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Highway 33: Franklin to Bowden, Allegheny Mountains, West Virginia
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives West Virginia West Virginia and Western Maryland

Highway 33: Franklin to Bowden

Mountaineer Drive, Allegheny Drive, Allegheny Highway · Franklin → Bowden

Sweeping51 mi1 hr 10 min6,500 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,600 ftOne way
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The drive

US 33 in West Virginia crosses the Eastern Continental Divide and climbs the Allegheny Front near Seneca Rocks. It passes through the Monongahela National Forest and crosses North Fork Mountain. Sights include Seneca Rocks and the Germany Valley overlook near Judy Gap.

Seneca Rocks rises nearly 900 feet above the confluence of Seneca Creek and the North Fork of the South Branch Potomac River. WV 28, WV 55 and US 33 converge in the hamlet of Seneca Rocks. East of I-79, US 33 is a four-lane highway as part of Corridor H.

Along the way

  1. Franklin
  2. US 33
  3. Seneca Rocks
  4. Allegheny Drive
  5. Bowden
Elevation
6,500 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,600 ft
FranklinBowden
Curves
Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch
FranklinBowden
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The Seneca Rocks Discovery Center is open Thursday through Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., April through October; the main parking lot entrance is off US 33.
  • Check WV511 for current road conditions.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check WV511 road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does Highway 33 from Franklin to Bowden take?

US 33 from Franklin to Bowden is 51.0 miles and takes about 1 hr 10 min.

How tall is Seneca Rocks?

Seneca Rocks rises nearly 900 feet above Seneca Creek and the North Fork of the South Branch Potomac River.

Where is the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center?

Its main parking lot entrance is off US 33, just south of the US 33 and WV 28 intersection.

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: Franklin to Bowden, from Franklin to Bowden