Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
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
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.
| 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 |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,269 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~204 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Highland, 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
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto MD 32
Continue on MD 32
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 108
Turn left onto MD 216
Arrive at destination
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.
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
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.
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.
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto North East Street
Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward MD 108: Clarksville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto MD 108 / Clarksville Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.74 one way
$13.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $7.38 | $14.76 |
| premium | $5.24 | $7.87 | $15.73 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $8.03 | $16.05 |
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, 2026-06-01.
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Frederick on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in Highland on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
60°F
Mount Airy, MD
19 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.
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.
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.
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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
704 ft
Total Descent
468 ft
Highest Point
731 ft
~19.1 mi in
Elevation Range
450 ft
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
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 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.
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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