Driving from Lorton VA, to Salem Ohio (a bit west of Pittsburgh).

Google Maps suggests a route that will go through the Maryland / DC area.

Can any of y'all who are familiar with that area, suggest a route that will avoid Maryland / DC?

I'm thinking maybe go south from Lorton for just a bit, before turning northwest, would keep it in Virginia until getting away from Maryland?

try this?
https://goo.gl/maps/VMiDQ4VKytgMgSnL9

Going around the DC beltway will avoid DC, but not MD. To avoid MD completely, you pretty much have to go far enough West e.g. on I-66 + US-40 (or US-50) to pick up I-79 in WVA, a considerably longer trip than I-70 and the PA Turnpike. Another long way around would be to go S to the far end of the Bay Bridge-Tunnel and come up through DE, then the long way through PA. Even this way you'll still be in MD for about 40 miles on the Eastern Shore, and DE doesn't honor VA CHPs any more than MD does.

If you go out through Berkeley Springs, WV and up that way through Hancock, you’ll only be in Maryland for half an hour or so. Other than that you’re going to have to go all the way out to Morgantown basically and north through there to completely avoid Maryland.

I just carry and don’t drive like an idiot when I go the first route

The other thing you can do is stop in WV before you hit MD and case your firearm in your trunk with the ammo stored separately and then stop when you get in to PA and take it back out

Looks like from Lorton, go west on Lorton Road to VA Rte 123 / N Ox Rd, take that northwest to Dovovans Corner, thence GPS to Salem OH.

That should completely avoid Maryland & DC.

Is there any "local knowledge" that says this is not good?

What time of day are you leaving and will it be a weekday or weekend?

The quickest route is through Maryland taking 495 to 270, then 70, then the PA turnpike. You do not go through DC.

Just out of curiosity, why the want to avoid Maryland? I'm guessing it's firearms related, just wondering what is the specific concern.

JP

quote:

Originally posted by jprebb:

What time of day are you leaving and will it be a weekday or weekend?

Just out of curiosity, why the want to avoid Maryland? I'm guessing it's firearms related

Departing Lorton mid-day, maybe around noon, on a Tuesday.

Maryland does not honor Florida carry permits.

I-66W to US-522N through Berkeley Springs to pick up I70W to Breezewood and PA Turnpike west. You will only be in MD literally only a few minutes and is the only way barring a super long route on 66W. Living in Pittsburgh, I’ve run this route many times.

You can stay on i66W to I-81N, then cut onto US522N instead, it is a few minutes quicker. I love the run up through Winchester and the town of Berkeley Springs, it’s a pleasant distraction from all highway travel.

Traveling back and forth from VA Beach, we use this route to avoid as much of the beltway and I95 traffic as possible. Sitting trapped on 95 is something I will go a hundred miles out of the way to avoid.

V-Tail, sorry I can’t help you with the best route but when you are in Lorton if you haven’t already take the short drive over to Occoquan. There are some great restaurants on the river and it’s a pretty neat place to explore. When I was a kid growing up in Northern Virginia I always loved weekend trips to Occoquan Virginia.

quote:

Originally posted by PghPI:
I-66W to US-522N through Berkeley Springs to pick up I70W to Breezewood and PA Turnpike west. You will only be in MD literally only a few minutes and is the only way barring a super long route on 66W. Living in Pittsburgh, I’ve run this route many times.

This is the route I'd go. It's impossible to avoid some part of MD unless you want to very, very far out of your way. As said, once you get into anywhere in western MD, the crossing into PA is only a few minutes.

What kind of car will you be driving? Low rider pickup likely to get pulled over.

quote:

Originally posted by PghPI:
You can stay on i66W to I-81N, then cut onto US522N instead, it is a few minutes quicker. I love the run up through Winchester and the town of Berkeley Springs, it’s a pleasant distraction from all highway travel.

this is the way,

you still go thru a bit of Maryland, but only a short bit,

I drive this route all the time, I drive it by instinct, to Pittsburgh. You are in Maryland about an hour.

Just map this in order: Lorton, Winchester VA, Cumberland MD, Uniontown PA, Pittsburgh PA, Salem OH. It will give you a basic line of travel. A lot of deer between Winchester, Cumberland, and Pittsburgh. Never been to Salem, OH.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:

quote:

Originally posted by PghPI:
You can stay on i66W to I-81N, then cut onto US522N instead, it is a few minutes quicker. I love the run up through Winchester and the town of Berkeley Springs, it’s a pleasant distraction from all highway travel.

this is the way,

you still go thru a bit of Maryland, but only a short bit,

After going thru Berkeley Springs you cross will cross the Potamac and be Maryland for 2.1 miles. I measured it once. As soon as you cross the river watch for 70 West. You should be in and out of Maryland 3 or 4 minutes. I make that trip quite often.