Origin
Bowie, MD
Late night in Bowie on Sunday
Local time
3:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Clarksburg, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
43.8 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Clarksburg, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
This 43.8-mile drive from Bowie, MD, to Clarksburg, MD, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour. You'll primarily be on I 270 and the Capital Beltway, with a portion on John Hanson Highway, making it a predominantly highway experience. With a fuel cost estimated at $7, this is a budget-friendly excursion. Given its short length and manageable duration, this route is perfectly suited as a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The drive keeps you within the Northeast region, traversing familiar Maryland landscapes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 18.2 mi | 24m |
| Capital Beltway | 16.4 mi | 21m |
| John Hanson Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Collington Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Stringtown Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Evergreen Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Frederick Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Clarksburg Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 270
— 18.2 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Clarksburg, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
At end of road, turn left onto MD 197
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward US 50 West: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto US 50
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
John Hanson Highway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 7B
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Silver Spring
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 7B
Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto I 95; I 495
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
15 mi
·
19 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 18
Toward MD 121: Boyds, Clarksburg
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward MD 121 North: Clarksburg, Little Bennett Regional Park
Use the right lane.
15
Turn straight onto MD 121
489 ft
·
10 sec
·
Clarksburg Road
16
Continue on Stringtown Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Stringtown Road
17
Turn left onto MD 355
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Frederick Road
18
Arrive at destination
MD 355
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Bowie, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 7.7 and 43.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
7.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 7B
Toward I 495 North, I 95 North: Beltway
8
15.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
8
24.7 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
8
42.9 mi into trip
|
~58m 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
43.2 mi into trip
|
~58m 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
$7.26 one way
$14.52 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.95 | $15.91 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.49 | $16.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Clarksburg, MD
Late night in Clarksburg on Sunday
Local time
3:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
6 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
1h 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?
Expect a mixed drive with a significant highway share of 42%. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.2 miles on I 270, offering a good period of consistent travel. While much of the route involves interstate driving, the transition between major highways like the Capital Beltway and I 270 provides some variation in your driving experience. This isn't a winding country road, but rather an efficient path connecting two points in Maryland.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on I 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 7.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.8 miles you will encounter 14 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 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.7 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Bowie, MD to Clarksburg, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.
Silver Spring
7.3 mi in
|
~10m
About the Cities
Starting in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, 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 1h. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 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 Clarksburg, 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 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.7 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 Clarksburg, 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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