Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
54 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Forest Heights, MD
Rino Adamo
Frederick, MD to Forest Heights, MD is 54 miles and takes about 1h 25m via Eisenhower Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Northeast region, entirely within Maryland. It's a fairly straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a good option for a quick trip between these two points. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, so plan for an easy transit. Given the short duration, this is definitely a same-day trip.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 21.6 mi | 27m |
| I 270 | 6.6 mi | 9m |
| Clara Barton Parkway | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Canal Road Northwest | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| Southeast Freeway | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| I 270 Spur | 2 mi | 2m |
| Cabin John Parkway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 1.7 mi | 3m |
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
Averaged across 96 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Forest Heights, MD.
Start on MD 144
Turn right onto North Market Street
Turn right onto East Church Street
Turn right onto North East Street
Enter roundabout onto East Street
Continue on East Street
Continue on MD 85
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 Spur
Merge onto I 495
Keep slight right at fork onto Cabin John Parkway
Continue on Clara Barton Parkway
Continue on Canal Road Northwest
Keep slight right at fork onto Whitehurst Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
Take the exit onto I 66
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on E Street Expressway
Continue on E Street Northwest
At end of road, turn right onto 17th Street Northwest
Continue on 17th Street Southwest
Turn straight onto Independence Avenue Southwest
Continue on Independence Avenue Southwest
Keep slight right at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest
Keep slight left at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 395
Keep slight left at fork onto I 695
Continue on I 695
Merge onto I 295
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Turn straight onto South Capitol Street Southwest
Continue on South Capitol Street
Continue on MD 210
Turn left onto Livingston Road
Turn right onto Arapahoe Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 31.3 and 50.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 Spur toward I 270 Spur: Washington, Northern Virginia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto Cabin John Parkway toward Cabin John Parkway, Glen Echo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto Whitehurst Freeway toward US 29 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto 17th Street Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward South Capitol Street, JBAB
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.84 one way
$17.68 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.76 | $10.12 | $20.24 |
| premium | $5.07 | $10.78 | $21.55 |
| diesel | $6.34 | $13.47 | $26.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Frederick on Saturday
Local time
12:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in Forest Heights on Saturday
Local time
12:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
49°F
Arlington, VA
27 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
About 35% of this drive is on major highways like the Eisenhower Memorial Highway and I-270. The longest continuous stretch on these highways is 21.6 miles. As you get closer to your destination, you'll transition to surface roads. Expect a mix of highway cruising and navigating through more developed areas with frequent exits and intersections as you approach Forest Heights.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 31.3 miles in near I 270 Spur.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54 miles you will encounter 26 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 31.3 miles (I 270 Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles (Cabin John Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.9 miles (Whitehurst Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
535 ft
Total Descent
661 ft
Highest Point
622 ft
~15.4 mi in
Elevation Range
615 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Frederick, MD and Forest Heights, MD, road signs point toward Northern Virginia, Glen Echo and Jbab.
Northern Virginia
Glen Echo
Jbab
Founded 1745
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
Founded 1949
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 54 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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