Origin
Capitol Heights, MD
Afternoon in Capitol Heights on Friday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Capitol Heights, MD to Frederick, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
56.3 mi
91 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Capitol Heights, MD
Mark Stebnicki
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Capitol Heights, MD to Frederick, MD is 56.3 miles and takes about 1h 17m via I 270 and the Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick drive stays within Maryland, connecting the Northeast region of the state to itself. Expect a primarily highway experience for most of the trip, making it a straightforward option for a quick excursion or commute. With only 1 recommended day, it’s an easy trip to fit into a busy schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 30.9 mi | 39m |
| Capital Beltway | 13.4 mi | 17m |
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Eastern Avenue Northeast | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| East Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Kenilworth Avenue Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Chamber Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 270
— 30.9 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-270
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~6,085 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~400 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 96 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 Capitol Heights, MD and Frederick, MD.
1
Start on Chamber Avenue
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Chamber Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto Davey Street
285 ft
·
11 sec
·
Davey Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Southern Avenue Southeast
367 ft
·
9 sec
·
Southern Avenue Southeast
4
Continue on Southern Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Southern Avenue Northeast
5
Continue on 63rd Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
63rd Street Northeast
6
Turn left onto Eastern Avenue Northeast
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Eastern Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
Turn right onto Kenilworth Avenue
355 ft
·
12 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward MD 295 North, MD 201 North
9
Merge onto MD 201
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Baltimore
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 95; I 495
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
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.
15
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.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
27 mi
·
34 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 31
Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn right onto MD 85
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Buckeystown Pike
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on MD 85
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Buckeystown Pike
20
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East Street
21
Enter roundabout onto East Street
119 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Street
22
Continue on East Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Street
23
Turn left onto MD 144
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East South Street
24
Turn right onto South Carroll Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Carroll Street
25
Turn left onto MD 144
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Patrick Street
26
Arrive at destination
MD 144
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Capitol Heights, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 53.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Baltimore
7
8.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
8
13 mi into trip
|
~19m 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
22.5 mi into trip
|
~31m 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
53.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
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 31
Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.41 one way
$18.81 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $10.35 | $20.71 |
| premium | $5.01 | $11.11 | $22.22 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $12.41 | $24.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.93 | $2.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.88 | $3.60 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Frederick, MD
Afternoon in Frederick on Friday
Local time
12:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 17m 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 mostly highway, with 65% of the 56.3 miles on high-speed roads like I 270 and the Capital Beltway. You'll encounter a 30.9-mile stretch on I 270, which suggests a significant portion of the route involves consistent highway cruising. Be prepared for frequent exits and potential merging traffic as you navigate these major arteries. The transition to surface roads will likely occur as you approach your destination.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.9 mi on I 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 270 and Capital Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 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 56.3 miles you will encounter 19 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 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
526 ft
100 ft
Total Climb
567 ft
Total Descent
405 ft
Highest Point
526 ft
~42.4 mi in
Elevation Range
426 ft
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.
Between Capitol Heights, MD and Frederick, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, College Park, Silver Spring and Buckeystown.
Baltimore
2.9 mi in
|
~5m
College Park
8.8 mi in
|
~14m
Silver Spring
13 mi in
|
~19m
|
via I 495
Buckeystown
53.4 mi in
|
~1h 11m
About the Cities
Starting in Capitol Heights, MD
Full guide →Founded 1910
Arriving in Frederick, MD
Full guide →Founded 1745
Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.
Top landmarks
- • Frederick Armory — drill hall in Frederick, United States of America
- • Frederick Historic District — historic district in Maryland, United States
- • Hessian Barracks — historic barracks building in Frederick, Maryland, United States
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 17m. Total distance: 56.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.9 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 Frederick, 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 2.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Frederick, 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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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