Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
47.7 mi
77 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
Mellwood, MD
Jason Morrison
Gwynn Oak to Mellwood is 47.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 9 minutes via I 95 and Pennsylvania Avenue, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, entirely within Maryland, offering a straightforward drive. It's a short enough distance that you can easily complete it within a single day, making it a convenient option for a quick transfer or local exploration. Consider this route if you need to cover ground efficiently between these two points.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 35.5 mi | 44m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Ingleside Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| West Forest Park Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| South Rolling Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Bloomsbury Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Hillsdale Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| MD 166 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 80 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~6,071 veh/hr typical · worst 7,809
Quietest
2 AM
~654 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Gwynn Oak, MD and Mellwood, 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 I 95
Take the exit
Merge onto MD 4
Take the exit
Turn right onto MD 223
Turn left onto Marlboro Pike
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 23.9 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 7.3 and 47.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto MD 166 toward I 195 East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 4 South/East: Pennsylvania Avenue, Upper Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 223: Woodyard Road, Westphalia, Clinton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto Marlboro Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.33 one way
$16.66 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.86 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
| premium | $5.20 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $11.60 | $23.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Gwynn Oak on Wednesday
Local time
3:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Mellwood on Wednesday
Local time
3:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
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 76% of the 47.7 miles on high-speed roads, primarily I 95. You'll experience a longest stretch of 35.5 miles on I 95 before transitioning to surface roads like Pennsylvania Avenue and Ingleside Avenue. Expect a steady pace on the interstate, with more frequent exits and local traffic as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 95 and Pennsylvania Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.3 miles in near MD 166.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.7 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: at 7.3 miles (MD 166): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
374 ft
Total Descent
578 ft
Highest Point
470 ft
~3.4 mi in
Elevation Range
382 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Gwynn Oak, MD to Mellwood, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Upper Marlboro along the way.
Upper Marlboro
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 47.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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