Origin
Apple Mountain Lake, VA
Evening in Apple Mountain Lake on Friday
Local time
5:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apple Mountain Lake, VA to Alexandria, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
68.3 mi
110 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apple Mountain Lake, VA
Tom Fisk
Alexandria, VA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Apple Mountain Lake, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 68.3 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 66, Capital Beltway, Capital Beltway (Local) for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.9 miles on I 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.65 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 68.3 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 (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 24m highway drive covering 68.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 66 and Capital Beltway. The longest continuous stretch is about 50.9 miles on I 66.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 66 is the longest continuous segment at about 50.9 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
953 ft
37 ft
Total Climb
247 ft
Total Descent
1,163 ft
Highest Point
953 ft
Elevation Range
916 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 66 and Capital Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Granny Smith Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.2 miles (Granny Smith Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 30.8 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Granny Smith Road
At end of road, turn left onto Granny Smith Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
30.8 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
I 66
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
52.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 64A
Toward I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
8
64.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local)
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; I 495 / Capital Beltway (Local) toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
8
66.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
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 177A-B
Toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 66 | 50.9 mi | 57m |
| Capital Beltway | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| Capital Beltway (Local) | 2 mi | 2m |
| South Washington Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| McIntosh Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Patrick Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Apple Mountain Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Northern Spy Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 66
— 50.9 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Mountain Lake, VA and Alexandria, VA.
1
Start on Northern Spy Drive
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Northern Spy Drive
2
At end of road, turn left onto Granny Smith Road
231 ft
·
11 sec
·
Granny Smith Road
3
Turn right onto McIntosh Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
McIntosh Drive
4
Continue on Apple Mountain Road
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Apple Mountain Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
6
Merge onto I 66
30 mi
·
31 min
·
I 66
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 66
21 mi
·
25 min
·
I 66
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 64A
Toward I 495 South: Richmond, Alexandria
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 495
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 95; I 495
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital Beltway (Local)
Toward I 95, I 495: Alexandria
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 177A-B
Toward US 1: Alexandria, Fort Belvoir
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 177B
Toward US 1 North: Alexandria
13
Merge onto US 1
440 ft
·
8 sec
·
Richmond Highway
14
Continue on US 1
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Patrick Street
15
Turn right onto Franklin Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Franklin Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto VA 400
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Washington Street
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
VA 400
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.2 mi from Apple Mountain Lake, VA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Apple Mountain Lake, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Alexandria, VA
The final approach into Alexandria, VA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.65 one way
$21.30 round trip
$3.96/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $11.91 | $23.82 |
| premium | $4.78 | $12.85 | $25.70 |
| diesel | $5.62 | $15.12 | $30.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.17 | $3.28 |
| Efficient EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.3 | 0 | $9.56 | $4.37 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Alexandria, VA
Evening in Alexandria on Friday
Local time
5:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 24m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Apple Mountain Lake, VA to Alexandria, VA covers 68.3 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 66, Capital Beltway, Capital Beltway (Local). Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.2 miles from Apple Mountain Lake, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.65 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.3 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Granny Smith Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 30.8 miles (I 66): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Apple Mountain Lake, VA to Alexandria, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 37 ft to 953 ft elevation with about 247 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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