Gwynn Oak to Forest Heights is 44.5 miles and takes about 1h 14m via Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Anacostia Freeway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland and the Northeast region, primarily utilizing major parkways and freeways. It's a straightforward drive that's well-suited for a single day, making it a convenient option if you need to get between these two points efficiently. The route offers a familiar driving experience for those accustomed to navigating the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
23.2 mi
32m
Anacostia Freeway
4 mi
6m
MD 166
3.3 mi
3m
Ingleside Avenue
2.8 mi
5m
Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
2.2 mi
3m
West Forest Park Avenue
1.4 mi
3m
South Rolling Road
1.2 mi
2m
South Capitol Street
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
— 23.2 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gwynn Oak, MD and Forest Heights, 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
2.8 mi·5 min·Ingleside Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Continue on Bloomsbury Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·Bloomsbury Avenue
7
At end of road, turn left onto MD 166
0.9 mi·2 min·South Rolling Road
8
Continue on MD 166
0.3 mi·39 sec·South Rolling Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto MD 166
3.3 mi·3 min·MD 166
Toward I 195 EastUse the left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 2BToward MD 295 South: WashingtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto MD 295
23 mi·32 min·Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·35 sec
Toward US 50 East: Richmond, AnnapolisUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on MD 201
2.2 mi·3 min·Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on DC 295
4.0 mi·6 min·Anacostia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 2BToward South Capitol Street, JBABUse the slight right lane.
16
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·21 sec·this road
Exit 2
17
Turn straight onto South Capitol Street Southwest
1.0 mi·1 min·South Capitol Street Southwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on South Capitol Street
1.0 mi·2 min·South Capitol Street
19
Continue on MD 210
0.4 mi·1 min·Indian Head Highway
20
Turn left onto Livingston Road
164 ft·9 sec·Livingston Road
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto Arapahoe Drive
0.4 mi·1 min·Arapahoe Drive
22
Arrive at destination
Arapahoe Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 22.3 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.2 — 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
6
7.3 mi into trip|~17m in|MD 166
Turn left onto MD 166 toward I 195 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 195 East
7
10.6 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the exit toward MD 295 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2B
Toward MD 295 South: Washington
8
34.5 mi into trip|~55m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East: Richmond, Annapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 50 East: Richmond, Annapolis
8
41.2 mi into trip|~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward South Capitol Street, JBAB
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 2B
Toward South Capitol Street, JBAB
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.10 one way
$14.19 round trip
$4.05/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$7.85
$15.70
premium
$4.81
$8.42
$16.85
diesel
$4.80
$8.40
$16.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13.4
0
$4.67
$2.14
Efficient EV
11.1
0
$3.89
$1.78
EV Truck/SUV
17.8
0
$6.23
$2.85
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.
Forecast as of Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Gwynn Oak, MD
Late night
in Gwynn Oak on Sunday
Local time
2:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
100°F
Sunny
W 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Destination
Forest Heights, MD
Late night
in Forest Heights on Sunday
Local time
2:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
102°F
Sunny
W 3 to 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:51AM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
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
2 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
1h 14m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 74% of the 44.5 miles on freeways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 23.2 miles on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, indicating significant time on this major artery. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and numerous exits as you transition from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to the Anacostia Freeway. The final portion of your drive will shift to MD 166, offering a change from the high-speed parkway environment.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.2 mi on Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Anacostia Freeway. 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 Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Haddon Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 7.3 miles (MD 166): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
439 ft26 ft
Total Climb
381 ft
Total Descent
652 ft
Highest Point
439 ft
~3.2 mi in
Elevation Range
412 ft
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 Forest Heights, MD, road signs point toward Annapolis and Jbab.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 44.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.2 miles on Baltimore-Washington Parkway. 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 Forest Heights, 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 7.3 miles (MD 166): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Forest Heights, MD before heading back.
