Origin
Cavetown, MD
Late night in Cavetown on Friday
Local time
4:46 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cavetown, MD to Bethesda, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
59.3 mi
95 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cavetown, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Bethesda, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 59.3-mile journey from Cavetown, MD to Bethesda, MD is a straightforward, single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 18 minutes. The route primarily utilizes Mapleville Road and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before merging onto I-270 South. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $10, this drive is an accessible option for a quick getaway or an efficient commute. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, it’s perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for ample time at your destination without the need for an overnight stay. Both locations are situated within the Northeast region, making for a cohesive regional exploration.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 59.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for much of this 59.3-mile route, rather than a monotonous highway experience. While the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and I-270 South offer stretches of faster travel, the initial and final segments will likely involve more frequent turns and adjustments. The highway share is 0%, indicating a focus on local and arterial roads. There isn't a 'longest stretch' noted, suggesting a continuous series of connections rather than long, uninterrupted segments, so keep your attention focused on navigation as the road personality shifts.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Eisenhower Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 22.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 23.7 miles in near I 70 Exit 53.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 23.7 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 47 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.6 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
23.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 70 Exit 53
Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53 toward I 270 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 53
Toward I 270 South: Washington
6
47 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
53.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
6
56.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward MD 355 South: Bethesda
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 355 South: Bethesda
5
58.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
Arlington Road
Turn left onto Arlington Road
Navigation decision point
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 Cavetown, MD to Bethesda, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
College Park
53.6 mi in
|
~1h 7m
|
via I 270
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 22.9 mi | 29m |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 18.3 mi | 19m |
| I 270 | 9.1 mi | 12m |
| Mapleville Road | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Rockville Pike | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Wisconsin Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| I 70 Exit 53 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Arlington Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
— 22.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cavetown, MD and Bethesda, MD.
1
Start on Cavetown Church Road
17 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cavetown Church Road
2
Turn left onto MD 66
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Mapleville Road
3
Enter roundabout onto MD 66
155 ft
·
2 sec
·
Mapleville Road
4
Continue on MD 66
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mapleville Road
5
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
6
Merge onto I 70
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
7
Take the exit onto I 70 Exit 53
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
I 70 Exit 53
Exit 53
Toward I 270 South: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 270
23 mi
·
29 min
·
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
6.6 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Toward MD 355 South: Bethesda
Use the slight left lane.
12
Turn straight onto MD 355
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Rockville Pike
13
Continue on MD 355
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Wisconsin Avenue
14
Turn right onto Commerce Lane
340 ft
·
17 sec
·
Commerce Lane
15
Continue on Edgemoor Lane
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Edgemoor Lane
16
Turn left onto Arlington Road
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arlington Road
17
Turn right onto Bethesda Avenue
510 ft
·
22 sec
·
Bethesda Avenue
18
Turn left
44 ft
·
3 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.7 mi from Cavetown, MD · 36m 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 29.7 miles from Cavetown, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bethesda, MD
The final approach into Bethesda, 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
$9.83 one way
$19.66 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.77 | $21.53 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.50 | $23.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.09 | $26.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.7 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 | 17.8 | 0 | $6.23 | $2.85 |
| Efficient EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.19 | $2.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.7 | 0 | $8.30 | $3.80 |
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
Bethesda, MD
Late night in Bethesda on Friday
Local time
4:46 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
3 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 18m 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 Cavetown, MD to Bethesda, MD covers 59.3 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Eisenhower Memorial Highway, Dwight D Eisenhower Highway, I 270. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.7 miles from Cavetown, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.83 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 59.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 23.7 miles (I 70 Exit 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 47 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.6 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Cavetown, MD to Bethesda, MD, road signs begin pointing toward College Park along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Antietam National Battlefield. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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