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Trip from North Bethesda, MD to Cavetown, 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

1h 11m

Distance

54.9 mi

88 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 6m ★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m

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 North Bethesda, MD, MD

North Bethesda, MD

Kelly

English singer-songwriter

Cavetown, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking to travel from North Bethesda to Cavetown, you are looking at a 54.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 11 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it does not require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $9 for fuel, making it a very cost-effective way to traverse this part of Maryland. Since the route remains entirely within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent cultural and geographic transition as you head toward Cavetown. The journey relies on local surface streets rather than major interstates, providing a straightforward, albeit turn-heavy, connection between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 270 27.4 mi 34m
I 70 18.4 mi 19m
Mapleville Road 5 mi 8m
Josiah Henson Parkway 1 mi 2m
Montrose Road 0.8 mi 1m
Old Georgetown Road 0.3 mi <1m
Towne Road 0.2 mi <1m
Nicholson Lane 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 270 — 27.4 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North Bethesda, MD and Cavetown, MD.

1

Start on Tudor Lane

146 ft · 8 sec · Tudor Lane
2

At end of road, turn left onto Tudor Lane

338 ft · 20 sec · Tudor Lane
3

Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive

347 ft · 20 sec · Commonwealth Drive
4

Turn left onto Nicholson Lane

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Nicholson Lane
5

Turn right onto MD 187

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Old Georgetown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on Towne Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Towne Road
Use the left lane.
7

Turn sharp left onto Josiah Henson Parkway

1.0 mi · 2 min · Josiah Henson Parkway
8

Continue on Montrose Road

0.8 mi · 1 min · Montrose Road
9

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 48 sec
Toward I 270 North: Frederick
10

Merge onto I 270

27 mi · 34 min · I 270
Toward I 270 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 30 sec
Exit 32 Toward I 70: Hagerstown, Baltimore Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 70 West: Hagerstown Use the slight left lane.
13

Merge onto I 70

18 mi · 19 min · I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Exit 35 Toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Turn right onto MD 66

1.4 mi · 2 min · Mapleville Road
16

Enter roundabout onto MD 66

156 ft · 2 sec · Mapleville Road
17

Continue on MD 66

3.6 mi · 6 min · Mapleville Road
18

Turn right onto Cavetown Church Road

17 ft · 0 sec · Cavetown Church Road
19

Arrive at destination

Cavetown Church Road

Where to Stop

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

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Frederick, MD

27 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

Germantown, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Frederick, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from North Bethesda, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 49.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | MD 187 / Old Georgetown Road

Turn right onto MD 187 / Old Georgetown Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3 mi into trip | ~6m in | I 270

Merge onto I 270 toward I 270 North

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 270 North
8
30.4 mi into trip | ~41m in

Take the exit toward I 70: Hagerstown, Baltimore

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 32 Toward I 70: Hagerstown, Baltimore
7
30.8 mi into trip | ~42m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Hagerstown

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 70 West: Hagerstown
8
49.6 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Take the exit toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg

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 35 Toward MD 66: Boonsboro, Smithsburg

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.10 one way

$18.20 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $9.97 $19.94
premium $4.93 $10.65 $21.29
diesel $5.61 $12.12 $24.24

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.5 0 $5.76 $2.64
Efficient EV 13.7 0 $4.80 $2.20
EV Truck/SUV 22 0 $7.69 $3.51

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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

North Bethesda, MD

Morning in North Bethesda on Tuesday

Local time

8:43 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Cavetown, MD

Morning in Cavetown on Tuesday

Local time

8:43 AM

EDT

Current temp

65°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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 11m 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 very hands-on driving experience, as this route is defined by its turn-heavy local nature rather than high-speed interstate cruising. With a highway share of 0%, you will stay off major thoroughfares, navigating instead via roads like Tudor Lane, Commonwealth Drive, and Nicholson Lane. This profile means you will encounter frequent intersections and require more focus than you would on a typical highway haul. Because the route consists entirely of local roads, you will not face any long, monotonous stretches, but you will need to remain alert as the road changes character throughout the 54.9-mile trek. It is a practical, functional way to navigate the region while avoiding the congestion often found on larger highways.

85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.4 mi on I 270.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 270 and I 70. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near MD 187 / Old Georgetown Road.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.3 miles (MD 187 / Old Georgetown Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (I 270): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between North Bethesda, MD and Cavetown, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore and Smithsburg.

Baltimore

30.4 mi in | ~41m

Smithsburg

49.6 mi in | ~1h 2m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 54.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 27.4 miles on I 270. 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 Cavetown, 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 0.3 miles (MD 187 / Old Georgetown Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3 miles (I 270): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Antietam National Battlefield (5 total within detour distance). 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 Cavetown, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Cavetown, MD to North Bethesda, MD

Plan the drive back the other way.

55.2 mi 1h 12m

Continue From Cavetown, MD

Baltimore, MD 73.6 mi · 1h 30m Bethesda, MD 59.3 mi · 1h 18m Redland, MD 50 mi · 1h 5m

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