Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
44.7 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Bethesda, MD
Kelly
Deale, MD
Jonathan Borba
The drive from North Bethesda, MD to Deale, MD covers 44.7 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Southern Maryland Boulevard, Ritchie Marlboro Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.7 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 21.7 mi | 28m |
| Southern Maryland Boulevard | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| Ritchie Marlboro Road | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| Stephanie Roper Highway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Rockhold Creek Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Nicholson Lane | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~6,323 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~550 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 33 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between North Bethesda, MD and Deale, MD.
Start on Tudor Lane
At end of road, turn left onto Tudor Lane
Turn left onto Commonwealth Drive
Turn right onto Nicholson Lane
Turn right onto MD 355
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto MD 4
Continue on MD 4
Take the exit
Continue on MD 258
Turn right onto Rockhold Creek Road
Turn left onto MD 256
Turn right onto Drum Point Road
At end of road, turn left onto Owings Beach Road
Turn right onto Trapper Way
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 22.3 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 36.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto MD 355 / Rockville Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore, Silver Spring
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 221A: Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro
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 East Upper Marlboro, Ritchie - Marlboro Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 258 East: Bristol, Deale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.47 one way
$14.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $8.22 | $16.44 |
| premium | $5.01 | $8.82 | $17.64 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.85 | $19.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Late night in North Bethesda on Tuesday
Local time
3:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Deale on Tuesday
Local time
3:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Clear
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.
44.7 mi in 1h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
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 0.5 miles in near MD 355 / Rockville Pike.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.7 miles you will encounter 18 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 0.5 miles (MD 355 / Rockville Pike): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
239 ft
Total Descent
456 ft
Highest Point
340 ft
~6.4 mi in
Elevation Range
329 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between North Bethesda, MD and Deale, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring and Upper Marlboro.
Silver Spring
Upper Marlboro
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 44.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from North Bethesda, MD or browse trips ending in Deale, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.
