Origin
Gaithersburg, MD
Morning in Gaithersburg on Saturday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Garrison, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
46.5 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Garrison, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Garrison, MD covers 46.5 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Columbia Pike, Intercounty Connector, Baltimore Beltway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.5 miles on Columbia Pike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.77 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 16.5 mi | 21m |
| Intercounty Connector | 12.8 mi | 16m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 5 mi | 6m |
| I 70 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Reisterstown Road | 2 mi | 4m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Shady Grove Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Frederick Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 16.5 mi, about 21m
Traffic on I-695
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,135 veh/hr typical · worst 6,959
Quietest
2 AM
~392 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 94 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 Gaithersburg, MD and Garrison, MD.
1
Start on this road
85 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto MD 355
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
3
Continue on MD 355
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Frederick Avenue
4
Continue on MD 355
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Frederick Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Turn left onto Shady Grove Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Shady Grove Road
6
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MD 200 Toll East
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Intercounty Connector
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 16A-B
Toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 16B
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
10
Merge onto US 29
17 mi
·
21 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 25A
Toward I 70 East: Baltimore
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 70
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 70
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 91B-A
Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 91B
Toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto I 695
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 20
Toward MD 140: Pikesville, Garrison
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward MD 140 North: Garrison
Use the slight left lane.
18
Turn straight onto MD 140
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Reisterstown Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right onto Kenmar Avenue
170 ft
·
34 sec
·
Kenmar Avenue
20
Turn uturn onto Kenmar Avenue
118 ft
·
5 sec
·
Kenmar Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Kenmar Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.2 miles from Gaithersburg, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 16.4 and 44.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
16.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 16A-B
Toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
8
38.1 mi into trip
|
~52m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 91B-A
Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Tows...
9
38.3 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 91B
Toward I 695 North: New York, Towson
8
44 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward MD 140: Pikesville, Garrison
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 20
Toward MD 140: Pikesville, Garrison
8
44.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 140 North: Garrison
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 140 North: Garrison
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.77 one way
$15.54 round trip
$4.24/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| premium | $5.01 | $9.18 | $18.35 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $10.25 | $20.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.88 | $2.23 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.07 | $1.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.51 | $2.98 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Garrison, MD
Morning in Garrison on Saturday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°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
1 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
1h 6m 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?
46.5 mi in 1h 6m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.5 mi on Columbia Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 around 16.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
501 ft
351 ft
Total Climb
235 ft
Total Descent
292 ft
Highest Point
501 ft
Elevation Range
149 ft
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.
Between Gaithersburg, MD and Garrison, MD, road signs point toward Columbia, Towson, Baltimore and Glen Burnie.
Columbia
16.4 mi in
|
~23m
Towson
38.1 mi in
|
~52m
Baltimore
38.1 mi in
|
~52m
Glen Burnie
38.1 mi in
|
~52m
About the Cities
Starting in Gaithersburg, MD
Full guide →Founded 1802
Gaithersburg is a city of 70,000 people (2020) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Top landmarks
- • Gaithersburg — MARC rail station in Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
Arriving in Garrison, MD
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 46.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m 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 16.5 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 Garrison, 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: at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Garrison, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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