Origin
Wheaton, MD
Late night in Wheaton on Sunday
Local time
3:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wheaton, MD to Beltsville, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
10.5 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wheaton, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Beltsville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Wheaton, MD to Beltsville, MD is 10.5 miles and takes about 18m via Capital Beltway and Georgia Avenue, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a local drive with plenty of turns, making it more about navigating neighborhoods than covering long distances. It's a straightforward journey that's easy to accomplish in a single day, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a major expedition.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| Georgia Avenue | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| Baltimore Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Veirs Mill Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Powder Mill Road | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 5.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wheaton, MD and Beltsville, MD.
1
Start on MD 586
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Veirs Mill Road
2
Turn straight onto MD 97
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Georgia Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 495
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 25B-A
Toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn straight onto US 1
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Baltimore Avenue
9
Turn left onto MD 212A
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
Powder Mill Road
Use the left lane.
10
Arrive at destination
MD 212A
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 10.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 495 East: Baltimore
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 495 East: Baltimore
8
7.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
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 25B-A
Toward US 1: College Park, Laurel
6
8.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North: Laurel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel
10
8.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 25A
Toward US 1 North: Laurel, Baltimore Avenue
6
10.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
MD 212A / Powder Mill Road
Turn left onto MD 212A / Powder Mill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.74 one way
$3.48 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $1.91 | $3.81 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.04 | $4.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.32 | $4.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.10 | $0.50 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Beltsville, MD
Late night in Beltsville on Sunday
Local time
3:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°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
18m 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 drive is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' indicating a route that prioritizes navigation through populated areas over high-speed travel. With a highway share of 0%, you won't encounter any interstate cruising. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 5.4 miles on the Capital Beltway, suggesting that while it's a local route, there's a portion that offers a brief period of consistent momentum. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction as you make your way through the local roads.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.4 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
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 2 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 10.5 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 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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.
On the drive from Wheaton, MD to Beltsville, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Laurel along the way.
Laurel
7.6 mi in
|
~12m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 10.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.4 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Beltsville, 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 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Beltsville, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Beltsville, MD
More trips to Beltsville, MD
Explore more options from Wheaton, MD or browse trips ending in Beltsville, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.