LN

I'm trying to get from Maryland to Kentucky and I wonder if Interstate 64 is a good choice. Is that section through lower West Virginia finished as an interstate or how is that road? Mapquest shows me heading north and over to Hagerstown and then going south and that looks really out of the way.

LN

ttt
C'mon somebody???

rhtt

I-64 all the way to Berkley is fine, good highway. Then to Ky., is it 77 or 64? Suggest you contact the WV highway patrol.

ronkala

Where in MD are you leaving from?
Try routing it on freetrip.com

Stacy

Beckley is the wrong way. From KY you go on 64 from Huntington to Charleston then 79 to Maryland. It is all regular interstate but with lots of hills and curves on the 79 part and some minor areas of construction.

ronkala

The alternitive to the mapquest directions would be to take I 81 south from Hagerstown down to I 64 west. It might be 60 miles/ 1 hr. longer, but the two interstates are good. I went that way to Louisville two years ago and it was an enjoyable trip.

LN

Stacy

I'm in Maryland (Washington DC suburbs)now and trying to get to Kentucky and I'd like to use I64 through Virginia and West Virginia and Beckley looks like it's on the way. I didn't want to tak I-79 from up in NW Maryland and was looking for a easier western route.

JennyL

We took I-64 all the way through West Virginia last fall, and it was fine. It looked like sections of the road had been recently finished, and we had no problems. I'm not crazy about I-81, it always seems to have more trucks. Good luck.

ronkala

If you plan on stopping in Beckley, then I-81 south to I-64 is your best bet.

Beatchick

Sure, used to go to school in Morehead and we'd travel from Huntington, WV to Lexington, KY and in between all the time! Nice. lovely scenic route! When you pass Morehead, too your horn for me. : )

jenny

If you are coming from Wash. suburbs in MD., then here's another option : Beltway to #66 West to #81 South to #64 West.At times #81 does have a lot of truck traffic. #64 is a beautiful and scenic road !
Have a good trip.

SusiQ

I know this post was in 2003 but what did LN expect I64 to be in lower West Virginia, a cow path? Did LN think the road narrowed from an interstate to a two lane road, to a cow path? I only wish I had seen this question when it was ask.

kayd

Though this is too late for LN, I can well describe the routes from DC to Kentucky because I make the trip several times a year:

Nine times out of ten, the best way is the northern route -- west through Maryland (I-70, I-68) to Morgantown WVa, then south to Charleston WVa (I-79), then west on I-64 to your destination in Ky.

The southern route -- south through Virginia on I-81, then west across West Virginia on I-64 (a not-very-direct route through Beckley to Charleston) -- is the better choice when snow is falling on the northern route.

The advantage of the northern route is excellent highway with little traffic once you leave the the DC exurbs. On the southern route, truck traffic is significant on I-81 and the Beckley-to-Charleston segment of I-64 is a toll road; it is older and more winding than most other interstates.

The southern route takes you near the New River Gorge if you want to make a quick scenic detour, but views from the interstates are lovely on both routes. Travel time is about the same either way.

LN

Hi everyone

I'm back from my trip and it was great!

Kayd - we wound up taking the northern route on our trip to the midwest and then we took the southern route on our return. Many had told us that I-64 was NOT finished through West Virginia and that there was a very windy route in that last mountainous area. Well, I-64 was finished and there were still many curves with those mountains heading into Charleston. We had a great time stopping in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tenn, W Va, Monticello in Va and finally back to Maryland. Kayd you were quite right about the road from Beckley to Charleston. And as to SusieQ _ I don't quite know what kind of assistance she would have offeredas "cow path" was never in any message.

rkkwan

I-64 was finished years ago. I don't know who those people are that tell you it's "not finished". In fact, I believe I-68 is newer than I-64, at least at the Sidling Hill road cut.

ARKANSASNURSE

I made this drive last fall, so much color it rivaled New England. We travelled this highway just to go thru the tunnels. If you enjoy a drive thru the mountains this is the road for you. Even if it isalittle out of the way to glean the experience