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Trip from Lochearn, MD to Frederick, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

42.9 mi

69 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Lochearn, MD, MD

Lochearn, MD

Jonathan Borba

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Traveling from Lochearn to Frederick covers 42.9 miles of Maryland landscape, typically taking about 51 minutes behind the wheel. Because this journey is short and direct, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. You will mainly utilize I-70, the Baltimore Beltway, and Liberty Road to navigate between the two points. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel makes this an economical commute or day trip. While both locations are situated within the Northeast region, the route offers a straightforward transition between the two Maryland hubs. It is a highly practical drive if you value efficiency and a quick change of scenery.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 36.7 mi 39m
Baltimore Beltway 2.6 mi 3m
Liberty Road 1.4 mi 3m
East Street 0.5 mi <1m
South Carroll Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Patrick Street 0.2 mi <1m
East South Street 0.1 mi <1m
Buckeystown Pike <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 36.7 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lochearn, MD and Frederick, MD.

1

Start on MD 26

1.4 mi · 3 min · Liberty Road
2

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Merge onto I 695

2.6 mi · 3 min · Baltimore Beltway
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 16A; 16B Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 70

14 mi · 15 min · I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 70; US 40

12 mi · 12 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 70; US 40

11 mi · 11 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork

419 ft · 10 sec
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto MD 85

426 ft · 9 sec · Buckeystown Pike
12

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Street
13

Enter roundabout onto East Street

119 ft · 2 sec · East Street
14

Continue on East Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · East Street
15

Turn left onto MD 144

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East South Street
16

Turn right onto South Carroll Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · South Carroll Street
17

Turn left onto MD 144

0.2 mi · 25 sec · East Patrick Street
18

Arrive at destination

MD 144

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Carroll and Frederick Counties, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mount Airy, MD

21 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Ballenger Creek, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 42.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mount Airy, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Lochearn, 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 1.4 and 41.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie
8
4.2 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 16A; 16B Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Fre...
8
4.4 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
41.6 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick

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 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
9
41.8 mi into trip | ~48m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.11 one way

$14.22 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $7.79 $15.58
premium $4.93 $8.32 $16.64
diesel $5.61 $9.47 $18.94

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.9 0 $4.50 $2.06
Efficient EV 10.7 0 $3.75 $1.72
EV Truck/SUV 17.2 0 $6.01 $2.75

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Lochearn, MD

Morning in Lochearn on Tuesday

Local time

6:24 AM

EDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frederick, MD

Morning in Frederick on Tuesday

Local time

6:24 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

63°F

Mount Airy, MD

21 mi in

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

15 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

51m 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?

Expect a highway-focused experience, as 86% of your time will be spent cruising on major roads. The drive is defined by a significant 36.7-mile stretch along I-70, which provides the bulk of the mileage and momentum for your trip. You won't find yourself navigating many technical local roads, as the route prioritizes speed and direct connectivity. This creates a consistent, predictable flow that allows you to settle into a rhythm once you merge onto the interstate. The transition from the Baltimore area toward Frederick feels like a standard, functional interstate passage rather than a winding backroads exploration.

86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Baltimore Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 42.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Frederick, MD

Full guide →

Frederick is a charming city of approximately 80,000 people (2020) in Maryland. It is a major antique center with many shops, eateries, galleries and antique dealers.

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 51m. Total distance: 42.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Frederick, 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: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Frederick, MD 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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