Western Maryland, I-68: We're planning a trip to Virginia but I've heard that this drive in Western Maryland is very scenic. Has anyone taken this drive? Sights to see there? Probably...

KTJohnson Loc: Northern Michigan

We're planning a trip to Virginia but I've heard that this drive in Western Maryland is very scenic. Has anyone taken this drive? Sights to see there? Probably coming down from Pittsburgh.

Thanks in advance.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

KTJohnson wrote:

We're planning a trip to Virginia but I've heard that this drive in Western Maryland is very scenic. Has anyone taken this drive? Sights to see there? Probably coming down from Pittsburgh.

Thanks in advance.

What is your destination in VA?

KTJohnson Loc: Northern Michigan

TriX wrote:

What is your destination in VA?

Newport News, eventually.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

KTJohnson wrote:

We're planning a trip to Virginia but I've heard that this drive in Western Maryland is very scenic. Has anyone taken this drive? Sights to see there? Probably coming down from Pittsburgh.

Thanks in advance.

I drove I-68 shortly after it opened in 1991. I remember it as being very scenic and is on my list to revisit one fall. I thought it was relatively undeveloped but that was 30 years ago. Looking at Google Earth, there seems to be a lot of open spaces. Also, you drive through the Maryland portion of the Appalachians.

WJB Loc: Salisbury, MD

There's a lot of very pretty scenery along I-68. One especially interesting spot is the Sideling Hill Road Cut where there is an explanation of the geology exposed by the construction of the highway through the "hill"
You might also consider taking a scenic route down the Virginia part of the Delmarva Peninsula-the Seaside Road.
There's a lot to see off the main artery (Route 13-which is slow going and subject to speed traps).
If you go this way, you'll cross both the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (Annapolis to Kent Island) quite a
view and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (from the Eastern Shore to Tidewater VA) which is spectacular!
Have a fun, safe trip. Bill

cdayton

Deep Creek Lake is just south of I68 and worth a visit. Also, Cumberland is the start of the National Highway (surveyed by Geo Washington) and an interesting town.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

KTJohnson wrote:

We're planning a trip to Virginia but I've heard that this drive in Western Maryland is very scenic. Has anyone taken this drive? Sights to see there? Probably coming down from Pittsburgh.

Thanks in advance.

Virginia's Historic Triangle, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.
https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/tickets/americas-historic-triangle-ticket/?gclid=CjwKCAjwn6GGBhADEiwAruUcKl5SQswzobUEEQhmmcYeLeNtC5msl4yDdwsTJpAYNMoysYGx3dU_XxoC6k8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

Frost burg nice little town as well as Cumberland.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

Rout 40 parallels a good portion of 68 . It is a historic route and should provide some interesting places. It is not as fast as 68, but has ample on and off points from 68

JBRIII

I live off I68, still mostly undeveloped. Ride is pretty as stated. Traffic not bad until you get to I70 going east except Friday and Sunday afternoons. Many things off the road, but not many overlooks on road if that is what you want. Cumberland to Hagerstown basically open farm land. This part of MD, part that weather station lumps in with WV, has lots of state parks, living here don't pay as much attention as we should but the ride is nice.
Finally connects to 70 to DC, traffic then is nasty as you have probably heard of.

gsnelson Loc: Western Maryland

KTJohnson wrote:

We're planning a trip to Virginia but I've heard that this drive in Western Maryland is very scenic. Has anyone taken this drive? Sights to see there? Probably coming down from Pittsburgh.

Thanks in advance.

I live in Frostburg and do most of my shooting locally. Deep Creek Lake and Swallow Falls are not far off I68 in Garrett County (Maryland's largest and least populated, and westernmost county), and there is lots of open farmland and woodland in Garrett and Allegany counties. Look for Piney Dam Road just off I 68 about where Garrett and Allegany join, and a few miles on that road you will find farmland vistas and Piney Dam itself, a beautiful small lake undisturbed by motors or even canoes. Birds are everywhere (I a not a birder, so I don't recognize the varieties.) You can usually see an eagle or two, and some cormorants. Western Maryland in the fall is beautiful, if you like bright red, yellow, green, and orange leaves--often found together.

alliebess Loc: suburban Philadelphia

cdayton wrote:

Deep Creek Lake is just south of I-68 and worth a visit. Also, Cumberland is the start of the National Highway (surveyed by Geo Washington) and an interesting town.

Cumberland has the Western Md. Railroad station and offered (pre-Covid) train trips to Frostburg. It is also part of the C&O Canal Park. Lots of interesting architecture.
I-68 has lots of beautiful scenery both east and west of Cumberland.

MDI Mainer

I can recommend the Western Maryland Rail Trail and the C&O Canal.

https://www.westernmarylandrailtrail.com/photo-gallery

https://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

any time I am doing a road trip I use roadtripper.com. It is great for planning. Then I look at google maps for images of the areas I am going through. But in this case, I just ask my wife since she is from Oakland, went to Frostburg State, etc.. It is cool to see the responses. BTW, my favorites are Swallow Falls, Black Falls, and the white water rivers in western Maryland/ WV.

john maloney Loc: Columbia,Md.

Ednsb wrote:

any time I am doing a road trip I use roadtripper.com. It is great for planning. Then I look at google maps for images of the areas I am going through. But in this case, I just ask my wife since she is from Oakland, went to Frostburg State, etc.. It is cool to see the responses. BTW, my favorites are Swallow Falls, Black Falls, and the white water rivers in western Maryland/ WV.

Black Falls??? where in Md.??