U.S. Route 340 in Virginia

U.S. Route 340 in Virginia is a 92.5-mile (148.9 km) north–south highway traversing the scenic Shenandoah Valley in the northwestern part of the Commonwealth. It serves as a vital corridor connecting the northern terminus of Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive with historic sites in the Lower Shenandoah Valley and the gateway to Harpers Ferry. The route is co-signed with U.S. Route 522 for a short distance in Warren County and runs concurrently with Virginia State Route 7 through much of Clarke County.

Route description

Beginning at a multiplex with U.S. Route 522 in Front Royal, the southern terminus is adjacent to the northern entrance of Skyline Drive. It proceeds northeast, crossing the South Fork Shenandoah River and passing near the Front Royal Fish Hatchery. The road ascends into the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering dramatic views before descending into the broader Shenandoah Valley. North of Linden, it enters Clarke County and begins a long concurrency with Virginia State Route 7. The shared route passes through the town of Berryville, site of the historic Berryville Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and continues northward across rolling farmland. Near Boyce, the highway passes the Burwell-Morgan Mill, a preserved 18th-century gristmill. North of Millwood, US 340 diverges from SR 7, turning northwest to parallel the Shenandoah River. It passes the historic settlement of White Post and the Long Branch Historic District before crossing into Jefferson County, West Virginia at the Shenandoah River, just south of Harpers Ferry and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

History

The corridor now followed by US 340 has been a significant transportation route since the colonial era, originally part of a network of trails used by indigenous peoples and later by European settlers. In the early 20th century, it was incorporated into the state highway system, with portions designated as State Route 12. With the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926, the route was assigned the US 340 designation. Significant realignments occurred during the mid-20th century, particularly the construction of bypasses around towns like Berryville to improve traffic flow. The route's proximity to pivotal sites of the American Civil War, including the Battle of Cool Spring and areas associated with Mosby's Rangers, adds to its historical significance. The highway's role as a connector to Skyline Drive, which was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, further cemented its importance for both tourism and local travel in the Shenandoah Valley.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Warren and Clarke counties. {| class="wikitable" |- ! County ! Location ! mi ! km ! Destinations ! Notes |- | rowspan="4" | Warren | Front Royal | 0.00 | 0.00 | south – Culpeper | Southern terminus; south end of US 522 overlap |- | rowspan="2" | | 0.65 | 1.05 | Skyline Drive south – Shenandoah National Park | Northern terminus of Skyline Drive |- | 1.20 | 1.93 | north – Winchester | North end of US 522 overlap |- | Linden | 9.50 | 15.29 | – Strasburg, Washington |- | rowspan="6" | Clarke | Berryville | 22.30 | 35.89 | west – Winchester | South end of VA 7 overlap |- | rowspan="2" | Boyce | 30.10 | 48.44 | (Main Street) |- | 31.50 | 50.69 | east – Millwood |- | Millwood area | 36.20 | 58.26 | (Bishop Meade Road) | Access to Long Branch |- | White Post | 40.80 | 65.66 | – White Post, Delaplane |- | | 48.50 | 78.05 | east – Round Hill, Leesburg | North end of VA 7 overlap |- | colspan="3" | Shenandoah River | 92.50 | 148.86 | north – Charles Town, Harpers Ferry | Northern terminus; West Virginia state line |} Category:U.S. Route 340