Origin
Frederick, MD
Late night in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, MD to Highland, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Highland, MD
Rámon van Raaij
Trip Overview
This 38.1-mile drive from Frederick, MD to Highland, MD is a straightforward trip, taking about 48 minutes to complete. It's definitely a manageable one-day excursion, perfect for a quick visit or commute. The route primarily utilizes I-70, Sykesville Road, and Clarksville Pike, with a significant 66% of the journey on highways. Budgeting around $6 for fuel makes this an economical option. Given its short duration and northeastern origin and destination within Maryland, this drive offers a convenient way to navigate between these two points without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 25 mi | 26m |
| Sykesville Road | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| Clarksville Pike | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 25 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Highland, 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
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 80
Toward MD 32: Sykesville, Clarksville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
13
Merge onto MD 32
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Sykesville Road
14
Continue on MD 32
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Patuxent Freeway
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 20
Toward MD 108: Clarksville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto MD 108
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Clarksville Pike
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto MD 216
70 ft
·
1 sec
·
Scaggsville Road
18
Arrive at destination
MD 216
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 36 — 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.
8
26.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward MD 32: Sykesville, Clarksville
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 80
Toward MD 32: Sykesville, Clarksville
7
35.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward MD 108: Clarksville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 20
Toward MD 108: Clarksville
6
36 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
MD 108 / Clarksville Pike
Turn right onto MD 108 / Clarksville Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.32 one way
$12.63 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.92 | $13.84 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.39 | $14.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.41 | $16.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Highland, MD
Late night in Highland on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Mount Airy, MD
19 mi in
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
9 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
48m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for much of this trip, with 66% of the 38.1 miles spent on faster roads. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 25 miles on I-70, which means extended periods of consistent driving. As you transition from the interstate, roads like Sykesville Road and Clarksville Pike will likely offer a change of pace, though the overall profile remains heavily influenced by highway travel. This drive is less about winding country lanes and more about efficient transit between your starting and ending points in Maryland.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Sykesville Road. 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 Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 38.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
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 26.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Highland, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Clarksville along the way.
Clarksville
26.8 mi in
|
~31m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Highland, 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 26.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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