Origin
Bethesda, MD
Late night in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to Derwood, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
13.1 mi
21 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 22m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Derwood, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
Bethesda, MD to Derwood, MD is 13.1 miles and takes about 23 minutes via I-270 and Rockville Pike, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region and Maryland state, making it a straightforward local drive. You'll experience a mixed drive profile, incorporating both interstate travel and surface roads. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, offering a convenient connection between these two nearby communities without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 7.9 mi | 10m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Redland Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Redland Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Chieftain Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 270
— 7.9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Derwood, 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
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockville Pike
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
8
Merge onto I 270
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 8
Toward Shady Grove Road, Redland Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward Redland Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on Redland Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Redland Boulevard
13
Continue on Redland Road
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Redland Road
14
Turn right onto Yellowstone Way
348 ft
·
17 sec
·
Yellowstone Way
15
Turn right onto Chieftain Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Chieftain Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Derwood Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11.3 — 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
6.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 North
8
11.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward Shady Grove Road, Redland Boulevard
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 8
Toward Shady Grove Road, Redland Boulevard
8
11.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Redland Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Redland Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.17 one way
$4.34 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.38 | $4.76 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.54 | $5.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 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 | 3.9 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
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.
Destination
Derwood, MD
Late night in Derwood on Sunday
Local time
12:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°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
1 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
23m 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 offers a 60% highway share, primarily along I-270, which forms the longest uninterrupted stretch at 7.9 miles. You'll transition from the faster pace of the interstate to surface roads like Rockville Pike and Redland Boulevard. Expect a mixed drive that balances efficient highway travel with more typical urban and suburban road conditions. The character of the drive shifts as you move from the open highway to navigating local traffic and intersections.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on I 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Arlington Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 13.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
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 6.6 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 13.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on I 270. 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 Derwood, 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 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Edgemoor Lane): Navigation decision point; at 6.6 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Derwood, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Derwood, MD
More trips to Derwood, MD
Explore more options from Bethesda, MD or browse trips ending in Derwood, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.