Origin
McLean, VA
Late night in McLean on Sunday
Local time
3:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McLean, VA to Merrifield, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
7.7 mi
12 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McLean, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Merrifield, VA
Zetong Li
Trip Overview
McLean, VA to Merrifield, VA is 7.7 miles and takes about 14m via Capital Beltway and Dolley Madison Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Virginia's Southeast region, offering a straightforward local connection. It's a quick trip best suited for getting from one point to another without much fuss. Given its brevity, you won't need extensive planning, making it ideal for spontaneous travel or as part of a larger itinerary in the area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Dolley Madison Boulevard | 2 mi | 4m |
| Gallows Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Old Dominion Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Elm Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Beverly Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 3.4 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McLean, VA and Merrifield, VA.
1
Start on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Elm Street
2
Turn left onto Beverly Road
365 ft
·
15 sec
·
Beverly Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto VA 309
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Old Dominion Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto VA 123
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Dolley Madison Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 495 South
6
Merge onto I 495
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 50A; 50B
Toward US 50: Fairfax, Arlington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 50A
Toward US 50 West: Fairfax
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Toward SR 650: Gallows Road, Merrifield
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
382 ft
·
14 sec
Toward SR 650 North: Gallows Road, Merrifield
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto SR 650
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Gallows Road
12
Arrive at destination
SR 650
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 7.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Beverly Road
Turn left onto Beverly Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
6.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward US 50: Fairfax, Arlington
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 50A; 50B
Toward US 50: Fairfax, Arlington
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 West: Fairfax
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50A
Toward US 50 West: Fairfax
8
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 650: Gallows Road, Merrifield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward SR 650: Gallows Road, Merrifield
9
7.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 650 North: Gallows Road, Merrifield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward SR 650 North: Gallows Road, Merrifield
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.20 one way
$2.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $1.32 | $2.63 |
| premium | $4.70 | $1.43 | $2.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.70 | $3.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.81 | $0.37 |
| Efficient EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.67 | $0.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.08 | $0.49 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Late night in Merrifield on Sunday
Local time
3:44 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°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
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
14m 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 route involves a lot of turns, with 0% highway driving. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 3.4 miles on the Capital Beltway. Expect frequent changes in direction as you navigate local roads like Dolley Madison Boulevard and Gallows Road. Keep an eye out for dense intersections as you transition from highway to surface streets.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.4 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near Beverly Road.
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 9 decision points packed into just 7.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from McLean, VA to Merrifield, VA, road signs begin pointing toward Arlington along the way.
Arlington
6.3 mi in
|
~10m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 7.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.4 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Merrifield, VA 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 0.1 miles (Beverly Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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