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Trip from Elkton, MD to Essex, 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 6m

Distance

49.2 mi

79 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 1m ★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m

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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Downtown Elkton, MD, MD

Elkton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Elkton to Essex, MD, you are looking at a manageable 53.1-mile drive that typically takes about 53 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a quick day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. Budgeting around $9 for fuel should keep your tank in good shape for the journey. Since both locations are situated within the Northeast region of Maryland, you will stay within familiar territory the entire time. It is a straightforward, local trip that offers plenty of flexibility for your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 34.4 mi 39m
West Pulaski Highway 5.1 mi 8m
North East Road 1.7 mi 2m
Southeast Freeway 1.3 mi 1m
Baltimore Beltway 1.1 mi 1m
Eastern Boulevard 0.9 mi 2m
Pulaski Highway 0.8 mi <1m
West Main Street 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway — 34.4 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elkton, MD and Essex, MD.

1

Start on MD 213

102 ft · 7 sec · North Bridge Street
2

Turn right onto West Main Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
3

Turn left onto Landing Lane

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Landing Lane
4

Turn right onto US 40

5.1 mi · 8 min · West Pulaski Highway
5

Continue on US 40

0.8 mi · 55 sec · Pulaski Highway
6

Turn right onto MD 272

1.7 mi · 2 min · North East Road
Use the left lane.
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 95 South: Baltimore Use the slight right lane.
8

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 51 sec · this road
Toward I 95 South: Baltimore
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
10

Merge onto I 95

31 mi · 36 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95

3.2 mi · 3 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 37 sec
Exit 64 Toward I 695: Essex, Towson Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

1.2 mi · 1 min
Toward I 695 East: Essex Use the slight left lane.
14

Merge onto I 695

1.1 mi · 1 min · Baltimore Beltway
15

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 702

1.3 mi · 1 min · Southeast Freeway
Exit 36 Toward MD 702 South: Essex Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward MD 150 West: Essex Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Turn straight onto MD 150

0.9 mi · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard
18

Turn right onto North Woodward Drive

187 ft · 13 sec · North Woodward Drive
19

Turn left

327 ft · 23 sec
20

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

city in Harford County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Aberdeen, MD

25 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.

Popular next leg

Aberdeen, MD to Essex, MD

27.8 mi · 38m

Pacing Suggestions

Charlestown, MD

Fuel and coffee

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

Aberdeen, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.6 miles from Elkton, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 40.5 and 47.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
40.5 mi into trip | ~52m in | I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
43.7 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward I 695: Essex, Towson

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 64 Toward I 695: Essex, Towson
7
44.1 mi into trip | ~56m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 695 East: Essex

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 695 East: Essex
8
46.4 mi into trip | ~1h in | MD 702 / Southeast Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto MD 702 / Southeast Freeway toward MD 702 South: Essex

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 36 Toward MD 702 South: Essex
6
47.7 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Take the exit toward MD 150 West: Essex

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 150 West: Essex

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.16 one way

$16.31 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.93 $17.87
premium $4.93 $9.54 $19.08
diesel $5.61 $10.86 $21.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.8 0 $5.17 $2.36
Efficient EV 12.3 0 $4.31 $1.97
EV Truck/SUV 19.7 0 $6.89 $3.15

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 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

Elkton, MD

Afternoon in Elkton on Sunday

Local time

4:21 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Essex, MD

Afternoon in Essex on Sunday

Local time

4:21 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

48°F

Aberdeen, MD

25 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

1 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

1h 6m 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 rather than a mindless stretch of interstate. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend your time navigating local roads like West Main Street, Landing Lane, and West Pulaski Highway. Because there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches, you should remain alert and prepared for frequent changes in the road. This drive demands your full attention, as the technical nature of the path prevents you from settling into a monotonous cruise. You will experience a steady, consistent pace as you move through these Maryland corridors.

Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.4 mi on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 40.5 miles in near I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.

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 49.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 40.5 miles (I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.1 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.

On the drive from Elkton, MD to Essex, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Towson along the way.

Towson

43.7 mi in | ~56m

About the Cities

Starting in Elkton, MD

Full guide →

Founded 1787

Arriving in Essex, MD

Full guide →

Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 49.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 34.4 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial 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 Essex, 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 40.5 miles (I 95 / John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Essex, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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