Route 231 Scenic Byway: A Fall Drive, Sperryville to Madison
An unhurried October drive from Sperryville to Madison, with a family farm shop and a 1929 country store along the way
Route 231, the Blue Ridge Turnpike Scenic Byway, is a Virginia Byway that follows the old Blue Ridge Turnpike from Sperryville through Banco, Etlan, and Madison toward Gordonsville. In October it is one of the more rewarding ways to see the Rappahannock-Madison foothills, with a country store and a family farm shop worth stopping for along the way.
Quick Facts
- What: A Virginia Byway on the old Blue Ridge Turnpike
- Route: Sperryville, Banco, Etlan, Madison, toward Gordonsville
- Best for: A slow fall drive with unhurried stops
- Info: madisonva.com listing for Route 231
Start in Sperryville
The byway begins in Sperryville, and the sensible way to do it is to arrive with a coffee and no schedule. A few miles west of town on Lee Highway, Beech Spring Gift Shop is a fifth-generation family business in three blue buildings at 11600 Lee Highway. It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., which makes it a useful first stop or a place to finish the day.
Follow the Turnpike South
From Sperryville the road runs through the small places the old turnpike strung together: Banco, then Etlan, then Madison. This is not a route for hurrying. The pleasure is the sequence of hamlets and farmland with the Blue Ridge on one side, and a fall afternoon is the right time for it.
Because the byway itself has no staffed facilities in our data, plan your meals and fuel in Sperryville or Madison rather than counting on the road to provide them.
Add a Country-Store Detour
If you want a detour that fits the spirit of the drive, Blue Ridge Grocery Store in Huntly is an old-fashioned country store at 1908 Zachary Taylor Highway, opened in 1929, selling handcrafted wooden cutting boards among other goods. It is open Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and closed the rest of the week, so it suits a weekend drive. Huntly lies off the byway itself, so treat this as a separate leg of the trip.
A Sample Autumn Afternoon
- Late morning: Start in Sperryville; stop at Beech Spring Gift Shop.
- Midday: Take Route 231 south through Banco and Etlan at an easy pace.
- Afternoon: Arrive in Madison for a late lunch, or on a weekend, loop to Huntly for the country store before it closes at 4:00 p.m.
Planning Your Visit
- Route: Route 231, from Sperryville through Banco, Etlan, and Madison toward Gordonsville
- Info: madisonva.com/venues/route-231-us-top-10-scenic-by-way
- Hours: A public road, with no posted hours
- Stops: Beech Spring Gift Shop, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, phone (540) 987-8704; Blue Ridge Grocery Store, Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
See the full venue page for the Route 231 Blue Ridge Turnpike Scenic Byway.
Places in this story
Sources
Reporting drew on sources available for these places:
- Route 231 Blue Ridge Turnpike Scenic Byway — venue signals
- Beech Spring Gift Shop — venue signals
- Blue Ridge Grocery Store — venue signals
Frequently asked questions
What is the Route 231 Blue Ridge Turnpike Scenic Byway?
It is a Virginia Byway following the old Blue Ridge Turnpike from Sperryville through Banco, Etlan, and Madison toward Gordonsville.
Which towns does Route 231 pass through?
The byway starts in Sperryville and runs through Banco, Etlan, and Madison toward Gordonsville.
Where can I stop near the start of the drive?
Beech Spring Gift Shop at 11600 Lee Highway, west of Sperryville, is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and makes an easy first stop.
Is the Blue Ridge Grocery Store open on weekdays?
Blue Ridge Grocery Store in Huntly is open Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and closed the rest of the week, so plan it for a weekend.
This article was written from local venue data and reviewed by AI. Learn how we write these stories
Photo via Unsplash