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
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,260 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,751
Quietest
2 AM
~203 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 93 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 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 80Toward MD 32: Sykesville, ClarksvilleUse 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 20Toward MD 108: ClarksvilleUse 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.
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 12
5 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
$6.71 one way
$13.41 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.89
$7.33
$14.66
premium
$5.23
$7.84
$15.68
diesel
$6.18
$9.27
$18.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
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.
Forecast as of Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Frederick, MD
Afternoon
in Frederick on Saturday
Local time
2:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 13 mph74% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued October 16 at 2:14PM EDT until October 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington...
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 12:38PM EDT until October 18 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Destination
Highland, MD
Afternoon
in Highland on Saturday
Local time
2:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 13 mph57% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued October 16 at 2:14PM EDT until October 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington...
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 12:38PM EDT until October 18 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
46°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
2 degrees cooler 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
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?
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 Effort8/10
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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
731 ft282 ft
Total Climb
704 ft
Total Descent
468 ft
Highest Point
731 ft
~19.1 mi in
Elevation Range
450 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 Highland, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Clarksville 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 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.
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 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 — 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 Highland, MD before heading back.
