Origin
Bethesda, MD
Late night in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bethesda, MD to Scaggsville, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
18.3 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Scaggsville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
Bethesda, MD to Scaggsville, MD is 18.3 miles and takes about 31 minutes via Columbia Pike and Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region and the state of Maryland, making it a straightforward local drive. Expect a route with frequent turns as you navigate from the Washington D.C. suburbs toward your destination. Given its brevity, this journey is ideal for a quick errand or an easy commute, requiring minimal planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 10 mi | 14m |
| Capital Beltway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Colesville Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 10 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Scaggsville, 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
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 30A
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 29
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Colesville Road
13
Continue on US 29
10.0 mi
·
14 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 13
Toward MD 216: Maple Lawn, Fulton, Laurel, Park and Ride
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
280 ft
·
7 sec
Toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
23 ft
·
0 sec
·
MD 216
17
Continue on MD 216
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
MD 216
18
Arrive at destination
MD 216
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.1 — 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
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
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward US 29 North: Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 30A
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
8
17.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward MD 216: Maple Lawn, Fulton, Laurel, Park and Ride
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward MD 216: Maple Lawn, Fulton, Laurel, Park...
9
18.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.03 one way
$6.07 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.32 | $6.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.55 | $7.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Scaggsville, MD
Late night in Scaggsville on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
31m 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 drive is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting a need for attention to navigation. With a highway share of 100%, you'll primarily be on major roadways, though the 'turn-heavy' description implies several intersections and changes in direction. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10 miles on Columbia Pike. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that moves between different main roads like Columbia Pike, the Capital Beltway, and Colesville Road.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on Columbia Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 18.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Arlington Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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 Scaggsville, 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 31m. Total distance: 18.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 Scaggsville, 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 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Scaggsville, 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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