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Trip from City of Baltimore, MD to Cavetown, 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 28m

Distance

73.2 mi

118 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 22m ★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m

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

English singer-songwriter

Cavetown, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking to head west from the City of Baltimore toward Cavetown, you are in for a straightforward, 73.2-mile trek. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 28 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will rely primarily on the Baltimore Beltway, I-70, and Mapleville Road to complete the journey. With fuel costs estimated at around $12, it is an affordable route that stays entirely within Maryland. Since the drive is relatively short, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics; you can easily make this a round trip in one go.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 56.5 mi 1h
Mapleville Road 5 mi 8m
Baltimore Beltway 4.6 mi 6m
I 95 2.9 mi 3m
Cal Ripken Way 0.7 mi 1m
Light Street 0.4 mi 1m
East Conway Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Fayette Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 56.5 mi, about 1h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between City of Baltimore, MD and Cavetown, 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

31 mi · 33 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 35 Toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Turn right onto MD 66

1.4 mi · 2 min · Mapleville Road
17

Enter roundabout onto MD 66

156 ft · 2 sec · Mapleville Road
18

Continue on MD 66

3.6 mi · 6 min · Mapleville Road
19

Turn right onto Cavetown Church Road

17 ft · 0 sec · Cavetown Church Road
20

Arrive at destination

Cavetown Church Road

Where to Stop

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

town in Carroll and Frederick Counties, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mount Airy, MD

37 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

Ellicott City, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mount Airy, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36.6 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 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 67.9 — 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.
7
5.2 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward I 695 West: Towson

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 49B Toward I 695 West: Towson
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
67.9 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in

Take the exit toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 35 Toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.14 one way

$24.27 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $13.29 $26.58
premium $4.93 $14.20 $28.39
diesel $5.61 $16.16 $32.32

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22 0 $7.69 $3.51
Efficient EV 18.3 0 $6.41 $2.93
EV Truck/SUV 29.3 0 $10.25 $4.68

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

City of Baltimore, MD

Late night in City of Baltimore on Sunday

Local time

12:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cavetown, MD

Late night in Cavetown on Sunday

Local time

12:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

73°F

Mount Airy, MD

37 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

3 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 28m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 81% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will face a long, consistent stretch of 56.5 miles while cruising along I-70, which defines the bulk of the experience. The transition from the urban atmosphere of Baltimore to the more localized feel of Mapleville Road provides a clear shift in pacing as you approach Cavetown. While the majority of the route is designed for efficient, high-speed travel, expect the character of the road to change once you exit the interstate system for the final leg of your journey.

81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 56.5 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Mapleville Road. 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 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

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 Cavetown, MD, road signs point toward Local Traffic and Smithsburg.

Local Traffic

10.4 mi in | ~16m

Smithsburg

67.9 mi in | ~1h 19m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 73.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 56.5 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 Cavetown, 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 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (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 Cavetown, 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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