Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
61 mi
98 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thurmont, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Laurel, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Thurmont, MD to Laurel, MD is 61 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via I 70 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, connecting the Northeast region. Expect a mix of driving experiences, from highway cruising to more local travel. It's a straightforward drive, well-suited for a single day trip without needing extensive planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 16.8 mi | 18m |
| Sykesville Road | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| Green Valley Road | 7.4 mi | 11m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| Woodsboro Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| Creagerstown Road | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Woodsboro Creagerstown Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| I 95 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Thurmont, MD and Laurel, MD.
Start on MD 77; MD 550
Keep slight right at fork onto MD 550
Turn left onto MD 550
Continue on MD 550
At end of road, turn left onto MD 550
Continue on MD 194; MD 550
Turn left onto MD 550
Turn left onto MD 26
Turn right onto MD 75
Continue on MD 75
Turn left
Merge onto I 70; US 40
Continue on I 70; US 40
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto MD 32
Continue on MD 32
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Turn straight onto MD 216
At end of road, turn left onto MD 198
Turn left onto US 1
Turn slight left
Turn slight left onto MD 198
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 30.5 miles from Thurmont, 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 8.2 and 57.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto MD 550 / Woodsboro Pike
Navigation decision point
Turn left toward I 70 East
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward MD 32: Sykesville, Clarksville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 216 East: Laurel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.73 one way
$19.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $10.76 | $21.53 |
| premium | $4.81 | $11.55 | $23.09 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $11.52 | $23.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.41 | $2.93 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.34 | $2.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.54 | $3.90 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Thurmont on Sunday
Local time
2:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Patchy Smoke
Destination
Late night in Laurel on Sunday
Local time
2:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Cloudy
82°F
Mount Airy, MD
31 mi in
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.
About half of this 61-mile route, roughly 47%, is on the highway. You'll spend a significant stretch, up to 16.8 miles, on I-70 before transitioning to surface roads like Sykesville Road and Green Valley Road. This means you'll experience both the efficiency of highway travel and the more measured pace of navigating through local areas. Be prepared for changing traffic patterns as you move between these road types.
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 8.2 miles in near MD 550 / Woodsboro Pike.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61 miles you will encounter 18 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 8.2 miles (MD 550 / Woodsboro Pike): Navigation decision point; at 21.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 38.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
546 ft
Total Descent
895 ft
Highest Point
724 ft
~27.6 mi in
Elevation Range
557 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Thurmont, MD to Laurel, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Clarksville along the way.
Clarksville
Founded 1751
Thurmont is a small town in Frederick County, Maryland. It hosts the Catoctin Colorfest, an arts and crafts festival that draws in about 125,000 people each autumn.
Founded 1870
Laurel is a city of 30,000 people (2020) in Prince George's County, Maryland. Largely residential, the city maintains a historic district centered on its Main Street, highlighting its industrial past.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 61 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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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