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Trip from Gwynn Oak, MD to Elkton, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 27m

Distance

57.2 mi

92 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 21m ★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m

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

Best Time
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Download GPX
Downtown Gwynn Oak, MD, MD

Gwynn Oak, MD

Iqbal farooz

Downtown Elkton, MD, MD

Elkton, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Gwynn Oak, MD to Elkton, MD covers 57.2 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Express Toll Lanes, Pulaski Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.7 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.56 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 30.7 mi 35m
Express Toll Lanes 8.4 mi 9m
Pulaski Highway 5.9 mi 9m
West North Avenue 3.1 mi 8m
Liberty Heights Avenue 2.2 mi 5m
Sinclair Lane 1.8 mi 4m
North East Road 1.5 mi 2m
Moravia Road 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway — 30.7 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gwynn Oak, MD and Elkton, MD.

1

Start on this road

60 ft · 9 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Haddon Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Haddon Avenue
3

At end of road, turn right onto Eldorado Avenue

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Eldorado Avenue
4

Turn left onto MD 26

2.2 mi · 5 min · Liberty Heights Avenue
Use the straight lane.
5

Turn slight right

432 ft · 16 sec
Use the slight right lane.
6

Continue on MD 140

0.4 mi · 1 min · Reisterstown Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7

Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · Pennsylvania Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8

Turn left onto US 1; US 40 Truck

3.1 mi · 8 min · West North Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9

Turn left onto US 1; US 40 Truck

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Belair Road
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto Sinclair Lane

1.8 mi · 4 min · Sinclair Lane
11

Turn right onto Bowleys Lane

0.4 mi · 1 min · Bowleys Lane
12

Continue on Moravia Park Drive

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Moravia Park Drive
13

Turn right onto Moravia Road

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Moravia Road
14

Continue on Moravia Road

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Moravia Road
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 95 Toll North Use the left lane.
16

Merge onto Express Toll Lanes

8.4 mi · 9 min · Express Toll Lanes
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork

297 ft · 3 sec
18

Merge onto I 95

31 mi · 35 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 30 sec
Exit 100 Toward MD 272: North East, Rising Sun Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward MD 272 South: North East Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
21

Turn straight onto MD 272

1.5 mi · 2 min · North East Road
Use the left lane.
22

Turn left onto US 40

5.9 mi · 9 min · Pulaski Highway
Use the left lane.
23

Turn left onto Landing Lane

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Landing Lane
Use the left lane.
24

Turn right onto West Main Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
25

Turn left onto MD 213

102 ft · 3 sec · North Bridge Street
26

Arrive at destination

MD 213

Where to Stop

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

Downtown White Marsh, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

White Marsh, MD

29 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

Overlea, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Riverside, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.6 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 22

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Eldorado Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto Eldorado Avenue

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | MD 26 / Liberty Heights Avenue

Turn left onto MD 26 / Liberty Heights Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
8
9.4 mi into trip | ~26m in

Turn left toward I 95 Toll North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 95 Toll North
8
48.8 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in

Take the exit toward MD 272: North East, Rising Sun

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 100 Toward MD 272: North East, Rising Sun
8
49 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 272 South: North East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward MD 272 South: North East

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.56 one way

$19.11 round trip

$4.24/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.67 $10.52 $21.04
premium $5.01 $11.29 $22.57
diesel $5.60 $12.61 $25.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 20 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.2 0 $6.01 $2.75
Efficient EV 14.3 0 $5.01 $2.29
EV Truck/SUV 22.9 0 $8.01 $3.66

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 Sep 3, 2026

Origin

Gwynn Oak, MD

Late night in Gwynn Oak on Saturday

Local time

2:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

72°F

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms

S 5 mph 37% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 1:26AM EDT until September 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 12:38AM EDT until September 3 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Destination

Elkton, MD

Late night in Elkton on Saturday

Local time

2:39 AM

EDT

Current temp

71°F

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms

S 5 mph 43% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 1:26AM EDT until September 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 12:38AM EDT until September 3 at 7:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

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 27m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

57.2 mi in 1h 27m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.7 mi on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.

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 around 0.1 miles in near Eldorado Avenue.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.2 miles you will encounter 22 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 0.1 miles (Eldorado Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (MD 26 / Liberty Heights Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

427 ft 25 ft

Total Climb

469 ft

Total Descent

871 ft

Highest Point

427 ft

Elevation Range

402 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 Gwynn Oak, MD to Elkton, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Rising Sun along the way.

Rising Sun

48.8 mi in | ~1h 12m

About the Cities

Starting in Gwynn Oak, MD

Full guide →

Arriving in Elkton, MD

Full guide →

Founded 1787

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 27m. Total distance: 57.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 27m 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 30.7 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas 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 Elkton, 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 0.1 miles (Eldorado Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (MD 26 / Liberty Heights Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elkton, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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