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Trip from Baltimore Highlands, MD to Frederick, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h

Distance

48.4 mi

78 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Baltimore Highlands, MD, MD

Baltimore Highlands, MD

Styves Exantus

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Baltimore Highlands, MD to Frederick, MD is 48.4 miles and takes about 1 hour via I 70 and Baltimore Beltway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to its western edge. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on major highways, making it a quick and easy option for a short excursion or a commute. You'll find it’s a practical route for getting from point A to point B without much fuss, suitable for a single-day trip.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 36.7 mi 39m
Baltimore Beltway 6.9 mi 9m
Nursery Road 1 mi 2m
Annapolis Road 0.5 mi 1m
East Street 0.5 mi <1m
Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
South Carroll Street 0.2 mi <1m
Delaware Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 36.7 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Baltimore Highlands, MD and Frederick, MD.

1

Start on Washington Street

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Washington Street
2

At end of road, turn right onto Delaware Avenue

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Delaware Avenue
3

At end of road, turn left onto MD 648

0.5 mi · 1 min · Annapolis Road
4

Continue on MD 648

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
5

Turn right onto MD 168

1.0 mi · 2 min · Nursery Road
6

Turn right onto Fairview Avenue

498 ft · 22 sec · Fairview Avenue
Use the right lane.
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward I 695 North Use the left lane.
8

Merge onto I 695

6.9 mi · 9 min · Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight lane.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 16A-B Toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick Use the slight left lane.
11

Merge onto I 70

14 mi · 15 min · I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 70; US 40

12 mi · 12 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 70; US 40

11 mi · 11 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick Use the slight right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork

419 ft · 10 sec
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn straight onto MD 85

426 ft · 9 sec · Buckeystown Pike
17

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Street
18

Enter roundabout onto East Street

119 ft · 2 sec · East Street
19

Continue on East Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · East Street
20

Turn left onto MD 144

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East South Street
21

Turn right onto South Carroll Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · South Carroll Street
22

Turn left onto MD 144

0.2 mi · 25 sec · East Patrick Street
23

Arrive at destination

MD 144

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbia, MD

24 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Catonsville, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mount Airy, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.2 miles from Baltimore Highlands, MD, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 47.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
2.3 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp toward I 695 North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 695 North
8
9.4 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 16A-B Toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic
8
9.6 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
47.1 mi into trip | ~57m in

Take the exit toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
9
47.2 mi into trip | ~58m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.02 one way

$16.05 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.79 $17.58
premium $4.93 $9.39 $18.77
diesel $5.61 $10.69 $21.37

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.08 $2.32
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.23 $1.94
EV Truck/SUV 19.4 0 $6.78 $3.10

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 Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Baltimore Highlands, MD

Morning in Baltimore Highlands on Tuesday

Local time

6:49 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frederick, MD

Morning in Frederick on Tuesday

Local time

6:49 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

64°F

Columbia, MD

24 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

14 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 76% of the route utilizing major interstates. The majority of your journey will be on I 70, where you'll experience a longest stretch of 36.7 miles without needing to exit. Expect a consistent pace on these well-maintained highways, offering a direct and efficient travel experience. The drive is largely characterized by its high-speed sections, minimizing time spent on slower local roads.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Baltimore Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.4 miles you will encounter 15 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 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Baltimore Highlands, MD to Frederick, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Local Traffic along the way.

Local Traffic

9.4 mi in | ~16m

About the Cities

Arriving in Frederick, MD

Full guide →

Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 48.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Frederick, MD 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 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (5 total within detour distance). 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 Frederick, MD before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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