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Trip from Gwynn Oak, MD to Chevy Chase Section 4, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

58m

Distance

37.2 mi

60 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 54m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 56m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Gwynn Oak, MD, MD

Gwynn Oak, MD

Iqbal farooz

Downtown Chevy Chase Section 4, MD, MD

Chevy Chase Section 4, MD

Connor Scott McManus

Trip Overview

Gwynn Oak to Chevy Chase Section 4 is 37.2 miles and takes about 58 minutes via Columbia Pike and Capital Beltway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region towards the Northeast region. It's a relatively short trip, mostly on surface roads, making it a straightforward option for a quick commute or a short day trip. The route is efficient for getting between these two points without significant detours.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Columbia Pike 21.2 mi 28m
I 70 Extension 5.4 mi 6m
Capital Beltway 3 mi 4m
Connecticut Avenue 1.7 mi 3m
West Forest Park Avenue 1.4 mi 3m
Colesville Road 1 mi 2m
Hillsdale Road 0.9 mi 2m
Thornapple Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Columbia Pike — 21.2 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gwynn Oak, MD and Chevy Chase Section 4, MD.

1

Start on this road

60 ft · 6 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Haddon Avenue

178 ft · 11 sec · Haddon Avenue
3

Turn left onto Hillsdale Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · Hillsdale Road
4

Turn slight right onto West Forest Park Avenue

1.4 mi · 3 min · West Forest Park Avenue
5

Continue on Ingleside Avenue

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Ingleside Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward I 70 West
7

Merge onto I 70 Extension

5.4 mi · 6 min · I 70 Extension
8

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 87A Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto US 29

21 mi · 28 min · Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on US 29

1.0 mi · 2 min · Colesville Road
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia Use the slight right lane.
12

Merge onto I 495

3.0 mi · 4 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Exit 33 Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork

246 ft · 8 sec
Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto MD 185

1.7 mi · 3 min · Connecticut Avenue
Use the right lane.
16

Turn right onto Thornapple Street

0.2 mi · 58 sec · Thornapple Street
17

Turn left onto Meadow Lane

439 ft · 20 sec · Meadow Lane
18

Turn right onto Sycamore Street

301 ft · 18 sec · Sycamore Street
19

Turn left onto Hillcrest Place

105 ft · 4 sec · Hillcrest Place
20

Arrive at destination

Hillcrest Place

Where to Stop

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

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Laurel, MD

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

Bethesda, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laurel, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.6 miles from Gwynn Oak, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 35.1 — 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 | Haddon Avenue

Turn right onto Haddon Avenue

Navigation decision point

8
8.3 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left lane. Exit 87A Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellic...
7
31.3 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
8
34.6 mi into trip | ~52m in

Take the exit toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase

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 33 Toward MD 185: Kensington, Chevy Chase
8
35.1 mi into trip | ~52m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South, Chevy Chase

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward MD 185 South: Connecticut Avenue South,...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.17 one way

$12.33 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.75 $13.51
premium $4.93 $7.21 $14.43
diesel $5.61 $8.21 $16.43

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 13 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 11.2 0 $3.91 $1.79
Efficient EV 9.3 0 $3.26 $1.49
EV Truck/SUV 14.9 0 $5.21 $2.38

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 20, 2026

Origin

Gwynn Oak, MD

Late night in Gwynn Oak on Tuesday

Local time

5:42 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chevy Chase Section 4, MD

Late night in Chevy Chase Section 4 on Tuesday

Local time

5:42 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°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

5 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

58m 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 drive is predominantly on surface roads, with highways making up only 14% of the total distance. You'll experience a longest stretch of 21.2 miles on Columbia Pike, which will likely involve navigating through local traffic and intersections. The transition to I 70 Extension and then the Capital Beltway will offer a period of faster, more continuous travel before returning to surface roads closer to your destination. Expect a mix of suburban cruising and urban merging.

Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on Columbia Pike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

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 Haddon Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 37.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Haddon Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.3 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.

Between Gwynn Oak, MD and Chevy Chase Section 4, MD, road signs point toward Washington, Ellicott City, Northern Virginia and Chevy Chase.

Washington

8.3 mi in | ~14m

Ellicott City

8.3 mi in | ~14m

Northern Virginia

31.3 mi in | ~47m

Chevy Chase

34.6 mi in | ~52m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 37.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.2 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 Chevy Chase Section 4, 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 (Haddon Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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 Chevy Chase Section 4, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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