Origin
Saint Charles, MD
Morning in Saint Charles on Sunday
Local time
11:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Charles, MD to Hillcrest Heights, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
20.8 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
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
Hillcrest Heights, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Charles, MD to Hillcrest Heights, MD covers 20.8 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Branch Avenue, Crain Highway, Iverson Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.5 miles on Branch Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.45 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Branch Avenue | 11.5 mi | 15m |
| Crain Highway | 8.4 mi | 13m |
| Iverson Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Jameson Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 23rd Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 23rd Parkway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Branch Avenue
— 11.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Charles, MD and Hillcrest Heights, MD.
1
Start on US 301
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Crain Highway
2
Continue on US 301
8.0 mi
·
13 min
·
Crain Highway
Use the straight lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5
11 mi
·
15 min
·
Branch Avenue
Toward MD 5 North: Washington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Iverson Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Iverson Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto 23rd Place
357 ft
·
18 sec
·
23rd Place
6
Turn right onto Jameson Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Jameson Street
7
Turn right onto 23rd Parkway
174 ft
·
4 sec
·
23rd Parkway
8
Arrive at destination
23rd Parkway
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 8.4 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
MD 5 / Branch Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 5 / Branch Avenue toward MD 5 North: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 5 North: Washington
4
19.8 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
Iverson Street
Turn left onto Iverson Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
20.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
23rd Place
Turn left onto 23rd Place
Navigation decision point
4
20.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Jameson Street
Turn right onto Jameson Street
Navigation decision point
4
20.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
23rd Parkway
Turn right onto 23rd Parkway
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.45 one way
$6.90 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.03 | $8.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.59 | $9.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Destination
Hillcrest Heights, MD
Morning in Hillcrest Heights on Sunday
Local time
11:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
31m 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?
20.8 mi in 31m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.5 mi on Branch Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 5 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.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 20.8 miles you will encounter 5 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 19.8 miles (Iverson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.5 miles (23rd Place): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 20.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.5 miles on Branch Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 8.4 miles (MD 5 / Branch Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles (Iverson Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.5 miles (23rd Place): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. 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 Hillcrest Heights, 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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