Origin
Arlington, VA
Morning in Arlington on Friday
Local time
10:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington, VA to Apple Mountain Lake, VA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
59.6 mi
96 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington, VA
Dominik Gryzbon
Apple Mountain Lake, VA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Arlington, VA to Apple Mountain Lake, VA covers 59.6 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Custis Memorial Parkway, Wilson Boulevard, McIntosh Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57.3 miles on Custis Memorial Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.32 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 59.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 59.6 miles, with most of the trip on Custis Memorial Parkway and Wilson Boulevard. The longest continuous stretch is about 57.3 miles on Custis Memorial Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Custis Memorial Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 57.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Custis Memorial Parkway and Wilson Boulevard. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Fairfax Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 59.6 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.7 miles (Fairfax Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 66 / Custis Memorial Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Fairfax Drive
Turn left onto Fairfax Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 66 / Custis Memorial Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 66 / Custis Memorial Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
58.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward VA 79: Linden, Front Royal
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 VA 79: Linden, Front Royal
5
58.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
Apple Mountain Road
Turn right onto Apple Mountain Road
Navigation decision point
5
59.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
Northern Spy Drive
Turn right onto Northern Spy Drive
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Custis Memorial Parkway | 57.3 mi | 1h 6m |
| Wilson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| McIntosh Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Northern Spy Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Glebe Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fairfax Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Apple Mountain Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Granny Smith Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Custis Memorial Parkway
— 57.3 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington, VA and Apple Mountain Lake, VA.
1
Start on Wilson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilson Boulevard
2
Turn slight right onto VA 120
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Glebe Road
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto Fairfax Drive
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Fairfax Drive
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 66 Toll West
5
Merge onto I 66
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Custis Memorial Parkway
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 66
54 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
Custis Memorial Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 13
Toward VA 79: Linden, Front Royal
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn right onto Apple Mountain Road
527 ft
·
23 sec
·
Apple Mountain Road
9
Continue on McIntosh Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
McIntosh Drive
10
At end of road, turn left onto Granny Smith Road
231 ft
·
12 sec
·
Granny Smith Road
11
Turn right onto Northern Spy Drive
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Northern Spy Drive
12
Arrive at destination
Northern Spy Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.8 mi from Arlington, VA · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from Arlington, VA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Apple Mountain Lake, VA
The final approach into Apple Mountain Lake, 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
$9.32 one way
$18.64 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.19 | $20.38 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.03 | $22.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.16 | $26.32 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 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 | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.34 | $3.81 |
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.
Destination
Apple Mountain Lake, VA
Morning in Apple Mountain Lake on Friday
Local time
10:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 5 to 13 mph
15% chance
Live forecast
78°F
Gainesville, VA
30 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
35 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 14m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arlington, VA to Apple Mountain Lake, VA covers 59.6 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Custis Memorial Parkway, Wilson Boulevard, McIntosh Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.8 miles from Arlington, VA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.32 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 59.6 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.7 miles (Fairfax Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 66 / Custis Memorial Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Arlington, VA to Apple Mountain Lake, VA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, 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
More trips to Apple Mountain Lake, VA
Explore more options from Arlington, VA or browse trips ending in Apple Mountain Lake, VA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse VA road trips.