Origin
Chevy Chase, MD
Late night in Chevy Chase on Sunday
Local time
12:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chevy Chase, MD to Frederick, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chevy Chase, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 36.6-mile drive from Chevy Chase, MD to Frederick, MD is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 51 minutes to complete. The route is heavily focused on highways, with 84% of the journey on major roads like I-270 and the Capital Beltway, making it a quick and efficient connection. Budget around $6 for fuel for this short excursion. Given its brevity and highway-centric nature, it’s perfect for a quick day trip without the need for an overnight stay. You'll be traversing within the Northeast region for the entire trip, staying within Maryland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 270 | 30.7 mi | 39m |
| Capital Beltway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| East Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Carroll Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Montrose Driveway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Patrick Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 270
— 30.7 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chevy Chase, MD and Frederick, MD.
1
Start on Hutch Place
133 ft
·
12 sec
·
Hutch Place
2
Turn left onto Clifford Avenue
450 ft
·
22 sec
·
Clifford Avenue
3
Turn right onto Kenilworth Driveway
363 ft
·
15 sec
·
Kenilworth Driveway
4
Continue on Montgomery Avenue
444 ft
·
19 sec
·
Montgomery Avenue
5
Continue on Stewart Driveway
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Stewart Driveway
6
Turn right onto Montrose Driveway
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Montrose Driveway
7
Turn right onto MD 185
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Connecticut Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 495 West: Northern Virginia, Frederick
9
Merge onto I 495
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
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.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 11; 12
Toward MD 117, MD 124 North: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Montgomery Village Avenue, Quince Orchard Road, Watkins Mill Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 270
20 mi
·
24 min
·
I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 31
Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn right onto MD 85
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Buckeystown Pike
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on MD 85
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Buckeystown Pike
17
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East Street
18
Enter roundabout onto East Street
119 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Street
19
Continue on East Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Street
20
Turn left onto MD 144
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East South Street
21
Turn right onto South Carroll Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Carroll Street
22
Turn left onto MD 144
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Patrick Street
23
Arrive at destination
MD 144
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Chevy Chase, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Clifford Avenue
Turn left onto Clifford Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m 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
7
6.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 270 North
8
13.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward MD 117, MD 124 North: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Montgomery Village Avenue, Quince Orchard Road, Watkins Mill Road
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 11; 12
Toward MD 117, MD 124 North: Clopper Road, West...
8
33.7 mi into trip
|
~45m 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
$6.07 one way
$12.14 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.65 | $13.29 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.10 | $14.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Late night in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
12:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Germantown, MD
18 mi in
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
10 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
51m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 36.6-mile journey, with an 84% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.7 miles on I-270, offering a consistent pace. This route prioritizes efficiency over scenic detours, meaning you'll likely be on well-maintained interstates for the majority of your travel time. The character of the drive remains largely consistent, emphasizing smooth, high-speed travel for most of the 51-minute duration.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.7 mi on I 270.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 early in the drive near Clifford Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 36.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Clifford Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 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 Chevy Chase, MD to Frederick, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Buckeystown along the way.
Buckeystown
33.7 mi in
|
~45m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.7 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: near the start (Clifford Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park 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 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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