Origin
Clarksburg, MD
Morning in Clarksburg on Sunday
Local time
7:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clarksburg, MD to Gwynn Oak, 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
40.8 mi
66 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 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clarksburg, MD
Jonathan Borba
Gwynn Oak, MD
Iqbal farooz
Trip Overview
Clarksburg, MD to Gwynn Oak, MD is 40.8 miles and takes about 1 hour via I-70 and Ridge Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region and Maryland, making it a straightforward local drive. With a mostly highway profile, you'll spend a significant portion of your time on faster-moving roads. It's a short enough distance that you can easily complete it in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure and arrival times.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 25.4 mi | 28m |
| Ridge Road | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| Woodfield Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Piedmont Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| North Forest Park Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Hillsdale Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Stringtown Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Valley Park Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 25.4 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clarksburg, MD and Gwynn Oak, MD.
1
Start on MD 355
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Frederick Road
2
Turn left onto Stringtown Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Stringtown Road
3
Turn right onto Snowden Farm Parkway
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Snowden Farm Parkway
4
Turn left onto Grand Elm Street
502 ft
·
18 sec
·
Grand Elm Street
5
At end of road, turn right onto Piedmont Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Piedmont Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto Hawkes Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hawkes Road
7
Turn left onto MD 27
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Ridge Road
8
Turn right onto Valley Park Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Valley Park Drive
Use the right lane.
9
At end of road, turn left onto MD 124
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodfield Road
10
Turn right onto MD 27
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Ridge Road
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
12
Merge onto I 70; US 40
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 70; US 40
6.5 mi
·
6 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
11 mi
·
13 min
·
I 70
Toward Baltimore
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 94
Toward Security Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn straight onto MD 122
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Security Boulevard
Use the right lane.
17
Turn right onto North Forest Park Avenue
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Forest Park Avenue
18
Turn slight left onto Hillsdale Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Hillsdale Road
19
Turn right onto Haddon Avenue
178 ft
·
11 sec
·
Haddon Avenue
20
Turn left
60 ft
·
4 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Clarksburg, 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 1.1 and 37.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Grand Elm Street
Turn left onto Grand Elm Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Hawkes Road
At end of road, turn right onto Hawkes Road
Navigation decision point
6
5.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Valley Park Drive
Turn right onto Valley Park Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
26.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 70
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Baltimore
7
37.9 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward Security Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 94
Toward Security Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.76 one way
$13.53 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.41 | $14.82 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.91 | $15.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Gwynn Oak, MD
Morning in Gwynn Oak on Sunday
Local time
7:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Mount Airy, MD
20 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 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 40.8-mile drive is primarily on highways, with 63% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll experience a 25.4-mile stretch on I-70, indicating a substantial period of highway cruising. After leaving I-70, you'll transition to surface roads like Ridge Road and Woodfield Road, which will likely involve more varied traffic and potentially more frequent intersections as you approach your destination.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.4 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Ridge Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near Grand Elm Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.8 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 1.1 miles (Grand Elm Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (Hawkes Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (Valley Park Drive): 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 Clarksburg, MD to Gwynn Oak, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
26.5 mi in
|
~40m
|
via I 70
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 40.8 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 (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.4 miles on I 70. 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 Gwynn Oak, 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 1.1 miles (Grand Elm Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.7 miles (Hawkes Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (Valley Park Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 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 Gwynn Oak, 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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