Frederick, MD to Forestville, MD is 59.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via Capital Beltway and I-270, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a drive that's mostly on major highways, offering a straightforward path between these two locations. It's a relatively short distance, making it a practical option for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Capital Beltway
24.4 mi
32m
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
21.6 mi
27m
I 270
9.4 mi
12m
Buckeystown Pike
1.7 mi
3m
North East Street
0.6 mi
1m
East Church Street
0.3 mi
<1m
East Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Forestville Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 24.4 mi, about 32m
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 Forestville, 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
24 mi·32 min·Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Exit 11BToward MD 4 North/West: Pennsylvania Avenue, WashingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto MD 4
524 ft·8 sec·Pennsylvania Avenue
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward Marlboro Pike
16
Turn straight onto Forestville Road
0.2 mi·26 sec·Forestville Road
17
Turn left onto Marlboro Pike
353 ft·12 sec·Marlboro Pike
18
Turn left onto Pumphrey Drive
74 ft·9 sec·Pumphrey Drive
19
Turn left
40 ft·3 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 29.7 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 and 58.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Market Street
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
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
8
58.5 mi into trip|~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward MD 4 North/West: Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11B
Toward MD 4 North/West: Pennsylvania Avenue, Wa...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.63 one way
$19.26 round trip
$4.12/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.73
$11.06
$22.12
premium
$5.03
$11.76
$23.52
diesel
$6.36
$14.88
$29.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
17.8
0
$6.24
$2.85
Efficient EV
14.9
0
$5.20
$2.38
EV Truck/SUV
23.8
0
$8.32
$3.80
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Forecast as of Oct 11, 2026
Origin
Frederick, MD
Evening
in Frederick on Tuesday
Local time
7:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 9 mph87% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 11 at 1:38PM EDT until October 11 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
Destination
Forestville, MD
Evening
in Forestville on Tuesday
Local time
7:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
E 12 mph62% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 11 at 1:38PM EDT until October 11 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Wakefield VA
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
2 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 21m 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 route is primarily surface roads, with highways making up about 16% of the total mileage. You'll encounter your longest stretch of highway driving on the Capital Beltway, covering 24.4 miles. Expect to transition from highway cruising to navigating more local streets as you approach your destination. The density of exits and traffic lights will likely increase as you get closer to Forestville.
Only 16% 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: 24.4 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 early in the drive near North Market Street.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.4 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: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
510 ft113 ft
Total Climb
636 ft
Total Descent
639 ft
Highest Point
510 ft
~17 mi in
Elevation Range
398 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 Forestville, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
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 21m. Total distance: 59.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m 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 24.4 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Forestville, 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: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
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 Forestville, MD before heading back.
