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Trip from City of Baltimore, MD to Ballenger Creek, 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 7m

Distance

52.2 mi

84 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Maryland, United States

City of Baltimore, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Ballenger Creek, MD, MD

Ballenger Creek, MD

Keith Cassill

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick getaway from Baltimore to Ballenger Creek, you are looking at a manageable 52.2-mile trek. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 7 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Your travel budget remains light, with fuel costs estimated at approximately $9 for the one-way journey. You will be traveling entirely within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region toward your destination. Since there are no mandatory stops required to complete the trip, you have plenty of flexibility to structure your schedule however you prefer.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 36.7 mi 39m
Baltimore Beltway 4.6 mi 6m
I 95 2.9 mi 3m
New Design Road 2.9 mi 5m
Cal Ripken Way 0.7 mi 1m
Robin Drive 0.5 mi 1m
Monocacy Boulevard 0.4 mi <1m
Light Street 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 36.7 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Baltimore, MD and Ballenger Creek, MD.

1

Start on East Fayette Street

487 ft · 23 sec · East Fayette Street
2

Turn left onto MD 2

312 ft · 10 sec · Saint Paul Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
3

Continue on MD 2

0.4 mi · 1 min · Light Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4

Turn right onto East Conway Street

0.3 mi · 52 sec · East Conway Street
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left onto I 395

0.7 mi · 1 min · Cal Ripken Way
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 95 South: Washington
7

Merge onto I 95

2.9 mi · 3 min · I 95
8

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 49B Toward I 695 West: Towson Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 695

4.6 mi · 6 min · Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 16A-B Toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick Use the slight left lane.
12

Merge onto I 70

14 mi · 15 min · I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 70; US 40

12 mi · 12 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on I 70; US 40

11 mi · 11 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight right at fork

419 ft · 10 sec
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street Use the slight right lane.
17

Turn straight onto MD 85

426 ft · 9 sec · Buckeystown Pike
18

Turn left onto Monocacy Boulevard

0.4 mi · 58 sec · Monocacy Boulevard
19

Continue on New Design Road

2.9 mi · 5 min · New Design Road
20

Turn right onto Robin Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Robin Drive
21

Turn right onto Canada Goose Court

178 ft · 7 sec · Canada Goose Court
22

Arrive at destination

Canada Goose Court

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbia, MD

26 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

Catonsville, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mount Airy, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.1 miles from City of Baltimore, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | MD 2 / Saint Paul Street

Turn left onto MD 2 / Saint Paul Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
8
10.4 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic

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 16A-B Toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic
8
10.6 mi into trip | ~17m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
48.1 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick

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 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
9
48.3 mi into trip | ~58m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.65 one way

$17.31 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $9.48 $18.96
premium $4.93 $10.12 $20.25
diesel $5.61 $11.53 $23.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 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 15.7 0 $5.48 $2.51
Efficient EV 13.1 0 $4.57 $2.09
EV Truck/SUV 20.9 0 $7.31 $3.34

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

City of Baltimore, MD

Morning in City of Baltimore on Sunday

Local time

8:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ballenger Creek, MD

Morning in Ballenger Creek on Sunday

Local time

8:10 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Columbia, MD

26 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 7m 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, as 76% of your drive will be spent navigating major thoroughfares. You will start by utilizing the Baltimore Beltway and I-95 before transitioning onto I-70 for the majority of the trip. The route features a significant 36.7-mile stretch on I-70, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your drive. Because this is a high-speed interstate route, the personality of the road is consistent and efficient rather than technical or winding. You can anticipate a straightforward, fast-paced drive that prioritizes direct travel over scenic detours.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Baltimore Beltway. 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 MD 2 / Saint Paul Street.

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 52.2 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 0.1 miles (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles: 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.

Between City of Baltimore, MD and Ballenger Creek, MD, road signs point toward Local Traffic and Frederick.

Local Traffic

10.4 mi in | ~16m

Frederick

48.1 mi in | ~58m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 52.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on I 70. 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 Ballenger Creek, 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 (MD 2 / Saint Paul Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Antietam National Battlefield (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 Ballenger Creek, 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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