Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
74.3 mi
120 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Baltimore, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Smithsburg, MD
Iqbal farooz
The drive from Baltimore, MD to Smithsburg, MD covers 74.3 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, Mapleville Road, Baltimore Beltway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56.5 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.1 miles from Baltimore, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 56.5 mi | 1h |
| Mapleville Road | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| I 95 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Cal Ripken Way | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Water Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Light Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Conway Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,184 veh/hr typical · worst 3,740
Quietest
2 AM
~231 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 102 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Baltimore, MD and Smithsburg, MD.
Start on East Fayette Street
Turn left onto MD 2
Continue on MD 2
Turn right onto East Conway Street
Turn left onto I 395
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Merge onto I 695
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 70
Continue on I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 66
Enter roundabout onto MD 66
Continue on MD 66
Continue on MD 66
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 16 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.1 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smithsburg, MD than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Baltimore, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Baltimore, MD
This is one driving day of about 74.3 miles and 1h 30m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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.
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 37.1 miles from Baltimore, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 67.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MD 2 / Saint Paul Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 695 West: Towson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$12.41 one way
$24.83 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $13.66 | $27.33 |
| premium | $5.01 | $14.66 | $29.32 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $16.38 | $32.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.80 | $3.57 |
| Efficient EV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.50 | $2.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.7 | 0 | $10.40 | $4.76 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Baltimore on Friday
Local time
7:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Smithsburg on Friday
Local time
7:11 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
74.3 mi in 1h 30m, mostly highway — 56.5 mi of that is on I 70.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Mapleville Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near MD 2 / Saint Paul Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,737 ft
Total Descent
998 ft
Highest Point
1,122 ft
~63.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,086 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Baltimore, MD to Smithsburg, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Local Traffic along the way.
Local Traffic
“Bodymore, Murderland” · Founded 1729
Slices of American history are around every corner in Baltimore. Maryland's largest city is a gritty old seaport town that's perhaps most famous as the site of Fort McHenry, where, at the height of the War of 1812, the sight of a tattered but defiant American flag flying over the harbor, despite a furious British bombardment, inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that was later adapted into the U.S. national anthem "Star-Spangled Banner". Nowadays, Baltimore's nonstop nightlife, temperate climate, tradition of hospitality (they don't call this place "Charm City" for nothing), and cultural attractions — not to mention its prime location on the juncture of Chesapeake Bay — made it one of the major tourist destinations of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Top landmarks
Founded 1813
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 74.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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