Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
60.7 mi
98 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hagerstown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
South Kensington, MD
RDNE Stock project
Hagerstown, MD to South Kensington, MD is 60.7 miles and takes about 1h 18m via I-270, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, making it a straightforward connection between two points in the Northeast region. The majority of the drive utilizes the Interstate, but a significant portion is on surface roads, so expect a mix of speeds and traffic conditions. With only one recommended day, this is a manageable drive that won't require an overnight stay.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 22.9 mi | 29m |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 21.1 mi | 22m |
| I 270 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Dual Highway | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Capital Beltway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Connecticut Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| I 70 Exit 53 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~6,103 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~397 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Hagerstown, MD and South Kensington, MD.
Start on US 40
Continue on US 40
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 70
Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53
Continue on I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto MD 185
Continue on MD 185
Turn slight left
Turn left onto Franklin Street
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Hagerstown, 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 25.1 and 59.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53 toward I 270 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 185: Chevy Chase, Kensington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 185 North: Connecticut Avenue North, Kensington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$10.73 one way
$21.47 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.92 | $11.76 | $23.52 |
| premium | $5.24 | $12.53 | $25.06 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $12.79 | $25.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.3 | 0 | $8.50 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Evening in Hagerstown on Wednesday
Local time
5:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
Destination
Evening in South Kensington on Wednesday
Local time
5:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
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 route features a 16% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on the Eisenhower Memorial Highway spans 22.9 miles before you transition to surface roads. Expect to notice the density of exits and local traffic as you get closer to South Kensington, a common characteristic of routes connecting urban and suburban areas on surface streets.
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 25.1 miles in near I 70 Exit 53.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.7 miles you will encounter 10 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 25.1 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.4 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
491 ft
Total Descent
611 ft
Highest Point
776 ft
~8.7 mi in
Elevation Range
483 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Hagerstown, MD to South Kensington, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
Founded 1762
Hagerstown, nicknamed The Hub City, is a charming city on the edge of the Appalachian Mountains and near the Potomac River in northwestern Maryland, United States.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 60.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m 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.
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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