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Trip from Bethesda, MD to Calverton, 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

25m

Distance

13.3 mi

21 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 23m ★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m

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

unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Bethesda, MD

Wikimedia Commons

unincorporated area in Montgomery and Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Calverton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Bethesda, MD to Calverton, MD is 13.3 miles and takes about 25m via Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland and the Northeast region, making it an easy local excursion. Expect a drive that involves several turns and navigating local roads rather than a continuous highway journey. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick trip or as part of a larger travel plan.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Capital Beltway 5.7 mi 7m
Powder Mill Road 2.9 mi 5m
Jones Bridge Road 1.1 mi 2m
Wisconsin Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Beltsville Drive 0.4 mi 1m
Connecticut Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
Edgemoor Lane 0.3 mi <1m
New Hampshire Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Capital Beltway — 5.7 mi, about 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Calverton, MD.

1

Start on this road

44 ft · 5 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue

510 ft · 24 sec · Bethesda Avenue
3

Turn left onto Arlington Road

0.3 mi · 55 sec · Arlington Road
4

Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane

0.3 mi · 51 sec · Edgemoor Lane
5

Turn left onto MD 355

0.7 mi · 1 min · Wisconsin Avenue
6

Continue on MD 355

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Rockville Pike
7

Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Jones Bridge Road
8

Turn left onto MD 185

0.3 mi · 39 sec · Connecticut Avenue
Use the left / slight left lanes.
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 495

5.7 mi · 7 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 28A Toward MD 650 North: White Oak Use the right lane.
12

Turn straight onto MD 650

0.3 mi · 38 sec · New Hampshire Avenue
13

Turn right onto Powder Mill Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Powder Mill Road
14

At end of road, turn left onto MD 212

2.2 mi · 4 min · Powder Mill Road
15

Turn left onto Beltsville Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Beltsville Drive
16

Turn left onto Twinlakes Drive

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Twinlakes Drive
17

Continue on Lakehouse Road

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Lakehouse Road
18

At end of road, turn left onto Beltsville Road

161 ft · 8 sec · Beltsville Road
19

Turn right onto Bellevue Street

301 ft · 14 sec · Bellevue Street
20

Turn right onto Ingleside Drive

354 ft · 17 sec · Ingleside Drive
21

Turn right onto Fullerton Street

0.1 mi · 35 sec · Fullerton Street
22

Turn left onto Key Street

314 ft · 17 sec · Key Street
23

Turn left onto Dunnington Road

122 ft · 5 sec · Dunnington Road
24

Arrive at destination

Dunnington Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 8.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Arlington Road

Turn left onto Arlington Road

Navigation decision point

5
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | Edgemoor Lane

Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane

Navigation decision point

7
2.8 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
5
3.1 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge onto I 495 / Capital Beltway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8.7 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward MD 650 North: White Oak

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 28A Toward MD 650 North: White Oak

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.20 one way

$4.41 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.41 $4.83
premium $4.93 $2.58 $5.16
diesel $5.61 $2.94 $5.87

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4 0 $1.40 $0.64
Efficient EV 3.3 0 $1.16 $0.53
EV Truck/SUV 5.3 0 $1.86 $0.85

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 21, 2026

Origin

Bethesda, MD

Morning in Bethesda on Tuesday

Local time

6:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Calverton, MD

Morning in Calverton on Tuesday

Local time

6:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

4 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

25m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you won't be spending much time on highways, with a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 5.7 miles on the Capital Beltway. The drive will likely involve navigating through various local streets and intersections as you transition from the Capital Beltway to Powder Mill Road and Jones Bridge Road. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction as you make your way to your destination.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on Capital Beltway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Arlington Road.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 13.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Bethesda, MD to Calverton, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.

Silver Spring

2.8 mi in | ~7m

About the Cities

Starting in Bethesda, MD

Full guide →

Bethesda is in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1½ miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Wealthy and well-educated, Bethesda is best known for its numerous restaurants and as the headquarters of the National Institutes of Health.

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 25m. Total distance: 13.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

25m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 5.7 miles on Capital Beltway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Calverton, 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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