Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Crofton, MD to College Park, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

31m

Distance

18.2 mi

29 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Good

7 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Crofton, MD, MD

Crofton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown College Park, MD, MD

College Park, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick commute between Crofton and College Park, this 18.2-mile journey is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 31 minutes. Navigating through Maryland’s Northeast region, you will find this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend roughly $3 on fuel for the entire drive, making it a very budget-friendly option. Because there are no mandatory stops scheduled, you have the freedom to complete the transit in one efficient push. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection between these two Maryland locations that prioritizes speed and convenience over leisurely sightseeing.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John Hanson Highway 8.3 mi 9m
North West Crain Highway 2.1 mi 3m
Veterans Parkway 1.8 mi 3m
East-West Highway 1.2 mi 2m
Baltimore Avenue 1.1 mi 3m
Riverdale Road 1 mi 2m
Urby Drive 0.5 mi 1m
Defense Highway 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John Hanson Highway — 8.3 mi, about 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Crofton, MD and College Park, MD.

1

Start on Stratton Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Stratton Road
2

At end of road, turn left onto Spring Green Avenue

0.2 mi · 51 sec · Spring Green Avenue
3

At end of road, turn left onto Crofton Parkway

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Crofton Parkway
4

Turn right onto Urby Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Urby Drive
5

Turn left onto Good Hope Drive

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Good Hope Drive
6

Turn right onto MD 450

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Defense Highway
7

Merge onto MD 3; MD 450

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Robert Crain Highway
8

Continue on MD 3; MD 450

2.1 mi · 3 min · North West Crain Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward US 50 West: Washington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto US 50

8.3 mi · 9 min · John Hanson Highway
11

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 13 sec
Exit 5 Toward MD 410 Use the slight right lane.
12

Turn right onto MD 410

1.8 mi · 3 min · Veterans Parkway
13

Continue on MD 410

1.0 mi · 2 min · Riverdale Road
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on MD 410

1.2 mi · 2 min · East-West Highway
15

Turn right onto US 1

1.1 mi · 3 min · Baltimore Avenue
16

Turn right onto Knox Road

272 ft · 12 sec · Knox Road
17

Arrive at destination

Knox Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Spring Green Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto Spring Green Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~2m in | Crofton Parkway

At end of road, turn left onto Crofton Parkway

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

5
1.2 mi into trip | ~4m in | MD 450 / Defense Highway

Turn right onto MD 450 / Defense Highway

Navigation decision point

6
3.8 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward US 50 West: Washington

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 50 West: Washington
7
12.9 mi into trip | ~19m in

Take the exit toward MD 410

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 5 Toward MD 410

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.02 one way

$6.03 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 6 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.30 $6.61
premium $4.93 $3.53 $7.06
diesel $5.61 $4.02 $8.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.5 0 $1.91 $0.87
Efficient EV 4.6 0 $1.59 $0.73
EV Truck/SUV 7.3 0 $2.55 $1.16

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 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

Crofton, MD

Late night in Crofton on Sunday

Local time

1:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

College Park, MD

Late night in College Park on Sunday

Local time

1:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°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

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

31m 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 turn-heavy local drive as you make your way from Crofton to your destination. With only 10% of the journey spent on highways, your experience will largely consist of navigating local roads rather than long stretches of open pavement. You will spend your longest uninterrupted segment covering 8.3 miles on the John Hanson Highway, which serves as the primary artery for the trip. Outside of that stretch, you will be relying on North West Crain Highway and Veterans Parkway to guide you through the local landscape. The route demands your full attention behind the wheel due to the frequent transitions between road types.

Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on John Hanson Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Spring Green Avenue.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 18.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.3 miles (Spring Green Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Crofton Parkway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.2 miles (MD 450 / Defense Highway): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 18.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 8.3 miles on John Hanson Highway. 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 College Park, 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 0.3 miles (Spring Green Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Crofton Parkway): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.2 miles (MD 450 / Defense Highway): Navigation decision point.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 College Park, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

College Park, MD to Crofton, MD

Plan the drive back the other way.

19.2 mi 34m

Continue From College Park, MD

Frostburg, MD 143.5 mi · 2h 56m Cumberland, MD 133.7 mi · 2h 39m Salisbury, MD 112.1 mi · 2h 40m South Bel Air, MD 59.6 mi · 1h 21m

More from Crofton, MD

Salisbury, MD 98.7 mi · 2h 21m Montgomery Village, MD 43 mi · 1h 2m Redland, MD 34.3 mi · 56m North Bethesda, MD 31.1 mi · 46m Bethesda, MD 30.1 mi · 46m Olney, MD 29.8 mi · 50m

More trips to College Park, MD

North Bel Air, MD 59.5 mi Perry Hall, MD 46.8 mi Randallstown, MD 37 mi Severna Park, MD 32.5 mi Green Haven, MD 31.6 mi Baltimore, MD 31.4 mi
Escape planner: Crofton, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from Crofton, MD or browse trips ending in College Park, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.