Sunset at a mountain overlook on the drive up to Snowshoe

Getting here from Columbus

Columbus to Snowshoe

cross the Ohio, then climb

Columbus has two honest routes and they arrive from opposite sides of the mountain. The shorter one on the map, and the resort's own printed route from Ohio: US-33 southeast through Athens, US-50 east across the Ohio at Parkersburg to Clarksburg, I-79 south to Weston, US-33 east to Elkins, and US-219 south to Slatyfork. The all-interstate one: I-70 east to Cambridge, I-77 south through Parkersburg and Charleston to Beckley, I-64 east to Lewisburg, and US-219 north through Marlinton. The first is shorter and more two-lane; the second is longer and four lanes until the last 70 miles.

Drive time

5 to 6 hours

from downtown, normal conditions, no stops

Distance

about 285 to 325 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

All interstate: I-70 east to Cambridge, I-77 south through Parkersburg and Charleston to Beckley, I-64 east to Lewisburg, US-219 north through Marlinton to Slatyfork. About half an hour longer on the clock and 40 miles further, more of it at highway speed, and the plows get to it first.

1
US-33 southeast from Columbus through Lancaster and Athens to the Ohio River.
2
US-50 east across the river at Parkersburg, WV, then on to Clarksburg. Four lanes most of the way.
3
I-79 south from Clarksburg to Weston, exit 99, then US-33 east to Elkins.
4
US-219 south from Elkins through Beverly, Huttonsville, and Valley Head to Slatyfork, 48 miles. Turn left onto Route 66 at Par Mar and climb 15 minutes.

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
Elkins, or Lewisburg and Marlinton on the southern route
Elkins, WV has a Kroger and a Walmart on US-219 on the US-33 route. The Walmart on US-219 in Lewisburg and Pocahontas IGA in Marlinton cover the I-77 and I-64 route
Parkersburg and Clarksburg both have everything if you want to shop earlier. After Elkins or Marlinton the towns are small.
2 · Last gas
Par Mar
US-219 at the Route 66 turn in Slatyfork, about 25 minutes below the Village
Exxon pumps, the last gas before the climb and the only gas near the mountain. Ice, firewood, coffee, hot food. Open from 8am until 10pm, later on Friday and Saturday. Fill up here.
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 Columbus by 9am for the 4pm check-in with a stop. In winter, leave by 8am; the last two hours are two-lane whichever route you take, and sunset is about 5pm.

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 Columbus 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

US-33 between Weston and Elkins and US-219 south of Elkins hold snow longer than the interstate. The I-77 and I-64 route keeps you on four lanes longer.
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

Columbus 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 Columbus to Snowshoe?

About 5 to 6 hours from downtown in normal conditions with no stops. The US-33, US-50, I-79 route through Elkins is about 285 miles and the shorter clock; the I-70, I-77, I-64 route through Lewisburg is about 325 miles and more interstate.

Which route from Columbus is better in winter?

The interstate route: I-70 to I-77 south to Beckley, I-64 east to Lewisburg, US-219 north. It keeps you on four plowed lanes until the last 70 miles. The Elkins route is shorter but has more two-lane mountain road.

Where is the last grocery store from Columbus to Snowshoe?

Elkins, WV, with a Kroger and a Walmart, if you come through Weston and US-33. Pocahontas IGA in Marlinton if you come up US-219 from Lewisburg. Either way, shop before the last hour; Wildcat Grocery at the Village covers basics only.

Coming from somewhere else?