Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
26.4 mi
42 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Walker Mill, MD
RDNE Stock project
The drive from Bethesda, MD to Walker Mill, MD covers 26.4 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Walker Mill Road, Jones Bridge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 20 mi | 26m |
| Walker Mill Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Jones Bridge Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Karen Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Edgemoor Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~6,323 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~550 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 33 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Walker Mill, MD.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
Turn left onto MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Turn right onto Jones Bridge Road
Turn left onto MD 185
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Walker Mill Road
Turn right onto Karen Boulevard
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 23.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Edgemoor Lane
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 221A: Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro
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 East Upper Marlboro, Ritchie - Marlboro Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.41 one way
$8.82 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $4.85 | $9.71 |
| premium | $5.01 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $5.82 | $11.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Bethesda on Sunday
Local time
12:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Walker Mill on Sunday
Local time
12:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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.
26.4 mi in 39m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Arlington Road.
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 26.4 miles you will encounter 11 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
199 ft
Total Descent
314 ft
Highest Point
316 ft
Elevation Range
230 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bethesda, MD and Walker Mill, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Upper Marlboro.
Silver Spring
Upper Marlboro
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 26.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m 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.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Bethesda, MD or browse trips ending in Walker Mill, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.
