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Trip from Bethesda, MD to Accokeek, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

56m

Distance

29.7 mi

48 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 52m ★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m

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

unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States

Bethesda, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Accokeek, MD, MD

Accokeek, MD

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

The drive from Bethesda, MD to Accokeek, MD covers 29.7 miles and takes about 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Indian Head Highway, Anacostia Freeway, Massachusetts Avenue Northwest for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.1 miles on Indian Head Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.92 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 29.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

56m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Bethesda, MD to Accokeek, MD covers 29.7 miles and takes about 56m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Indian Head Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 2 miles in near MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 24 decision points packed into just 29.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 24 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
2 mi into trip | ~4m in | MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes.
7
9.1 mi into trip | ~22m in | Maine Avenue Southwest

Keep slight right at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
9.4 mi into trip | ~22m in | Maine Avenue Southwest

Keep slight left at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
18.3 mi into trip | ~37m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Indian Head

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward Indian Head
7
19.2 mi into trip | ~39m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 210 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 210 South

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 Bethesda, MD to Accokeek, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Indian Head along the way.

Indian Head

18.3 mi in | ~37m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Indian Head Highway 9.1 mi 13m
Anacostia Freeway 5.7 mi 8m
Massachusetts Avenue Northwest 3.9 mi 11m
Southeast Freeway 2.4 mi 4m
Little Falls Parkway 1.4 mi 2m
Livingston Road 0.9 mi 2m
Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest 0.7 mi 1m
Massachusetts Avenue 0.7 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Indian Head Highway — 9.1 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bethesda, MD and Accokeek, MD.

1

Start on this road

44 ft · 5 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue

510 ft · 21 sec · Bethesda Avenue
3

Turn right onto Arlington Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Arlington Road
4

At end of road, turn left onto Little Falls Parkway

1.4 mi · 2 min · Little Falls Parkway
Use the straight / left lanes.
5

At end of road, turn left onto MD 396

0.7 mi · 1 min · Massachusetts Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
6

Enter roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

340 ft · 5 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
7

Continue on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

1.1 mi · 2 min · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
8

Enter roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

225 ft · 5 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
9

Continue on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

2.6 mi · 7 min · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
Use the straight lane.
10

Enter roundabout onto Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

272 ft · 4 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
11

Continue on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest

486 ft · 19 sec · Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
12

Turn right onto 22nd Street Northwest

0.1 mi · 16 sec · 22nd Street Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Continue on 23rd Street Northwest

0.5 mi · 50 sec · 23rd Street Northwest
14

Enter roundabout onto Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
15

Continue on Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

0.6 mi · 1 min · Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Use the right lane.
16

Turn right onto 17th Street Northwest

0.5 mi · 51 sec · 17th Street Northwest
17

Continue on 17th Street Southwest

0.3 mi · 40 sec · 17th Street Southwest
18

Turn straight onto Independence Avenue Southwest

293 ft · 9 sec · Independence Avenue Southwest
19

Continue on Independence Avenue Southwest

0.3 mi · 45 sec · Independence Avenue Southwest
Use the left / straight lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Maine Avenue Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork onto Maine Avenue Southwest

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Maine Avenue Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
22

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 395 North
23

Merge onto I 395

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Southwest Freeway
24

Keep slight left at fork onto I 695

1.9 mi · 3 min · Southeast Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Continue on I 695

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Southeast Freeway
Exit 2A Toward I 295 South
26

Merge onto I 295

5.7 mi · 8 min · Anacostia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Keep slight right at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min
Toward Indian Head Use the straight / slight left lanes.
28

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward MD 210 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Merge onto MD 210

9.1 mi · 13 min · Indian Head Highway
Use the left lane.
30

Turn right onto Livingston Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · Livingston Road
31

Turn left

0.1 mi · 45 sec
32

Arrive at destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.92 one way

$9.85 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $5.39 $10.79
premium $4.93 $5.76 $11.52
diesel $5.61 $6.56 $13.11

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.9 0 $3.12 $1.43
Efficient EV 7.4 0 $2.60 $1.19
EV Truck/SUV 11.9 0 $4.16 $1.90

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Bethesda, MD

Morning in Bethesda on Saturday

Local time

7:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Accokeek, MD

Morning in Accokeek on Saturday

Local time

7:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

75°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

56m 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 Bethesda, MD to Accokeek, MD covers 29.7 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Indian Head Highway, Anacostia Freeway, Massachusetts Avenue Northwest. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 14.8 miles from Bethesda, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.92 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 is a short but busy drive. With 24 decision points packed into just 29.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.

The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (MD 396 / Massachusetts Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.4 miles (Maine Avenue Southwest): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Bethesda, MD to Accokeek, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Indian Head along the way.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 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.

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