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Highway 33: Rawley Springs to Franklin, Shenandoah Mountain, Virginia and West Virginia
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives West Virginia Shenandoah and the Virginia Blue Ridge

Highway 33: Rawley Springs to Franklin

Blue Gray Trail, US 33 · Rawley Springs → Franklin

Sweeping27 mi40 min2,900 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,500 ftOne way
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The drive

US 33 climbs west from Rawley Springs, where it follows the Dry River through George Washington National Forest. East of the state line the road is called Rawley Pike, and it makes a winding descent into the Dry River valley when driven the other way.

The highway crosses into West Virginia at Dry River Gap, at about 3,450 feet on top of Shenandoah Mountain. On the West Virginia side it drops steeply to Brandywine and continues to Franklin, where US 33 briefly shares pavement with US 220. The drive ends at that junction.

Along the way

  1. Rawley Springs
  2. Brandywine
  3. Franklin (US-220)
Elevation
2,900 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,500 ft
Rawley SpringsFranklin
Curves
Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch
Rawley SpringsFranklin
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The climb up Shenandoah Mountain to the state line is steep, with long grades both ways.
  • Check Virginia 511 and WV511 for work zones before you go.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Virginia 511.

Questions about this drive

How long does Highway 33 from Rawley Springs to Franklin take?

US 33 from Rawley Springs to Franklin is 27.4 miles and takes about 40 min.

How high is US 33 over Shenandoah Mountain?

US 33 crosses into West Virginia at Dry River Gap, at about 3,450 feet on top of Shenandoah Mountain.

What is Rawley Pike?

Rawley Pike is the name of US 33 east of the West Virginia line, on its winding descent into the Dry River valley.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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More drives near here

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 33: Rawley Springs to Franklin, from Rawley Springs to Franklin