Origin
Frederick, MD
Late night in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
3:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, MD to Emmitsburg, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.2 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Emmitsburg, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
Frederick, MD to Emmitsburg, MD is 23.2 miles and takes about 34 minutes via Catoctin Mountain Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a short, local journey, making it an easy day trip or a quick addition to a larger itinerary. You'll find the route straightforward, primarily following main local roads without needing extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Catoctin Mountain Highway | 19.8 mi | 27m |
| South Seton Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Market Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Motter Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Frederick Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 9th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Patrick Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Catoctin Mountain Highway
— 19.8 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Emmitsburg, MD.
1
Start on MD 144
122 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Patrick Street
2
Turn right onto North Market Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Market Street
3
Turn left onto West 9th Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
West 9th Street
4
Turn right onto Motter Avenue
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Motter Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward US 15 North
6
Merge onto US 15
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Frederick Freeway
7
Continue on US 15
20 mi
·
27 min
·
Catoctin Mountain Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
183 ft
·
6 sec
9
Continue on South Seton Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Seton Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
South Seton Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 1.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Market Street
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West 9th Street
Turn left onto West 9th Street
Navigation decision point
6
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Motter Avenue
Turn right onto Motter Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward US 15 North
Navigation decision point
Toward US 15 North
3
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 15 / Frederick Freeway
Merge onto US 15 / Frederick Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.85 one way
$7.69 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.21 | $8.43 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.50 | $9.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.12 | $10.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.11 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.03 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.25 | $1.48 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Emmitsburg, MD
Late night in Emmitsburg on Sunday
Local time
3:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
6 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
34m 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 route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with a highway share of 100% on main roads like Catoctin Mountain Highway and South Seton Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19.8 miles along Catoctin Mountain Highway. Expect a dynamic driving experience with frequent turns and changes in road conditions as you navigate through local areas. It's not a monotonous interstate cruise but rather a more engaging local road experience.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.8 mi on Catoctin Mountain Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Market Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 34m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (West 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Motter Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.8 miles on Catoctin Mountain 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: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (West 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Motter Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Emmitsburg, 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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