Sunset at a mountain overlook on the drive up to Snowshoe

Getting here from Charleston

Charleston to Snowshoe

in state, and still a mountain away

Charleston is the closest big city and it still takes a real afternoon. The usual choice is I-64 east through Beckley to Lewisburg, about an hour and 45 minutes of interstate, then US-219 north up the Greenbrier valley through Marlinton to Slatyfork, another hour and a half of two-lane. The map apps offer two shortcuts through the middle of the state, I-79 and US-19 to WV-39 through Richwood, or WV-15 through Webster Springs to Valley Head. Both are shorter on the map, all two-lane, remote, and summer roads. WV-150, the Highland Scenic Highway off WV-39, is not maintained in winter at all.

Drive time

3 to 3.5 hours

from downtown, normal conditions, no stops

Distance

about 143 to 150 miles

to the Village at 4,848 feet

Check-in

4:00 PM

your code works whenever you arrive

Live road conditions, WV 511 ↗Summit forecast All routes and airports

The route

The way people actually go

Put Snowshoe Mountain Resort in the GPS for the long part. Once you pass the Route 66 turn in Slatyfork, switch to the exact pin we send you; street addresses on the mountain resolve to the resort entrance, not the door.

The other way

Summer only: I-79 north to US-19, US-19 north to Summersville, WV-39 east through Richwood to Marlinton, then US-219 north. Remote, scenic, little signal. The resort's own directions for anyone coming through Charleston stay on I-64 to White Sulphur Springs and take WV-92 north to WV-39 west into Marlinton; that works too. WV-150, the Highland Scenic Highway parkway, is not plowed and closes with the snow.

1
I-64 east from Charleston through Beckley (the West Virginia Turnpike, a toll road) to Lewisburg, exit 169.
2
US-219 north from Lewisburg through Frankford and Hillsboro to Marlinton.
3
US-219 north from Marlinton through Edray to Slatyfork, about 30 minutes.
4
Turn right onto Route 66 at Par Mar and climb about 15 minutes to the resort gate and our pin.

Where to stop

The last grocery, the last gas, the climb

In order. There is one small grocery on the mountain and no gas at all, so the tank and the first night's dinner get sorted on the way in.

Every stop, with hours

1 · Last full grocery
Pocahontas IGA, Marlinton
US-219 (Seneca Trail) on the north side of Marlinton, about 30 to 40 minutes south of the resort
The only full grocery in Marlinton and the last one from the south: meat counter, produce, deli. Marlinton also has a Marathon and an Exxon on US-219 and a pharmacy; it is the last real town on this side.
2 · Last gas
Lewisburg, Marlinton, then Par Mar
The Walmart on US-219 just north of the I-64 exit in Lewisburg has everything; Marlinton has a Marathon and an Exxon on US-219; Par Mar at Slatyfork is the last stop
On the Richwood route, fill in Summersville. There is no gas on the mountain.
3 · The climb
Route 66, the climb
From Par Mar to the resort gate, about 15 minutes
Steady, winding, paved, plowed the whole way, with a few switchbacks. Route 66 Restaurant and Board Shop at the bottom is the last meal below the mountain; nothing else is open on the way up. Drive it in daylight the first time.
4 · On the mountain
Wildcat Grocery
At the Village, a five-minute walk from the Summit condos
Also listed on some map apps as Wildcat Grocery, same store. Milk, eggs, bread, some produce and meat, hot coffee, and the biggest beer cave on the mountain. Resort prices. Hours shrink in the closed seasons.

Best arrival time

Be on the mountain road in daylight

Leave Charleston by noon for the 4pm check-in with a stop in Marlinton. In winter, leave by 11am so the valley road and the last climb are both in daylight.

Cell service fades on US-219 and most of the climb. Download offline maps and our check-in message before you leave, and send the "almost there" text from Par Mar, the last reliable bar of signal.

Parking at our homes

Winter notes

From Charleston in ski season

the last ten miles are the trip

Whichever way you come, you end the drive climbing about 2,000 feet on a plowed two-lane road. Here is what we tell every winter guest, plus the parts that are specific to your route.

WV 511 road conditions ↗Roads and tires

Take I-64 and US-219. The Richwood and Webster Springs shortcuts are remote in a storm, and the Highland Scenic Highway (WV-150) is not maintained in winter; the resort says it is not passable even with 4WD.
The Turnpike over Flat Top near Beckley gets snow before Charleston does. Check WV 511 for both.
The last 10 miles climb about 2,000 feet from the valley to the Village at 4,848 feet. It snows at the top when it rains at the base.
AWD or 4WD with real tread is the honest recommendation from December to March. The resort plows and treats the road; in six seasons no guest has needed chains. Keep a set in the trunk if it makes you feel better.
Check WV 511 for live plow and closure status before you leave, and again at your last stop with signal.
Aim to reach the bottom of the climb before dark. Winter sunset at Snowshoe is about 5pm. Your door code works whenever you arrive, so a late, slow climb beats a fast one.

Questions

Charleston to Snowshoe FAQ

Anything else, . We answer within the hour, and we would rather you ask than guess on a mountain road.

How long is the drive from Charleston, WV to Snowshoe?

About 3 to 3.5 hours from downtown in normal conditions with no stops: I-64 east to Lewisburg, then US-219 north through Marlinton to Slatyfork and the climb. The two-lane shortcuts through Richwood or Webster Springs are about the same time on paper and slower in practice. Add an hour in snow.

Can I take WV-39 through Richwood to Snowshoe?

In summer and fall, yes: I-79 to US-19 north to Summersville, WV-39 east through Richwood to Marlinton, then US-219 north. It is scenic and remote. In winter, take I-64 to Lewisburg and US-219; the Highland Scenic Highway (WV-150) is not maintained in winter and WV-39 is slow in a storm.

Where is the last grocery between Charleston and Snowshoe?

Pocahontas IGA on US-219 in Marlinton, about 30 to 40 minutes south of the resort. The Walmart on US-219 at the Lewisburg exit is bigger if you want to shop earlier. Wildcat Grocery at the Village covers basics.

Coming from somewhere else?