Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Parole, MD to Frederick, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 22m

Distance

68.3 mi

110 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 16m ★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Parole, MD, MD

Parole, MD

Mikhail Nilov

city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Frederick, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 68.3-mile drive from Parole, MD, to Frederick, MD, is a manageable 1 hour and 22 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily navigate on I-70, I-97, and the Baltimore Beltway, with the highway accounting for 79% of the journey. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $11, which is quite economical for the distance covered. This highway-focused trip is straightforward and efficient, perfect for getting from point A to point B without much fuss. Since it’s a short drive within the Northeast region, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or significant time zone changes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 36.7 mi 39m
I 97 17.4 mi 20m
Baltimore Beltway 8.9 mi 12m
West Street 0.9 mi 1m
East Street 0.5 mi <1m
South Carroll Street 0.2 mi <1m
John Hanson Highway 0.2 mi <1m
East Patrick Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 36.7 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Hicks Avenue

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Hicks Avenue
2

At end of road, turn left onto MD 450

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward US 50 West, US 301 South: Washington Use the straight / left lanes.
4

Merge onto US 50; US 301

0.2 mi · 15 sec · John Hanson Highway
5

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 21 Toward I 97 North: Baltimore Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 51 sec
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
7

Continue on I 97

6.0 mi · 6 min · I 97
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 97

10 mi · 11 min · I 97
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit onto I 97

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 97
Exit 17A Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto I 695

8.9 mi · 12 min · Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight lane.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 16A-B Toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick Use the slight left lane.
13

Merge onto I 70

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

Continue on I 70; US 40

12 mi · 12 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on I 70; US 40

11 mi · 11 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 54 Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick Use the slight right lane.
17

Keep slight right at fork

419 ft · 10 sec
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn straight onto MD 85

426 ft · 9 sec · Buckeystown Pike
19

Continue on East Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · East Street
20

Enter roundabout onto East Street

119 ft · 2 sec · East Street
21

Continue on East Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · East Street
22

Turn left onto MD 144

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East South Street
23

Turn right onto South Carroll Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · South Carroll Street
24

Turn left onto MD 144

0.2 mi · 25 sec · East Patrick Street
25

Arrive at destination

MD 144

Where to Stop

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

unincorporated community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Ellicott City, MD

34 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

Glen Burnie, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Ellicott City, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Parole, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 67.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward US 50 West, US 301 South: Washington

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / left lanes. Toward US 50 West, US 301 South: Washington
8
19.4 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 97

Take the exit onto I 97 toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson

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 17A Toward I 695 West: Baltimore, Towson
8
29.3 mi into trip | ~37m in

Take the exit toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic

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 16A-B Toward I 70: Frederick, Local Traffic
8
29.5 mi into trip | ~37m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 16A Toward I 70 West: Frederick
9
67.2 mi into trip | ~1h 19m 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

$11.32 one way

$22.65 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $12.40 $24.80
premium $4.93 $13.25 $26.49
diesel $5.61 $15.08 $30.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.5 0 $7.17 $3.28
Efficient EV 17.1 0 $5.98 $2.73
EV Truck/SUV 27.3 0 $9.56 $4.37

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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 17, 2026

Origin

Parole, MD

Late night in Parole on Sunday

Local time

1:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Frederick, MD

Late night in Frederick on Sunday

Local time

1:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Scattered Rain Showers

W 5 to 9 mph 33% chance 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

9 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 22m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a drive that is predominantly highway-focused, as indicated by the 79% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 36.7 miles on I-70, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your trip. While the route is designed for efficiency, the combination of I-70, I-97, and the Baltimore Beltway means you'll experience varying traffic patterns, especially around urban areas. This drive is less about winding country roads and more about covering ground effectively on well-maintained interstates.

79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 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?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and I 97. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.4 miles (I 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.3 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 Parole, MD and Frederick, MD, road signs point toward Towson and Local Traffic.

Towson

19.4 mi in | ~23m | via I 97

Local Traffic

29.3 mi in | ~37m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 68.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (79%). 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 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.4 miles (I 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Frederick, MD

Solomons, MD 107.8 mi · 2h 35m Drum Point, MD 107.1 mi · 2h 32m Chesapeake Ranch Estates, MD 106.1 mi · 2h 31m Greensboro, MD 105.9 mi · 2h 22m

More from Parole, MD

Gaithersburg, MD 47.5 mi · 1h 3m Redland, MD 43.8 mi · 1h 4m Catonsville, MD 27.6 mi · 36m Bowie, MD 13.1 mi · 19m

More trips to Frederick, MD

Ocean City, MD 169.2 mi Snow Hill, MD 168.3 mi Delmar, MD 144 mi Cambridge, MD 123.4 mi California, MD 109.3 mi Elkton, MD 103.2 mi
Escape planner: Parole, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from Parole, MD or browse trips ending in Frederick, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.