Planning Your Trip
The routes, the last stops for supplies, and what to expect along the way.
Just need directions?
This page is the long-form guide — written routes from each direction, and the last places to get gas, food, and supplies before you’re off the grid. For turn-by-turn GPS navigation, use the Maps and Directions page instead; it links directly into Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze.
GPS note: SKMC sits inside the National Radio Quiet Zone around Green Bank, WV. If your navigation relies on cell-tower triangulation, it will stop working well before you arrive — and your phone likely won’t have signal either. True satellite GPS will keep working. Print or download your directions before you leave home.
Routes by Direction
General heading, depending on where you’re coming from:
| Coming from | Head toward |
|---|---|
| East of SKMC (MD, northern VA, NE/mid-PA) | Strasburg, VA |
| North (Pittsburgh) through West (Louisville) | Elkins, WV |
| Southwest (Knoxville) through South (Charlotte, NC) | Blacksburg, VA, then US-219 |
| Southeast | Harrisonburg, VA |
From the Northeast and East (I-66 / I-81)
- West on I-66 to I-81 South.
- Take the second exit off I-81 South onto Rte. 55/48 West toward WV (about 3 miles).
- Follow 55/48 across the WV line through Wardensville (watch your speed) — it becomes the Corridor H highway. Take that to the Moorefield exit.
- At the end of the exit ramp, turn left at the light and stay on Rte. 28 through Moorefield and Petersburg (a right turn is required in downtown Petersburg, past a Dairy Queen).
- Continue on 28 through Seneca Rocks.
- At Judy Gap (you’ll see the “SKSRT” building), bear right to stay on 28 as it splits from 33.
- Go about 8.5 miles through Circleville and Cherry Grove. After a right curve around Hunting Ground Mountain, watch for Sawmill Run Rd. on the right just before a sweeping left bend — there are brown SKMC / Spruce Knob Lake signs.
- Sawmill Run Rd. has few guardrails and some sharp hairpin turns — drive carefully. After about 5.5 miles you’ll reach a large red mailbox and the SKMC gate on the right.
- Once inside the gate, continue straight up the hill (don’t bear right/downhill) for just under a mile to the observing fields. Take it slow, especially with a low-clearance vehicle.
- If you arrive after dark on a clear night, the inner gate will be closed to protect ongoing observing — you’ll need to wait at the entrance briefly.
Note: Wardensville and some other towns on this route have a reputation for strict speed enforcement. The cheapest gas on this route is typically at the Sunoco station just past Lebanon Church, VA (still in Virginia — WV gas tends to run higher). Moorefield and Petersburg, WV are the last full-service towns for food, gas, and supplies on this route.
From the North and West (via Elkins)
After Elkins, WV (your last full-service town on this route), some GPS apps will direct you south from US-33 at Job, WV onto County Rte. 29. It’s roughly 20 miles shorter and a couple of minutes faster than going via Seneca Rocks — but much of it is gravel, through Whitmer and past Spruce Knob Lake. It’s a pleasant drive if you’re comfortable with gravel roads and have a good map; otherwise, take the longer paved route through Seneca Rocks.
Last Stop for Gas & Supplies
- The last gas station/convenience store before the mountain is on Rte. 28, just past Circleville (coming from Seneca Rocks or Franklin), before the Sawmill Run Rd. turnoff after Cherry Grove.
- D&K Dairy Bar, 8291 Snowy Mountain Rd. (just off Rte. 28 at Cherry Grove, about 1.5 miles north of the SKMC turnoff) — snacks, ice, and a few other essentials. Likely the closest supply point to SKMC. (304) 567-3113.
- Moorefield, WV now has a 24-hour Walmart Supercenter if you need a fuller supply run — after exiting the divided highway in Moorefield, turn right where you’d normally continue left.
Restaurants Along the Way
| Restaurant | Location | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Restaurant | Riverton, WV (US-33/WV-28 at Briery Gap Rd., north of the SKMC turnoff) | Mon–Thu 7am–8pm, Fri–Sat 7am–9pm, Sun 9am–7pm · (304) 567-2810 |
| Front Porch Restaurant | Seneca Rocks, above Harper’s General Store | Sat 11am–10pm, Sun–Fri 11am–9pm · (304) 567-2555 |
| Valley View Restaurant | Between Seneca Rocks and Riverton | Opens 6am (M–F) / 7am (Sa–Su); closes 8pm (Su–Tu), 2pm (W), 9pm (F–Sa) |
| Yokum’s Restaurant | At the Yokum’s motel, Seneca Rocks | Also has a small general store with gas |
| Asbury’s Family Restaurant | Germany Valley Rd. off Rte. 33, Riverton (at Seneca Caverns) | 11am–6pm Sun/Mon/Wed–Fri, 11am–7pm Sat |
Harper’s General Store (downstairs from the Front Porch) in Seneca Rocks is a fairly well-stocked camp store as well.
If You Need a Place to Stay First
If you’d rather not drive the mountain road after dark, or want a stopover, the closest towns along the route with a range of accommodations are Strasburg and Harrisonburg, VA, and Elkins, WV. If you’re camping and plan to arrive before the event officially starts, the Spruce Knob Lake Campground is a few miles north of SKMC and the closest option — this is high season for the area, so reserve early.
Things to Do Nearby
SKMC sits in the Monongahela National Forest and Spruce Knob National Recreation Area, with hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting and canoeing (nearby at Gatewood), climbing at Seneca Rocks, and Civil War history all within reach. The Recreation Area Visitor Center is in the town of Seneca Rocks at the intersection of US-33, WV-28, and WV-55. Spruce Knob itself — the highest point in West Virginia — has an observation tower with a dramatic view. See the Local Attractions page for more.
Caverns, antiques, and old railroads
- Smoke Hole Caverns — on Rte. 28 north of SKMC, in the Seneca Rocks area.
- Seneca Caverns — on Germany Valley Rd. (off WV-33) in Riverton.
- The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad departs from Elkins; the Cass Scenic Railroad departs from Cass, south of Green Bank, and offers engine-shop tours.
- Antiquing along the I-81 corridor in VA: The Strasburg Emporium (Strasburg), Factory Antique Mall (Verona), and the Shenandoah Market (Harrisonburg).
And something often forgotten: SKMC is also a great place to do nothing at all during the day — sit in the shade, nap, read, play cards, and save your energy for the night sky.