Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
64.3 mi
103 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Herald Harbor, MD
_ Whittington
Frederick, MD to Herald Harbor, MD is 64.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 22 minutes 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, taking you from the western part of the state towards the Chesapeake Bay. Given its relatively short duration and mostly highway profile, it's an efficient trip for a single day. You'll be on major interstates for most of the drive, making it a straightforward transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 36.6 mi | 39m |
| I 97 | 11.4 mi | 13m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| Herald Harbor Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Kyle Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Generals Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~4,373 veh/hr typical · worst 6,350
Quietest
2 AM
~400 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Herald Harbor, 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 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 695
Take the exit
Continue on I 97
Keep slight left at fork onto I 97
Take the exit
Continue on MD 178
Turn left onto Herald Harbor Road
At end of road, turn left onto Herald Harbor Road
Continue on Hall Road
Turn sharp left onto Buttonwood Trail
Continue on Kyle Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Kyle Road
Turn left onto Hazel Trail
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.1 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.
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.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70 toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
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
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
Take the exit toward MD 178: Crownsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$10.74 one way
$21.49 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $11.82 | $23.65 |
| premium | $5.01 | $12.69 | $25.38 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $14.17 | $28.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.75 | $3.09 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.7 | 0 | $9.00 | $4.12 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (64% 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
Night in Frederick on Tuesday
Local time
9:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Herald Harbor on Tuesday
Local time
9:29 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
64°F
Columbia, MD
32 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.
This is a predominantly highway drive, with 75% of the 64.3 miles covered on interstates. You'll experience a long stretch of 36.6 miles on I-70 before transitioning to I-97 and the Baltimore Beltway. Expect a highway cruising experience with frequent exits as you approach the Baltimore area and then head south. The majority of your time will be spent on well-maintained, multi-lane roads.
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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.3 miles you will encounter 18 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
509 ft
Total Descent
739 ft
Highest Point
706 ft
~13.8 mi in
Elevation Range
695 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Frederick, MD and Herald Harbor, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, Towson and Glen Burnie.
Baltimore
Towson
Glen Burnie
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 64.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, 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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