Scenic Drives
NOTE: The routes listed below are given with the assumption that you will obtain a map of the Lee Ranger District before exploring anywhere on the district. The Massanutten & Great North Mountain map is recommended for this purpose. You may purchase this map at several national forest offices. This map will assist you in traveling around the area and will compliment the directions provided below. These directions are not intended to be used without a district map.
Crisman Hollow Road and Fort Valley: from New Market, take SR 211 East for approximately 3 miles and turn left on Forest Development Road (FDR) 274 also called Crisman Hollow Road. This 9 mile section of road is paved for 1.5-miles and gravel for 7.5 miles. At the intersection of FDR 274 and SR 675 continue straight until you reach another intersection called King’s Crossing. To return to I-81 turn left on SR 675 and continue down the mountain to Edinburg, VA. To continue this scenic drive through Fort Valley continue straight on SR. 678 for another 21 miles to Strasburg, VA.
Moreland Gap Road: From Edinburg, VA turn right (east) on SR 675 and travel approximately 4-miles to Edinburg Gap. Turn right onto FDR 374 and continue up the mountain for approximately 5-miles. This is a gravel road. At the intersection of FDR 374 and SR 730 turn right and continue for approximately 3-miles to the intersection of SR 730 and SR 675. Turn left onto SR 675 and continue for a few miles to King’s Crossing where you will make another left and complete your loop back to Edinburg, VA.
Great North Mountain
Wolf Gap and Trout Pond: From Edinburg, VA drive west on SR 675. At the intersection of SR 42 (Senedo Road) and SR 675 turn right and then immediately left to remain on SR 675. Wolf Gap will be on your right in approximately 6 miles. Continue on SR 675 in West Virginia and watch for an intersection in approximately 7-miles. Turn left onto Thorny Bottom Road (SR 259/5) for 6 miles. Turn left and travel about 1 mile to the entrance of the Trout Pond Recreation Area. To return to Edinburg retrace your path to SR 259/5 and travel the 6 miles left on SR 23/10 and travel for about 6 miles to Wardensville, WV. At Wardensville turn right onto SR 55 and travel east for 18 miles to Strasburg and then 14 miles south back to Edinburg, VA.
Judge Rye Road: From Edinburg, VA travel west on SR. 675. At the intersection of SR 42 (Senedo Road) and SR 675, turn right and then immediately left to remain on SR 675. Continue on SR 675 for about 4-miles Turn left onto SR 691 (also called the Judge Rye Road) and travel this gravel road for about 6.5-miles. At this point you should reach an intersection. (To exit national forest lands turn left and you will reach Lost City, WV on SR 259.) To continue your scenic drive turn right and drive for about 2.5-miles to another intersection. Turn right at this intersection and drive for approximately 1 mile, bear left at this intersection. Continue for about 11 miles to State Highway 55 just outside of Wardensville, WV. On SR 55 travel east for 18 miles to Strasburg and then 14 miles south back to Edinburg, VA.
Between Mt. Jackson and New Market on Route 11. The best-known covered bridge in Virginia has a 204-foot single span Burr arch truss. This bridge takes its name from the Meem familythat owned the Strathmore estate west of the Shenandoah River. This bridge has carried trafficfor over 80 years and was rebuilt after being burned by vandals on Halloween 1976.
(Note: surviving trusses from the original bridge can be seen in Return to Yesteryear atShenandoahCaverns.)
Directions: I-81 at exit 269, follow Rt. 730 from the interchange four-tenths of a mile to Rt. 11, then north on Rt. 11 nine-tenths of a mile to Rt. 720. Also reached on Rt. 11 four miles north of New Market, and about two miles south of Mount. Jackson.
When will the fall colors be at their peak? A good rule of thumb for this area is to assume that in lower elevations (Massanutten Mountain) trees will be at peak or close to it by the middle of October, and in higher elevations (Great North Mountain) in early October.