Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
44.8 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.
Saint Charles, MD
RDNE Stock project
Cloverly, MD
Jonathan Borba
Saint Charles, MD to Cloverly, MD is 44.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via Capital Beltway and Branch Avenue, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a trip primarily on surface roads, offering a straightforward connection between these two points. It's a manageable route suitable for a quick trip, whether for commuting or a short excursion.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 20 mi | 26m |
| Branch Avenue | 9 mi | 11m |
| Crain Highway | 8.4 mi | 13m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 6.6 mi | 11m |
| Briggs Chaney Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~6,351 veh/hr typical · worst 7,391
Quietest
2 AM
~640 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MD and Cloverly, MD.
Start on US 301
Continue on US 301
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95; I 495
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto MD 650
Turn right onto Briggs Chaney Road
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 22.4 miles from Saint Charles, 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 8.4 and 37.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 650 North: New Hampshire Avenue, White Oak
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.97 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $8.24 | $16.48 |
| premium | $5.01 | $8.84 | $17.68 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.88 | $19.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 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 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
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
Morning in Saint Charles on Friday
Local time
11:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Cloverly on Friday
Local time
11:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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, with 0% highway share. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 20 miles on the Capital Beltway. After that, you'll transition to surface streets like Branch Avenue and Crain Highway. Be prepared for frequent intersections and traffic signals as you navigate these local roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 8.4 miles in near MD 5 / Branch Avenue.
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 44.8 miles you will encounter 7 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 8.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.7 miles (I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
520 ft
Total Descent
208 ft
Highest Point
525 ft
~44.8 mi in
Elevation Range
414 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Saint Charles, MD and Cloverly, MD, road signs point toward College Park, Silver Spring and White Oak.
College Park
Silver Spring
White Oak
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 44.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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.
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