Sunset at a mountain overlook on the drive up to Snowshoe

Getting here from Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh to Snowshoe

interstate, then the pretty part

Pittsburgh is the easy one. Two hours of I-79 south through Morgantown to Weston, then US-33 east over the ridges to Elkins, then US-219 south down the valley through Beverly, Huttonsville, and Valley Head to Slatyfork. It is the resort's own printed route from the north. The interstate half goes fast; budget the second half at two-lane speed with a stop in Elkins.

Drive time

4 to 4.5 hours

from downtown, normal conditions, no stops

Distance

about 210 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

The map apps may pull you off I-79 south of Morgantown onto back roads and WV-92 through Reedsville and Belington to Elkins. It is 15 miles shorter, saves no real time, and is two-lane the whole way. Stay on I-79 to Weston, especially in winter.

1
I-79 south from Pittsburgh through Morgantown to Weston, exit 99.
2
US-33 east from Weston through Buckhannon to Elkins, about an hour of rolling two-lane and four-lane.
3
US-219 south from Elkins through Beverly, Huttonsville, and Valley Head, 48 miles. This is the two-lane valley road with deer at dusk.
4
Slatyfork: turn left onto Route 66 at the Par Mar, then 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
Kroger or Walmart, Elkins
Elkins, WV, on US-219 about an hour north of the resort
The last full grocery from the north. Kroger is on 11th Street downtown; the Walmart is on Beverly Pike, which is US-219 on the south side of town, so it is right on the way. Pharmacy, bank, and a real choice of gas. Everything after Elkins is smaller.
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 Pittsburgh by 11am and you are at the door for the 4pm check-in with a real stop in Elkins. In winter, leave by 10am so the climb is 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 Pittsburgh 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 Buckhannon and Elkins and US-219 south of Elkins both climb and drop; they are plowed, but they hold snow longer than the interstate. Gas is scarce between Elkins and Snowshoe, so fill in Elkins.
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

Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh to Snowshoe?

About 4 to 4.5 hours from downtown in normal conditions with no stops, about 210 miles: I-79 south to Weston, US-33 east to Elkins, US-219 south to Slatyfork, then the climb. Add an hour in snow.

Where is the last grocery store between Pittsburgh and Snowshoe?

Elkins, WV, about an hour north of the resort. Kroger is downtown on 11th Street and the Walmart is on Beverly Pike, which is US-219 on the way out of town toward Snowshoe. After Elkins the towns are small. Wildcat Grocery at the Village covers basics once you arrive.

Is there gas on the way up to Snowshoe from the north?

Elkins has every option. After that, a few small stations on US-219 with variable hours, and the last one is Par Mar at the Route 66 turn in Slatyfork. There is no gas on the mountain.

Coming from somewhere else?