Origin
Emmitsburg, MD
Late night in Emmitsburg on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Emmitsburg, MD to Rockville, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
52.2 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Emmitsburg, MD
RDNE Stock project
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
This 52.2-mile drive from Emmitsburg, MD to Rockville, MD is a straightforward day trip, typically taking about 1 hour and 11 minutes. You'll primarily be on highways like the Eisenhower Memorial Highway, Catoctin Mountain Highway, and Frederick Freeway. With a fuel cost estimated around $9, this route is quite economical for a single day's excursion. The journey feels like a typical local drive, making it an easy option for a quick getaway within the Northeast region. Given its manageable length, no overnight stays are necessary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 22.9 mi | 29m |
| Catoctin Mountain Highway | 20 mi | 27m |
| Frederick Freeway | 4 mi | 5m |
| I 270 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| South Seton Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Montgomery Avenue | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Key West Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Washington Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
— 22.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Emmitsburg, MD and Rockville, MD.
1
Start on South Seton Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Seton Avenue
2
Take the ramp
203 ft
·
6 sec
3
Merge onto US 15
20 mi
·
27 min
·
Catoctin Mountain Highway
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on US 15
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Frederick Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 270
23 mi
·
29 min
·
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 6B-A
Toward MD 28: West Montgomery Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto MD 28
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Key West Highway
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on MD 28
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Montgomery Avenue
10
Turn left onto West Montgomery Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Montgomery Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto South Washington Street
63 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
South Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.1 miles from Emmitsburg, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 52.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 15 / Catoctin Mountain Highway
Merge onto US 15 / Catoctin Mountain Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
48.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
50.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward MD 28: West Montgomery Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B-A
Toward MD 28: West Montgomery Avenue
5
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
MD 28 / Key West Highway
Turn left onto MD 28 / Key West Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
52.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
South Washington Street
Turn right onto South Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
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.
Destination
Rockville, MD
Late night in Rockville on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 9 to 14 mph
3% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:45AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 3:33AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
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
28 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 11m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 on this route, rather than an extended interstate cruise. While you'll encounter some highway sections, accounting for 12% of the journey, the character leans towards navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 22.9 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway. This suggests a driving experience that involves more frequent adjustments and potentially slower speeds as you transition between different road types and through more populated areas.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.9 mi on Eisenhower Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near US 15 / Catoctin Mountain Highway.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 52.2 miles you will encounter 6 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 1.2 miles (US 15 / Catoctin Mountain Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.2 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Emmitsburg, MD
Full guide →Founded 1785
Top landmarks
- • St. Joseph's College and Mother Seton Shrine — historic district in Maryland, United States
Arriving in Rockville, MD
Full guide →Rockville is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is characterized by rolling hills, historic towns, and high tech industries
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 11m. Total distance: 52.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (12%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.9 miles on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1.2 miles (US 15 / Catoctin Mountain Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.2 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rockville, 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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