This 46.3-mile journey from Frederick, MD to Brentwood, MD is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 9 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing the Eisenhower Memorial Highway, I-270, and the Capital Beltway, you'll experience a mix of highway driving and more local roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this drive is budget-friendly for a single day. The route stays within the Northeast region, specifically within Maryland, offering a straightforward transition between two points. Consider this a practical option when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
21.6 mi
27m
I 270
9.4 mi
12m
Capital Beltway
5.8 mi
7m
University Boulevard East
2.6 mi
5m
Buckeystown Pike
1.7 mi
3m
Ager Road
1.2 mi
2m
Riggs Road
0.8 mi
1m
38th Street
0.7 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
— 21.6 mi, about 27m
Traffic on I-270
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~6,085 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~400 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 96 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Brentwood, MD.
1
Start on MD 144
122 ft·7 sec·East Patrick Street
2
Turn right onto North Market Street
435 ft·18 sec·North Market Street
3
Turn right onto East Church Street
0.3 mi·47 sec·East Church Street
4
Turn right onto North East Street
0.6 mi·1 min·North East Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Enter roundabout onto East Street
101 ft·1 sec·East Street
6
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi·14 sec·East Street
7
Continue on MD 85
1.7 mi·3 min·Buckeystown Pike
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·34 sec
Toward I 270 South
9
Merge onto I 270
22 mi·27 min·Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Use the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
6.6 mi·9 min·I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
2.8 mi·3 min·I 270
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College ParkUse the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Merge onto I 495
5.8 mi·7 min·Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 29Toward MD 193 East: Langley ParkUse the slight right lane.
14
Turn straight onto MD 193
2.6 mi·5 min·University Boulevard East
15
Turn right onto MD 212
0.8 mi·1 min·Riggs Road
16
Turn left onto MD 410
0.2 mi·28 sec·East-West Highway
Use the left lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto Ager Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Ager Road
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto Hamilton Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Hamilton Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto MD 208
0.7 mi·2 min·38th Street
20
Arrive at destination
MD 208
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 23.1 miles from Frederick, 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 0.4 and 43.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|North East Street
Turn right onto North East Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
24.7 mi into trip|~34m in|I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
31.3 mi into trip|~43m in|I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
7
39.9 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward MD 193 East: Langley Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 29
Toward MD 193 East: Langley Park
6
43.7 mi into trip|~1h 3m in|Ager Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Ager Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.15 one way
$16.30 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.89
$8.91
$17.82
premium
$5.23
$9.53
$19.05
diesel
$6.18
$11.26
$22.53
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13.9
0
$4.86
$2.22
Efficient EV
11.6
0
$4.05
$1.85
EV Truck/SUV
18.5
0
$6.48
$2.96
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Frederick, MD
Afternoon
in Frederick on Saturday
Local time
2:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 14 mph52% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued October 16 at 6:16PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued October 16 at 5:09PM EDT until October 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington...
Destination
Brentwood, MD
Afternoon
in Brentwood on Saturday
Local time
2:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 13 mph79% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued October 16 at 6:16PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued October 16 at 5:09PM EDT until October 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington...
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 9m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" for much of this 46.3-mile route, though it does incorporate some highway sections. About 20% of your drive will be on faster roads like I-270 and the Capital Beltway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.6 miles on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway. This means you'll be navigating a variety of road types, transitioning between higher-speed travel and more frequent turns as you get closer to your destination.
Only 20% 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: 21.6 mi on Eisenhower 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 0.4 miles in near North East Street.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.3 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 0.4 miles (North East Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 24.7 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
505 ft24 ft
Total Climb
437 ft
Total Descent
694 ft
Highest Point
505 ft
~16.5 mi in
Elevation Range
481 ft
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 Frederick, MD to Brentwood, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
31.3 mi in|~43m|via I 270
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.
Top landmarks
•Frederick Armory — drill hall in Frederick, United States of America
•Frederick Historic District — historic district in Maryland, United States
•Hessian Barracks — historic barracks building in Frederick, Maryland, United States
Mount Rainier is a city of 8,000 people (2019) in Prince George's County. A large area of Mount Rainier is considered a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Rainier still has many of the charms and attractive features that it had in the early 1900s. This article also covers the neighboring community of Brentwood.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 46.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m 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 21.6 miles on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. 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 Brentwood, 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 0.4 miles (North East Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 24.7 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.3 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (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 Brentwood, MD before heading back.
