Frederick, MD to Crownsville, MD is 62.4 miles and takes about 1h 16m via I-70 and I-97, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Maryland, primarily traversing highway corridors. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, so expect efficient travel. It's a straightforward trip that's easily doable in a single day, making it a convenient option for many travelers.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
36.6 mi
39m
I 97
11.4 mi
13m
Baltimore Beltway
8.8 mi
12m
Generals Highway
1 mi
1m
North East Street
0.6 mi
1m
East Church Street
0.3 mi
<1m
East Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Buckeystown Pike
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 36.6 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-695
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 25 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,835 veh/hr typical
· worst 6,313
Quietest
2 AM
~322 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Crownsville, 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
0.2 mi·17 sec·Buckeystown Pike
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 70 East, US 40 East
9
Merge onto I 70; US 40
21 mi·22 min·I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
6.5 mi·6 min·I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
9.1 mi·9 min·I 70
Toward BaltimoreUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·16 sec
Exit 91B-AToward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen BurnieUse the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 91AToward I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen BurnieUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 695
8.8 mi·12 min·Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 4Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay BridgeUse the slight left lane.
16
Continue on I 97
8.9 mi·10 min·I 97
Use the straight lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
2.5 mi·2 min·I 97
Toward Bay Bridge
18
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Exit 5Toward MD 178: CrownsvilleUse the slight right lane.
19
Continue on MD 178
1.0 mi·1 min·Generals Highway
Use the left lane.
20
Turn left onto Lancers Trail
0.1 mi·27 sec·Lancers Trail
21
Arrive at destination
Lancers Trail
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 31.2 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 29.2 and 60.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
29.2 mi into trip|~33m in|I 70
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Baltimore
8
38.4 mi into trip|~43m in
Take the exit toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 91B-A
Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Tows...
9
38.6 mi into trip|~43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 91A
Toward I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
8
47.9 mi into trip|~57m in
Take the exit toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 4
Toward I 97 South: Annapolis, Bay Bridge
7
60.2 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward MD 178: Crownsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5
Toward MD 178: Crownsville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.95 one way
$19.90 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg22 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$11.01
$22.02
premium
$4.81
$11.81
$23.62
diesel
$4.80
$11.78
$23.56
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
18.7
0
$6.55
$3.00
Efficient EV
15.6
0
$5.46
$2.50
EV Truck/SUV
25
0
$8.74
$3.99
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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 Jul 14, 2026
Origin
Frederick, MD
Late night
in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Clear
SW 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 4:54PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 4:54PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Crownsville, MD
Late night
in Crownsville on Sunday
Local time
2:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
SW 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 4:54PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 4:54PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
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
5 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 16m 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?
This trip is mostly highway, with 77% of the 62.4 miles on major roads like I-70 and I-97. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 36.6 miles on I-70 before transitioning to other interstates. Expect frequent exits and merges as you navigate the Baltimore metropolitan area and approach your destination.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.6 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and I 97. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 29.2 miles in near I 70.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.4 miles you will encounter 14 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 29.2 miles (I 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
702 ft87 ft
Total Climb
612 ft
Total Descent
770 ft
Highest Point
702 ft
~17.8 mi in
Elevation Range
615 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Frederick, MD and Crownsville, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, Towson and Glen Burnie.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 62.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.6 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas 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 Crownsville, 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 29.2 miles (I 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (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 Crownsville, MD before heading back.
