Origin
South Gate, MD
Morning in South Gate on Tuesday
Local time
8:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Gate, MD to Wheaton, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
34 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Gate, MD
Robert So
Wheaton, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
South Gate, MD to Wheaton, MD is 34 miles and takes about 52 minutes via I 95, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, and Intercounty Connector, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip entirely within Maryland's Northeast region. It's primarily an interstate drive that transitions to a major parkway and then a toll road, making it a quick connection between points in the state. Expect a mixed driving experience with both high-speed sections and more controlled parkway travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 7.3 mi | 9m |
| Intercounty Connector | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| Randolph Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Georgia Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| I 97 | 1 mi | 1m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Phirne Road | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 10.6 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Gate, MD and Wheaton, MD.
1
Start on Nolfield Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Nolfield Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto Phirne Road
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Phirne Road
3
Turn left onto MD 3 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crain Highway South
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 97 North: Baltimore
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 97
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 97
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 14A-B
Toward MD 100: Ellicott City, Gibson Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 14B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto MD 100
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 5A-B
Toward I 95: Baltimore, Washington
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 95
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31B
Toward MD 200 Toll West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Intercounty Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 13
Toward MD 650: White Oak, Ashton
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
353 ft
·
11 sec
Toward MD 650 South: White Oak
16
Turn left onto MD 650
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
New Hampshire Avenue
17
Turn right onto Randolph Road
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Randolph Road
Use the right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
169 ft
·
8 sec
19
Turn left onto MD 97
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Georgia Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Turn right onto MD 193
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
University Boulevard West
21
Turn left onto MD 586
162 ft
·
16 sec
·
Veirs Mill Road
22
Arrive at destination
MD 586
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17 miles from South Gate, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 28.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward MD 100: Ellicott City, Gibson Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 14A-B
Toward MD 100: Ellicott City, Gibson Island
8
3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 14B
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
8
11.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 95: Baltimore, Washington
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 5A-B
Toward I 95: Baltimore, Washington
8
11.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 5B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
8
28.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward MD 650: White Oak, Ashton
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 13
Toward MD 650: White Oak, Ashton
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.64 one way
$11.27 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.17 | $12.35 |
| premium | $4.93 | $6.59 | $13.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.51 | $15.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Wheaton, MD
Morning in Wheaton on Tuesday
Local time
8:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
52m 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?
This route features a 34% highway share, meaning a significant portion involves higher speeds. You'll experience a longest stretch of 10.6 miles on I 95, which is your initial main highway. The drive transitions to the Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway and then the Intercounty Connector, likely involving more controlled speeds and potentially tolls. Be prepared for merging traffic and dense exit patterns as you navigate between these different road types.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.6 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 34 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
466 ft
68 ft
Total Climb
597 ft
Total Descent
200 ft
Highest Point
466 ft
~34 mi in
Elevation Range
397 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between South Gate, MD and Wheaton, MD, road signs point toward Gibson Island, Washington and Ashton.
Gibson Island
2.8 mi in
|
~6m
Washington
11.1 mi in
|
~19m
Ashton
28.4 mi in
|
~40m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 34 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.6 miles on I 95. 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 Wheaton, 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 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Wheaton, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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