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Trip from Bethesda, MD to Kingsley, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

24.2 mi

39 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 36m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m

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

Best Time
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unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Bethesda, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Kingsley, MD, MD

Kingsley, MD

Los Muertos Crew

Trip Overview

Bethesda, MD to Kingsley, MD is 24.2 miles and takes about 38m via I 270, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The drive is largely focused on highway travel, making it an efficient option for getting between these locations. Given its short duration and minimal stop requirement, it's a convenient choice for a quick transit or a short excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 270 17.9 mi 24m
Clarksburg Road 2.4 mi 5m
Rockville Pike 1.6 mi 3m
Wisconsin Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Edgemoor Lane 0.3 mi <1m
Arlington Road 0.3 mi <1m
Gateway Center Drive 0.1 mi <1m
Bethesda Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 270 — 17.9 mi, about 24m

Traffic on I-270

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~6,103 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~397 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

15.4×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Bethesda, MD and Kingsley, 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

15 mi · 19 min · I 270
Toward I 270 North Use the slight right lane.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Exit 18 Toward MD 121: Boyds, Clarksburg Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Toward MD 121 North: Clarksburg, Little Bennett Regional Park Use the right lane.
12

Turn straight onto MD 121

489 ft · 10 sec · Clarksburg Road
13

Turn left onto MD 121

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Gateway Center Drive
14

At end of road, turn right onto MD 121

2.3 mi · 5 min · Clarksburg Road
15

Turn right onto Hyattstown Mill Road

190 ft · 13 sec · Hyattstown Mill Road
16

Arrive at destination

Hyattstown Mill Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 21.4 — 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
21.2 mi into trip | ~31m in

Take the exit toward MD 121: Boyds, Clarksburg

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 18 Toward MD 121: Boyds, Clarksburg
9
21.4 mi into trip | ~32m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 121 North: Clarksburg, Little Bennett Regional Park

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

Use the right lane. Toward MD 121 North: Clarksburg, Little Bennett...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.86 one way

$7.72 round trip

$4.05/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.48 $4.27 $8.54
premium $4.81 $4.58 $9.16
diesel $4.80 $4.57 $9.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.3 0 $2.54 $1.16
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.12 $0.97
EV Truck/SUV 9.7 0 $3.39 $1.55

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Bethesda, MD

Late night in Bethesda on Sunday

Local time

5:40 AM

EDT

Current temp

94°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 7 to 12 mph 74% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 12:55PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:43PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Kingsley, MD

Late night in Kingsley on Sunday

Local time

5:40 AM

EDT

Current temp

90°F

Patchy Smoke

SW 9 mph 80% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 12:55PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 12:43PM EDT until July 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

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

38m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly highway-focused, with 74% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 17.9 miles on I 270, offering consistent speed and minimal interruptions. The drive begins on Rockville Pike and transitions to I 270, providing a blend of local access and interstate cruising. Expect a relatively smooth and direct experience, characteristic of a highway-centric path, with the main roads guiding you efficiently.

74% 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: 17.9 mi on I 270.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 270 and Clarksburg 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 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 11 decision points packed into just 24.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.

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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

652 ft 269 ft

Total Climb

490 ft

Total Descent

359 ft

Highest Point

652 ft

~22.4 mi in

Elevation Range

383 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Bethesda, MD and Kingsley, MD, road signs point toward Clarksburg and Little Bennett Regional Park.

Clarksburg

21.2 mi in | ~31m

Little Bennett Regional Park

21.4 mi in | ~32m

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.

Top landmarks

  • • Robert Llewellyn Wright House — historic house in Bethesda, Maryland

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 38m. Total distance: 24.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17.9 miles on I 270. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Kingsley, 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, Monocacy National Battlefield and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (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 Kingsley, 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, 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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