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Trip from Woodsboro, MD to Essex, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 22m

Distance

61.1 mi

98 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 16m ★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Download GPX
town in Frederick County Maryland

Woodsboro, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a trip from Woodsboro to Essex, you are looking at a 60.8-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes to complete. Because the route is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a simple day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $10 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating through the Maryland countryside, you will rely primarily on local roads like Liberty Road, Woodsboro Road, and Main Street rather than major interstates. It is a straightforward, manageable drive that connects two distinct parts of the Northeast region, offering a practical alternative to busier, highway-heavy corridors.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 28.4 mi 30m
I 95 9 mi 12m
Green Valley Road 7.4 mi 11m
Woodsboro Road 5 mi 7m
Baltimore Beltway 4.7 mi 6m
Eastern Avenue 2.3 mi 4m
Eastern Boulevard 1 mi 2m
Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 28.4 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Woodsboro, MD and Essex, MD.

1

Start on South Main Street

20 ft · 5 sec · South Main Street
2

Turn left onto Liberty Road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · Liberty Road
3

Continue on MD 550

5.0 mi · 7 min · Woodsboro Road
4

Turn left onto MD 26

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Main Street
5

Turn right onto MD 75

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Walnut Street
6

Continue on MD 75

7.4 mi · 11 min · Green Valley Road
7

Turn left

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 70 East
8

Merge onto I 70; US 40

13 mi · 13 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 70; US 40

6.5 mi · 6 min · I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 70

9.1 mi · 9 min · I 70
Toward Baltimore Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 91B-A Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie Use the slight right lane.
12

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 91A Toward I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie Use the slight right lane.
13

Merge onto I 695

4.7 mi · 6 min · Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 11A; 11B Toward I 95 North, I 95 South: Baltimore, Washington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 11A Toward I 95 North: Baltimore Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Merge onto I 95

4.7 mi · 6 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

4.3 mi · 5 min · I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 29 sec
Exit 59 Toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight right at fork

256 ft · 8 sec
Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex Use the right lane.
20

Turn right onto MD 150

2.3 mi · 4 min · Eastern Avenue
Use the straight lane.
21

Continue on MD 150

1.0 mi · 2 min · Eastern Boulevard
22

Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue

211 ft · 13 sec · North Taylor Avenue
23

Turn right

521 ft · 38 sec
24

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Columbia, MD

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Mount Airy, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Columbia, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.6 miles from Woodsboro, 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 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 41.9 and 57.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
41.9 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie

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 91B-A Toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Tows...
9
42.1 mi into trip | ~51m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 91A Toward I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
8
47.3 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 95 South: Baltimore, Washington

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 11A; 11B Toward I 95 North, I 95 South: Baltimore, Washi...
8
47.5 mi into trip | ~59m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: Baltimore

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 11A Toward I 95 North: Baltimore
9
57.6 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in

Keep slight right at fork toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the right lane. Toward MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.13 one way

$20.26 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $11.09 $22.19
premium $4.93 $11.85 $23.70
diesel $5.61 $13.49 $26.98

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.3 0 $6.42 $2.93
Efficient EV 15.3 0 $5.35 $2.44
EV Truck/SUV 24.4 0 $8.55 $3.91

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Woodsboro, MD

Late night in Woodsboro on Tuesday

Local time

5:26 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Essex, MD

Late night in Essex on Tuesday

Local time

5:26 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

64°F

Columbia, MD

31 mi in

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

15 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

1h 22m 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this entire route consists of local roads with a highway share of 0%. Behind the wheel, you will find yourself navigating through a series of turns that require your full attention, making for a more active driving experience than a typical highway cruise. Since there are no major interstates, the road maintains a consistent, local personality from start to finish. You will not encounter any long, uninterrupted highway stretches, so prepare for a drive that demands consistent engagement with your surroundings. It is a steady, rhythmic journey that prioritizes local connectivity over high-speed travel.

61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.4 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and I 95. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 41.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.1 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 41.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Woodsboro, MD and Essex, MD, road signs point toward Baltimore, Towson, Glen Burnie and Washington.

Baltimore

32.7 mi in | ~41m | via I 70

Towson

41.9 mi in | ~51m

Glen Burnie

41.9 mi in | ~51m

Washington

47.3 mi in | ~59m

About the Cities

Starting in Woodsboro, MD

Full guide →

Founded 1786

Arriving in Essex, MD

Full guide →

Southeast Baltimore, fittingly, covers the areas in the southeast of Baltimore, ranging from industrial wastelands to charming neighborhoods both quiet and hip.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 61.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 28.4 miles on I 70. 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 Essex, 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 41.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Antietam National Battlefield (5 total within detour distance). 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 Essex, 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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