Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Frederick, MD to Wheaton, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

53m

Distance

36.1 mi

58 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Wheaton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are traveling from Frederick to Wheaton, you are looking at a straightforward 39.5-mile journey through Maryland. Expect to spend about 49 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, it is an economical route that keeps you moving through the Northeast region. Because the drive is short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own schedule. It is a practical connection that gets you between these two Maryland locations efficiently without the need for complex travel logistics.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eisenhower Memorial Highway 21.6 mi 27m
I 270 5.1 mi 6m
Veirs Mill Road 1.9 mi 4m
Randolph Road 1.7 mi 3m
Buckeystown Pike 1.7 mi 3m
Josiah Henson Parkway 1.3 mi 2m
Montrose Road 1 mi 1m
North East Street 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Eisenhower Memorial Highway — 21.6 mi, about 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Wheaton, 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 right at fork onto I 270

5.1 mi · 6 min · I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 4A Toward Montrose Road East Use the right lane.
12

Turn straight onto Montrose Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Montrose Road
13

Continue on Josiah Henson Parkway

1.3 mi · 2 min · Josiah Henson Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
14

Continue on Randolph Road

1.7 mi · 3 min · Randolph Road
15

Turn right onto MD 586

1.9 mi · 4 min · Veirs Mill Road
Use the right lane.
16

Arrive at destination

MD 586

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Gaithersburg, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gaithersburg, MD

18 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.

Popular next leg

Gaithersburg, MD to Wheaton, MD

11.1 mi · 23m

Pacing Suggestions

Kemp Mill, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Germantown, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.8 — 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.
5
3.2 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 270 / Eisenhower Memorial Highway

Merge onto I 270 / Eisenhower Memorial Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
24.7 mi into trip | ~34m in | I 270

Keep slight right at fork onto I 270

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.8 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward Montrose Road East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 4A Toward Montrose Road East

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.98 one way

$11.97 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.55 $13.11
premium $4.93 $7.00 $14.00
diesel $5.61 $7.97 $15.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 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 10.8 0 $3.79 $1.73
Efficient EV 9 0 $3.16 $1.44
EV Truck/SUV 14.4 0 $5.05 $2.31

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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Frederick, MD

Night in Frederick on Saturday

Local time

10:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Wheaton, MD

Night in Wheaton on Saturday

Local time

10:44 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

7 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

53m 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?

This 49-minute trip is a turn-heavy local drive that avoids highways entirely, maintaining a 0% highway share. You will navigate through town streets like North Market Street, East Church Street, and North East Street rather than cruising along high-speed interstates. Because of the focus on local roads, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience with frequent turns. The route feels grounded and consistent, lacking long, uninterrupted stretches of open road. It is a steady, urban-adjacent commute that requires your full attention on the navigation rather than just setting cruise control.

Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.6 mi on Eisenhower Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 36.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.

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 3.2 miles (I 270 / Eisenhower Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Wheaton, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Montrose Road East along the way.

Montrose Road East

29.8 mi in | ~41m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 36.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.6 miles on Eisenhower Memorial Highway. 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 Wheaton, 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 3.2 miles (I 270 / Eisenhower Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wheaton, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Wheaton, MD

New Mexico, MD 43.3 mi · 1h 14m Annapolis, MD 36.4 mi · 49m Gwynn Oak, MD 34.3 mi · 53m Irvington, MD 32.5 mi · 47m

More from Frederick, MD

Solomons, MD 107.8 mi · 2h 35m Drum Point, MD 107.1 mi · 2h 32m Chesapeake Ranch Estates, MD 106.1 mi · 2h 31m Greensboro, MD 105.9 mi · 2h 22m Frostburg, MD 99.2 mi · 1h 58m Bennsville, MD 76.6 mi · 1h 46m

More trips to Wheaton, MD

Frostburg, MD 133.4 mi La Vale, MD 127.3 mi Hagerstown, MD 59.7 mi New Mexico, MD 43.3 mi Brooklyn, MD 35.8 mi Annapolis, MD 35.7 mi
Escape planner: Frederick, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from Frederick, MD or browse trips ending in Wheaton, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.