Seneca Skyway scenic route opens in WV

LEWISBURG, WV (WBOY) – State officials held a ceremony Tuesday to designate the Seneca Skyway as the first route of the new West Virginia Mountain Rides program, which is aimed at promoting “the state’s most scenic country roads to drive by car or motorcycle.”

The nearly 300-mile-long Seneca Skyway starts in Lewisburg, spans through the Potomac Highlands as far north as Tucker County, before looping back to Lewisburg. The entire route is made up of winding country roads and can be completed within a little over a six-hour round trip drive, officials said.

The route includes mountain towns, like Lewisburg, Thomas, Elkins and White Sulphur Springs and takes travelers by natural wonders like Blackwater Falls State Parks, Seneca Rocks, and Spruce Knob.

You can download a pdf version of the map here.

“John Denver said it best: ‘Country roads, take me home.’ Governor Justice has been the biggest cheerleader behind our Almost Heaven advertising campaign, so much so that he pushed us to take it to the next level by designating some of our most treasured country roads as scenic routes,” Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said. “Seneca Skyway is more than just a scenic route; it’s an entire vacation along one winding route, with stunning mountain vistas along the way.”

The Mountain Rides program will feature four official routes, with the other three to be announced later this year, according to state officials.

“This program gives us a great opportunity to have people come and enjoy our state and the beauty we have to offer. It’s also a chance to showcase how much we’ve improved our roads. At the Division of Highways, we’re committed to making these roads as perfect as possible to make for a safe and smooth ride on a motorcycle or in a car,” said State Highway Engineer Alan Reed.

After Gov. Jim Justice and other officials cut the ribbon, a group of motorcyclists drove off as the first official riders on the new Seneca Skyway.

“All we’ve ever had to do in West Virginia was just let the world see how great we really are. We’re doing just that. And now, we get to enjoy the ride,” Justice said.

You can find more information on the route here. Below is a slideshow of sights that can been seen along the route.