Tesgin

I'm planning on exploring Skyline Drive this spring. Planning a few trips now. I live about two hours away.

I'm reading mixed things about how bad the traffic is. The consistent gist I'm getting is that weekdays are generally not bad at all, but to avoid bicycling it on the weekends if possible, especially in autumn. Summer I hear is pretty touristy on weekends with heavy and slow and sometimes inattentive, albeit mostly patient, traffic.

So I hear those general comments, but would like a little more detail...

I hear many say weekend traffic is "bad," but most don't describe what they mean by that. Traffic that's "bad" to one person might not be a big deal to someone else. Could someone describe weekend traffic on SD? Are we talking bumper to bumper?

Also, as much as I've read I haven't found anything that describes how seasonal the traffic congestion is on weekends. So, could I be safe in assuming that, perhaps, weekend traffic might not be that be that bad on weekends in the spring before, say, schools let out for the summer?

Thanks so much in advance,
Tesgin

CoMotionRider

The summer weekends you will have lots of RV's on Friday and Sunday, some on Saturday, traffic is heavier than the weekdays but I find its not to bad, and the speed limit is 35. The Blue Ridge Parkway the speed is 45 so I try and avoid riding on that road on Sunday in the summer and fall. In the fall, when the leaves are changing, I avoid both roads on the weekends but they are fine during the week. In the spring the traffic is not bad but the weather can be cold.

Tesgin

Very helpful. Thank you.

So, when you say "summer," I'm assuming we're talking after public school lets out. So, when does it let out in VA? In NC?

So if I were to do a ride in late May, I'm guessing traffic wouldn't be too bad? I'm "guessing" that in general the weather shouldn't be too bad in late May?

Spaghetti Legs 

I regularly ride the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Skyline Drive. I use to do the occasional ride on Skyline when I lived in Charlottesville. The absolute worst traffic is fall colors weekends and summertime holiday weekends and even then I would most likely choose riding these roads over regular roads. The traffic just doesn't feel as dangerous to me. Oddly enough, the NPS vehicles are the ones that I can count on to buzz by close to me at high speed. Worst part of higher traffic is the number of Harleys out, not a safety thing, just the noise makes it feel more like you're at a Nascar race rather than trying to enjoy the outdoors.

I would think, in general, traffic volumes would be lower on Skyline than the BRP since you have to pay, but probably not true at the northern end closer to DC.

Tesgin

That's encouraging. I'm getting fired up. Waiting for the weather to warm up a bit.

I will probably be looking at some mini-weekend outings in the spring, and then probably a longer outing -- say, 5-7 days or so -- in the fall.

So, if I did maybe a couple of overnights in May or so, I'm thinking biking on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday (so, two nights), from what you said, should be workable. Is it worth moving things up a day -- say, Wed., Thursday, Friday -- to avoid the Saturday?

ALSO, later in the year if I were to do a week in September, what's the temp like that time of year? The buddy that I plan to go with is thinking that's too hot. He's suggesting October, which would be prettier, but traffic is supposed to be pretty bad by then.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tesgin

Juan Foote

I usually find that weekend traffic is pretty heavy on the weekend, however, weekend traffic tends not to be so much an issue on the weekdays. Kind of nonexistant, really.

sch

One other consideration: in potentially cool months (ie May or Sept) 50F in the valleys can translate to 35-40F when you get above
4000', but this elevation apparently only occurs significantly south of the Virginia border. Services can be scanty also, beyond water if you
are doing other than day or sagged rides. If you have the ability, take a change of underlayers if you face temps under 70F
as 35-40mph downhills can be cool to frigid if your underlayers are sweated out from the preceding climbing.

Tesgin

Very helpful. What are the highest traffic days on weekends? Is Friday thru Saturday -- the entire weekend -- pretty traficky? Which days are the worst?

Tesgin

Wow. I'm glad I asked about temperature. I was assuming, as was my biking colleague, that September might be too warm. I had no idea it could get that cool in Sep. I wouldn't have thought of September as a cool month.

So, what are "typical" temperatures in Skyline Drive in September and October?

You mentioned that the elevations (hence, temp drops) are more of an issue south of VA border. So, we were also looking at the possibility of hitting the Blue Ridge Parkway: thinking about staying in Little Switzerland in September or October. What would be typical temps down there in Sep or Oct?

Thanks again for this. Not having been there it's impossible to know what to expect, and thus, how to plan.

Much appreciated.

Spaghetti Legs 

50 degree mid day temp in May/Sept is possible but unusual. The higher elevations (3500 + ft) will be about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the lower areas at around 700-1000 feet, but most of your riding will be somewhere in between. In September that is usually a good thing, odds are it will be nice, more likely hot, lower chance of cold. Confusing enough? I'm speaking for Virginia. Never ridden the BRP in NC.

Tesgin

I deserved that. I realized how redundant my wording was after I posted the question, but it made me smile. I was curious whether anyone would comment!

Any thoughts about weekday traffic on weekdays?



Tesgin

Tesgin

Thank you, SL. Very helpful.

Tesgin

CroMo Mike 

I know this is an older thread, but, for reference, I always found the weekday traffic very light. Sundays are the worst (faster) traffic. It's my guess that they are tired of driving 35 mph and are in a rush to get home. But I'll take the Parkway traffic any day over regular roads.