Origin
Forest Heights, MD
Late night in Forest Heights on Tuesday
Local time
4:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forest Heights, 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
47m
Distance
35.1 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Heights, MD
Rino Adamo
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
Forest Heights, MD to Rockville, MD is 35.1 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Capital Beltway and I-270 Spur, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This single-day trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a local drive with plenty of turns, so it's not a route for autopilot. You'll be navigating a mix of major roads and local streets. Consider this an easy local hop, perfect for a quick errand or a short adventure within the state.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 19.1 mi | 22m |
| Capital Beltway (Local) | 8.6 mi | 11m |
| I 270 Spur | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| I 270 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Indian Head Highway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Great Falls Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Montgomery Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Falls Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 19.1 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Heights, MD and Rockville, MD.
1
Start on Arapahoe Drive
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
Arapahoe Drive
2
Turn left
318 ft
·
11 sec
3
Turn straight onto MD 210
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Indian Head Highway
4
Continue on MD 210
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Indian Head Highway
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 95 South, I 495 South: Alexandria, Richmond
6
Merge onto I 95; I 495
8.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway (Local)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on I 495
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway
Exit 170A
Toward I 495 North: Tysons Corner
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 Spur
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
I 270 Spur
Exit 38
Toward I 270: Rockville, Frederick
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 5
Toward MD 189: Falls Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward MD 189 North: Falls Road, Rockville, Town Center
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Turn straight onto MD 189
432 ft
·
20 sec
·
Falls Road
15
Turn left onto Great Falls Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Great Falls Road
16
Continue on West Montgomery Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
West Montgomery Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto South Washington Street
63 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Washington Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
South Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Forest Heights, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 9.9 and 34 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
29 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
I 270 Spur
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 Spur toward I 270: Rockville, Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 38
Toward I 270: Rockville, Frederick
7
32.1 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 270 North
7
33.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward MD 189: Falls Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward MD 189: Falls Road
9
34 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 189 North: Falls Road, Rockville, Town Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 189 North: Falls Road, Rockville, Tow...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.82 one way
$11.64 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.37 | $12.75 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.81 | $13.61 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
4:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°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
1 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
47m 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 drive is characterized as 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. Only 14% of the journey is on highways, so don't anticipate a long, uninterrupted interstate cruise. The longest stretch you'll experience without a significant turn is 19.1 miles on the Capital Beltway. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience that requires your attention, transitioning between faster highway segments and more stop-and-go local road navigation.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.1 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 9.9 miles in near I 495 / Capital Beltway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 35.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.9 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles (I 270 Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.1 miles (I 270): 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.
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 Forest Heights, MD to Rockville, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Frederick along the way.
Frederick
29 mi in
|
~37m
|
via I 270 Spur
About the Cities
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 47m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m 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 19.1 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Rockville, 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 9.9 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles (I 270 Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 32.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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