Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
22.5 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pike Creek, DE
Petr Ganaj
Middletown, DE
Wikimedia Commons
Pike Creek, DE to Middletown, DE is 22.5 miles and takes about 37 minutes via Summit Bridge Road, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Delaware's Northeast region, making it a straightforward connection. Given the brief travel time and minimal highway use, this trip is ideal for a quick errand or a simple scenic drive. You'll primarily navigate through familiar local roads, so no extensive preparation is needed for this easy-to-manage drive.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Summit Bridge Road | 10.9 mi | 15m |
| South College Avenue | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Capitol Trail | 2 mi | 4m |
| South Chapel Street | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Polly Drummond Hill Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Library Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Broad Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Old Baltimore Pike | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Pike Creek, DE and Middletown, DE.
Start on Upper Pike Creek Road
Turn right onto New Linden Hill Road
At end of road, turn left onto Polly Drummond Hill Road
Turn right onto DE 2
Continue on DE 72
Continue on DE 72
Continue on DE 72
Turn right onto Old Baltimore Pike
Turn left onto DE 896
Continue on DE 896
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 71
Turn left onto DE 299
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 21.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto New Linden Hill Road
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto Polly Drummond Hill Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto DE 2 / Capitol Trail
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto DE 896 / South College Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto DE 71 / North Broad Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$3.76 one way
$7.52 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $4.14 | $8.28 |
| premium | $5.01 | $4.44 | $8.88 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.96 | $9.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.36 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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 Pike Creek on Wednesday
Local time
2:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
84°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Middletown on Wednesday
Local time
2:38 AM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Isolated Rain Showers
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.
This drive is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any highway cruising. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 10.9 miles on Summit Bridge Road. Expect a consistent pace with frequent intersections and local traffic, typical of surface road driving. You'll notice the change from faster arterial roads like South College Avenue to the more local feel as you progress.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near New Linden Hill Road.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.5 miles you will encounter 6 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 0.7 miles (New Linden Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (Polly Drummond Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (DE 2 / Capitol Trail): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
69 ft
Total Descent
128 ft
Highest Point
125 ft
Elevation Range
73 ft
“Diamond Town of the Diamond State” · Founded 1861
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 22.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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