Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
44.5 mi
72 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gwynn Oak, MD
Iqbal farooz
Forest Heights, MD
Rino Adamo
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.
| 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 |
Step-by-step road directions between Gwynn Oak, MD and Forest Heights, MD.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Haddon Avenue
Turn left onto Hillsdale Road
Turn slight right onto West Forest Park Avenue
Continue on Ingleside Avenue
Continue on Bloomsbury Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto MD 166
Continue on MD 166
Turn left onto MD 166
Take the exit
Merge onto MD 295
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on MD 201
Continue on DC 295
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Turn straight onto South Capitol Street Southwest
Continue on South Capitol Street
Continue on MD 210
Turn left onto Livingston Road
Turn right onto Arapahoe Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
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.
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.
Turn right onto Haddon Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto MD 166 toward I 195 East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 295 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
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
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
Regular Gas
$7.87 one way
$15.74 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $8.62 | $17.24 |
| premium | $5.24 | $9.19 | $18.37 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $9.37 | $18.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Gwynn Oak on Wednesday
Local time
3:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Forest Heights on Wednesday
Local time
3:46 PM
EDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
381 ft
Total Descent
652 ft
Highest Point
439 ft
~3.2 mi in
Elevation Range
412 ft
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.
Annapolis
Jbab
Founded 1949
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
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.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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