Is the alternate route RV friendly?

[kristytru]

We will be driving our new (used) RV down in april. I am 99% convinced that taking the alternate 81s to 77, etc route is better than 95. However, the word "mountain" scares me. Since this will be our first LOOOONG drive in the RV, is the 81S route a good way to go?

 

[disney4dan]

We did this route in August and enjoyed it. The majority of Route 81 is on flat land between mountain ranges, but that stretch of Route 77 on the way to Mt. Airy is a little steep. Nothing that you can't handle with an RV, and a lot less steep than folks in the Rocky Mountains see. As you head east on Route 77 and climb up the mountains, it is pretty gradual and very scenic.

Most of Route 81 is very scenic and there are lots of good size rest areas, places to get gas, spectacular views of mountains to the east and west.

Hope you enjoy!

 

[LarryJ]

We will be driving our new (used) RV down in april. I am 99% convinced that taking the alternate 81s to 77, etc route is better than 95. However, the word "mountain" scares me. Since this will be our first LOOOONG drive in the RV, is the 81S route a good way to go?

Check out 81S to I-66 East over to US15 South down to US29 out to US17 at Opel Va. and then down to I-95 at Fredrickburg, Va. That will add about 20 or so miles from the I-77 route, but we have towed that road several times and that would not be my preferred route since you have to be diligent on not just the pulls, but the coasts so you don't overdo things. We live just off I-66 about 20 miles east of Warrenton and we always take I-66 to US15 to US29 and west to the US15/17 split just before Warrenton and the over to Opal, VA where we take US17 South to Fredrickburg to join up with I-95 South. If you have a diesel make sure you fill up at E323 in VA on I-81 just after your cross into Va from WVa at the Flying J.

Larry

 

[Cousin Ed C]

We never use 95! 81-77-26-95-4 is fine there is one long down grade just after the 81-77 junction. It will look scary the first time but just use a lower gear and keep your speed down and it's fine.

 

[Momof626x3]

We never use 95! 81-77-26-95-4 is fine there is one long down grade just after the 81-77 junction. It will look scary the first time but just use a lower gear and keep your speed down and it's fine.

We took this same route in August and had no problems at all. It is a beautiful ride!

 

[chilipyro]

We had our first experience with 95 in April, with a drive to Myrtle Beach, SC. What a nightmare!! Not knowing whether this was normal, we thought it would be OK on the way back, since we were hitting that stretch again on a Monday . When reality arrived, we exited to Rt 70 (in Baltimore) and drove 70 to 81 to 84. Our plan was to do the same for our trip to Disney next year. I hadn't considered 81 to 77. That seems like overkill for bypassing the 95 mess. It is true that we didn't bypass it completely - we still hit traffic around DC, before we got off onto 70. But we did bypass 90% of the ugliness. I'd wonder if going with 77 would add more time than it would save. Of course, we didn't hit any traffic South of DC, and I don't know if that is common.

We also found a nice state park outside of Richmond (Pocahontas SP), for a first night stay, and were thinking that we would stay there again on the way to FW.

Anyway, while this route had some big hills, I didn't run into any hills that were problems. We're pulling a 5000lb trailer, but we are driving a Toyota Tundra.

 

[disney4dan]

Check out 81S to I-66 East over to US15 South down to US29 out to US17 at Opel Va. and then down to I-95 at Fredrickburg, Va. That will add about 20 or so miles from the I-77 route, but we have towed that road several times and that would not be my preferred route since you have to be diligent on not just the pulls, but the coasts so you don't overdo things. We live just off I-66 about 20 miles east of Warrenton and we always take I-66 to US15 to US29 and west to the US15/17 split just before Warrenton and the over to Opal, VA where we take US17 South to Fredrickburg to join up with I-95 South. If you have a diesel make sure you fill up at E323 in VA on I-81 just after your cross into Va from WVa at the Flying J.

Larry

We took this route on the way south in August, picking up Route 17 in Winchester. Once we got away from the mile or so around the interchange with Rte 81, there was very little traffic (Saturday afternoon) and the scenery was pretty good. Lots of rolling hills and meadows, easy drive. We stayed in the Fredericksburg KOA on the way down, got a nice mostly level pull through site with full hook-ups.

 

[disney4dan]

I hadn't considered 81 to 77. That seems like overkill for bypassing the 95 mess. It is true that we didn't bypass it completely - we still hit traffic around DC, before we got off onto 70. But we did bypass 90% of the ugliness. I'd wonder if going with 77 would add more time than it would save. Of course, we didn't hit any traffic South of DC, and I don't know if that is common.

.

I think the I-77 route adds about an hour to the trip according to the on-line mapping programs, but over that distance and the number of rest stops and places to explore, not sure if it makes much difference. Lots of caverns along I-81.

Every time I've been on Rte 95, there has been a major accident somewhere that slowed us down. In 2006 a mini-van rolled over the guard rail from 95S into the high speed lane on 95N just before we got to Savannah. This last trip, I think the accident was at the on-ramp to 95N where I-4 connects.

 

[LarryJ]

We took this route on the way south in August, picking up Route 17 in Winchester. Once we got away from the mile or so around the interchange with Rte 81, there was very little traffic (Saturday afternoon) and the scenery was pretty good. Lots of rolling hills and meadows, easy drive. We stayed in the Fredericksburg KOA on the way down, got a nice mostly level pull through site with full hook-ups.

Not sure what you mean by the I-81 interchange as it's a left exit right onto I-66 which I prefer over I-81S to US 50 East to US 17 around Paris Va. to I-66 and then over to US 15 just west of Gainsville. There is a pretty good pull on I-66 getting around the southern end of the Shenanadoah Mtns. but notihing like some of the grades on I-77.

I really like the US17 south out of Winchester to I-95 which as you said have some farms and is just a nice drive.

Larry