Arlington, VA to Lovettsville, VA is 49.9 miles and takes about 1h 11m via Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Virginia, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a drive that's mostly on surface roads, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. It’s a short enough distance that you can be flexible with your departure time and easily fit it into your schedule.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dulles Toll Road
14.7 mi
19m
Dulles Greenway
13.5 mi
16m
Berlin Turnpike
5.6 mi
7m
Charles Town Pike
5.2 mi
8m
Leesburg Pike
3.8 mi
5m
Custis Memorial Parkway
3.3 mi
4m
South Loudoun Street
0.7 mi
1m
Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dulles Toll Road
— 14.7 mi, about 19m
Traffic on I-66
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~3,072 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~175 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Lovettsville, VA.
1
Start on Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·Wilson Boulevard
2
Turn slight right onto VA 120
0.2 mi·30 sec·North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi·27 sec·Fairfax Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·1 min·this road
Toward I 66 Toll West
5
Merge onto I 66
3.3 mi·4 min·Custis Memorial Parkway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267
2.3 mi·3 min·Dulles Toll Road
Exit 67Toward VA 267 West: Dulles AirportUse the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267
2.2 mi·3 min·Dulles Toll Road
Toward VA 267 WestUse the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·22 sec
9
Merge onto VA 267
10 mi·13 min·Dulles Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on VA 267
14 mi·16 min·Dulles Greenway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 1AToward US 15 South, VA 7 West: LeesburgUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 15; VA 7
0.5 mi·39 sec·Leesburg Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on VA 7
3.8 mi·5 min·Leesburg Pike
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Take the exit onto VA 7 BUS
0.2 mi·31 sec·VA 7 BUS
Toward VA 9: Hillsboro, Charles TownUse the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 7 BUS
183 ft·7 sec·VA 7 BUS
Toward VA 9 East, VA 7 West
16
Enter roundabout onto VA 9
29 ft·0 sec·Charles Town Pike
Toward Charlesh Town Pike
17
Continue on VA 9
5.2 mi·8 min·Charles Town Pike
Toward Charlesh Town Pike
18
Turn right onto VA 287
5.6 mi·7 min·Berlin Turnpike
19
Continue on VA 287
0.2 mi·18 sec·South Berlin Pike
20
Turn right onto South Loudoun Street
0.7 mi·1 min·South Loudoun Street
21
Arrive at destination
South Loudoun Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Arlington, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 38.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4.6 mi into trip|~8m in|VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road toward VA 267 West: Dulles Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 67
Toward VA 267 West: Dulles Airport
7
6.9 mi into trip|~11m in|VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road
Keep slight right at fork onto VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road toward VA 267 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward VA 267 West
9
33.2 mi into trip|~45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 15 South, VA 7 West: Leesburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward US 15 South, VA 7 West: Leesburg
7
38.1 mi into trip|~52m in|VA 7 BUS
Take the exit onto VA 7 BUS toward VA 9: Hillsboro, Charles Town
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward VA 9: Hillsboro, Charles Town
7
38.3 mi into trip|~53m in|VA 7 BUS
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 7 BUS toward VA 9 East, VA 7 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward VA 9 East, VA 7 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.65 one way
$15.29 round trip
$3.89/gal25.4 MPG avg18 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$8.39
$16.78
premium
$4.64
$9.11
$18.22
diesel
$5.60
$11.00
$22.00
Estimated Tolls: $6.72
Dulles Greenway
(13.5 mi)$3.38
Dulles Toll Road
(14.7 mi)$2.95
Berlin Turnpike
(5.6 mi)$0.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$7
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15
0
$5.24
$2.40
Efficient EV
12.5
0
$4.37
$2.00
EV Truck/SUV
20
0
$6.99
$3.19
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Sep 2, 2026
Origin
Arlington, VA
Morning
in Arlington on Friday
Local time
9:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
NW 5 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:46PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Destination
Lovettsville, VA
Morning
in Lovettsville on Friday
Local time
9:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 3 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:46PM EDT until September 2 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
88°F
Oak Grove, VA
25 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 11m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route covers 49.9 miles with an 18% highway share. You'll encounter your longest stretch on the Dulles Toll Road at 14.7 miles before transitioning to other main roads like the Dulles Greenway and Berlin Turnpike. The majority of the drive will be on surface roads, offering a more local driving experience once you leave the toll roads. Expect a mix of driving environments as you navigate between these different road types.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.7 mi on Dulles Toll Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
558 ft248 ft
Total Climb
548 ft
Total Descent
314 ft
Highest Point
558 ft
~39.2 mi in
Elevation Range
310 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Arlington, VA to Lovettsville, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Charles Town along the way.
Arlington (along with the cities of Falls Church to the west and Alexandria to the south) forms part of the urban conglomeration around Washington, D.C. - inside the beltway. In Northern Virginia, and directly across the Potomac River from D.C. proper, Arlington is one of America's most densely populated regions. It has a land area 26 sq mi (67 km2) and a population of 230,000. Despite its density, Arlington mixes the best of both big city and suburban environments. Like the greater Washington area, Arlington has grown over the last several decades in part due to growth of the federal government.
Top landmarks
•The Pentagon — headquarters of the United States Department of Defense; named after the shape o...
•Arlington National Cemetery — national cemetery in Virginia, United States
•Marine Corps War Memorial — monument consisting of a large sculptural group on a circular base in Arlington,...
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 49.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.7 miles on Dulles Toll Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.72 in tolls one way, starting with Dulles Greenway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lovettsville, VA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (VA 267 / Dulles Toll Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lovettsville, VA before heading back.
