Origin
Cape Saint Claire, MD
Morning in Cape Saint Claire on Saturday
Local time
9:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Frederick, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
66.7 mi
107 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cape Saint Claire, MD
Jay Johnson
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Frederick, MD covers 66.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Governor Ritchie Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.6 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.06 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 66.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Frederick, MD covers 66.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m, 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 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.6 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 11.7 miles in near MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway.
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 66.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 11.7 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
11.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway toward MD 100 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 100 West
7
29.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 29 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 29 North
7
32.5 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Frederick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 25B
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
65.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Take the exit toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
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 54
Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
9
65.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown Frederick, East Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 32.6 mi | 35m |
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 17.5 mi | 23m |
| Governor Ritchie Highway | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| College Parkway | 4 mi | 7m |
| Columbia Pike | 3 mi | 3m |
| Arundel Expressway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Tree Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 32.6 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cape Saint Claire, MD and Frederick, MD.
1
Start on Dogwood Tree Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Dogwood Tree Drive
2
Turn left onto Latrobe Drive
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Latrobe Drive
3
Turn right onto Chestnut Tree Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Chestnut Tree Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto Green Holly Drive
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Green Holly Drive
5
Turn right onto College Parkway
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
College Parkway
6
Turn right onto MD 2
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Governor Ritchie Highway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward MD 10 North, I 695: Baltimore
8
Merge onto MD 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Arundel Expressway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 100
18 mi
·
23 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Toward MD 100 West
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 29 North
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto US 29
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 25B
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
Use the right lane.
13
Merge onto I 70
10 mi
·
10 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 70; US 40
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 70; US 40
11 mi
·
11 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 54
Toward MD 85: Buckeystown, Downtown Frederick
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
419 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Downtown Frederick, East Street
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn straight onto MD 85
426 ft
·
9 sec
·
Buckeystown Pike
19
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East Street
20
Enter roundabout onto East Street
119 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Street
21
Continue on East Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Street
22
Turn left onto MD 144
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East South Street
23
Turn right onto South Carroll Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Carroll Street
24
Turn left onto MD 144
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
East Patrick Street
25
Arrive at destination
MD 144
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.3 mi from Cape Saint Claire, MD · 50m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 33.3 miles from Cape Saint Claire, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Frederick, MD
The final approach into Frederick, MD 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
$11.06 one way
$22.12 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $12.11 | $24.22 |
| premium | $4.93 | $12.94 | $25.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.73 | $29.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20 | 0 | $7.00 | $3.20 |
| Efficient EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.7 | 0 | $9.34 | $4.27 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Frederick, MD
Morning in Frederick on Saturday
Local time
9:39 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°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
4 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 27m 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 Cape Saint Claire, MD to Frederick, MD covers 66.7 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Governor Ritchie Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.3 miles from Cape Saint Claire, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.06 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 66.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 11.7 miles (MD 100 / Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Frederick, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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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