Origin
Leesburg, VA
Morning in Leesburg on Tuesday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leesburg, VA to Merrifield, VA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
26.3 mi
42 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leesburg, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Merrifield, VA
Zetong Li
Trip Overview
Leesburg, VA to Merrifield, VA is 26.3 miles and takes about 45m via Leesburg Pike, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Virginia, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. Expect a local, turn-heavy experience rather than an interstate cruise. With a short distance and minimal highway use, this is a straightforward trip perfect for a quick transfer or a leisurely local exploration. You won't be spending much on gas, making it an economical option.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Leesburg Pike | 20 mi | 31m |
| Gallows Road | 3.4 mi | 8m |
| East Market Street | 3 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
Leesburg Pike
— 20 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leesburg, VA and Merrifield, VA.
1
Start on VA 7 BUS
240 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Market Street
2
Continue on VA 7 BUS
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
East Market Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on VA 7
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Leesburg Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 7
14 mi
·
23 min
·
Leesburg Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Turn right onto SR 950
3.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Gallows Road
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on SR 650
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Gallows Road
Use the left lane.
7
Arrive at destination
SR 650
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 8.5 and 26.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
VA 7 / Leesburg Pike
Keep slight left at fork onto VA 7 / Leesburg Pike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
23 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
SR 950 / Gallows Road
Turn right onto SR 950 / Gallows Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
26.2 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
SR 650 / Gallows Road
Continue onto SR 650 / Gallows Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.11 one way
$8.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $4.50 | $8.99 |
| premium | $4.70 | $4.87 | $9.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.81 | $11.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.30 | $1.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Merrifield, VA
Morning in Merrifield on Tuesday
Local time
6:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
45m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a turn-heavy local drive, with no highway miles contributing to its 26.3-mile length. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 20 miles on Leesburg Pike. As you navigate, you'll be primarily on local roads, so anticipate frequent turns and traffic signals. The character of the drive will involve a steady progression through developed areas, requiring your attention to navigation and local conditions rather than high-speed cruising.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20 mi on Leesburg Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 8.5 miles in near VA 7 / Leesburg Pike.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Leesburg, VA to Merrifield, VA is easy. At 45m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles (VA 7 / Leesburg Pike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23 miles (SR 950 / Gallows Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles (SR 650 / Gallows Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
484 ft
238 ft
Total Climb
467 ft
Total Descent
445 ft
Highest Point
484 ft
~24.4 mi in
Elevation Range
246 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Leesburg, VA
Full guide →Founded 1758
Leesburg is in Loudoun County, Virginia. During the War of 1812, Leesburg was used as a temporary capital of the United States when the British occupied Washington.
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 45m. Total distance: 26.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20 miles on Leesburg Pike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 8.5 miles (VA 7 / Leesburg Pike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23 miles (SR 950 / Gallows Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 26.2 miles (SR 650 / Gallows Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Harpers Ferry 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 Merrifield, VA 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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