi from the North entrance of SLD and have so much good riding from my house that SLD isn’t always that appealing I guess. The shenandoah valley as whole is awesome riding.
Wow, thanks for that link to your post about your trip in 2010. Looks like it was amazing, and yes, maybe there’s still time for you to respond to some of the questions.
I find weather can make or break a trip like that so I agree it’s good to consider that (and avoiding the rainy season) in planning the time of year. I like your attitude towards bad weather as a chance to experience all of the moods it has to offer.
SLD is a bit sketchy in the fall with distracted drivers. The other problem during busy time is cars pulling in/out of overlooks. Most other times of the year it’s great. I personally don’t love ridng there because it gets repetitive with out and backs etc. I live ~20-25mi from the North entrance of SLD and have so much good riding from my house that SLD isn’t always that appealing I guess. The shenandoah valley as whole is awesome riding.
Ditto sort of. It’s such great riding I don’t really mind the out and back but the climb descend gets a little old after a while. Dickey’s Ridge is a great venue for intervals and winter riding as its all about 4-6% for 4 miles and sheltered by the forest.
There is an 80 miler known as Sky Mass from the Front Royal entrance that is my favorite ride. It’s a loop that starts at the north gate in Front Royal, leaves the park at Route 211, Thornton Gap and descend into the valley west and north back to Front Royal. Has it all- climbing, rolling, awesome scenery, rural urban warfare through Luray and Front Royal. You’ll laugh you’ll cry, you’ll hurl.
Speaking of hurling, there is a road south of Luray known as Tanner’s Ridge that runs up the mountain to a fire road into the park and comes out at Big Meadows. Stiffest climb on a road bike that I’ve done anywhere (that I can remember). Got busted by a park ranger who told me I couldn’t ride on the fire and service roads that enter the Shenandoah Nat Park. I said okay but that I wasn’t turning around and descending Tanner’s Ridge as I was cranky from the climb and needed some lovin’ and foodstuffs. They don’t like you entering the park from anywhere other than the gated entrances.
The BRP and Skyline are just great roads and even with the leaf peepers in the fall (mostly gone now) it’s generally a pretty safe ride. Yes, beware of the overlooks pull outs. And some of the rangers are cracking heads these days- on sketchy weather days you need lights front and back, stay single file, stuff like that. I got a warning for speeding while descending Dickey Ridge. Must have been a slow day in park law enforcement, but most of the rangers are pretty nice.
Yes, we used to do Front Royal to Swamp Wallow(?). Then turn around. The climbs will whip you into shape for sure. October is the best time for leaf watching, but the traffic can be a bear. Love the ride…
-Robert
Yes sky-mass is a great ride! I actually like it more in reverse (mass sky) out ft valley over massanutten into Luray, up 211 and finish on SLD.
Yes, we used to do Front Royal to Swamp Wallow(?). Then turn around. The climbs will whip you into shape for sure. October is the best time for leaf watching, but the traffic can be a bear. Love the ride…
-Robert
Elk Wallow. 
My wife and I have ridden the skyline drive/ blue ridge parkway from north to south and also from south to north.We did both rides in june.there is better weather, less traffic and the mtn. Laurel and azaleas are in bloom.fall can be great or nasty and is usually crowded with leaf watchers.we used to ride the 640 or so miles in eight days and traveled light as there are not many flat sections.If you stay in rooms then you will have to mostly ride off the parkway and then have to climb steep approaches to get back on.camping is another option but you have to carry more stuff.A sag would be another good option if you could get several riders and either take turns riding/ driving or else pay a driver to sag for all of you.We did it once in 1986the while practicing for assault on mt. Mitchell where my wife, Susan won the event with a new course record.Have fun.Also the park rangers are sticky about bikers having lights for the tunnels.
I’m about 6 miles from the Parkway in the Boone, NC area. I ride from my house and use it north and south to create many different loops. There are still a lot of dirt roads connecting to the Parkway that make cross bike rides fun too. Drop down off the mountian and climb back up. You’re almost always climbing or descending on the Parkway. It’s a different sort of ride. Check out “Bicycling the Blue Ridge, A Guide to the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway” by Elizabeth and Charlie Skinner. It breaks down segments in mileage, elevation, accomodations, dining, ect.
The only time I stay off it is in October between Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mtn when tourist traffic gets bad. Then when someone will not pass the drivers stacking up behind are occassionally pissed when they get their chance at you. Weekdays are great and late evenings it’s like a private park. Be aware on marginal weather days there can be dense fog when there is none elsewhere. I always use a bright LED tail light and need the headlight mentioned earlier. Oh, and keep an eye out for deer, turkey, coyote and bear when descending into the gaps, usually close to the 45mph speed limit.
Thanks! It’s been 20 years…