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Trip from College Park, MD to Ballenger Creek, MD

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

Drive Time

1h 6m

Distance

45.6 mi

73 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown College Park, MD, MD

College Park, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Ballenger Creek, MD, MD

Ballenger Creek, MD

Keith Cassill

Trip Overview

The drive from College Park, MD to Ballenger Creek, MD covers 45.6 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 270, Capital Beltway, Adelphi Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.9 miles on I 270. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.56 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 270 30.9 mi 39m
Capital Beltway 7.6 mi 9m
Adelphi Road 2.3 mi 4m
Buckeystown Pike 0.9 mi 2m
Executive Way 0.7 mi 1m
Robin Drive 0.5 mi 1m
New Design Road 0.4 mi <1m
Mowatt Lane 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 270 — 30.9 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between College Park, MD and Ballenger Creek, MD.

1

Start on Knox Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · Knox Road
2

Turn right onto Mowatt Lane

0.4 mi · 1 min · Mowatt Lane
3

Enter roundabout onto Campus Drive

172 ft · 5 sec · Campus Drive
4

Continue on Campus Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Campus Drive
5

Turn right onto Adelphi Road

2.3 mi · 4 min · Adelphi Road
6

Turn right onto MD 650

0.3 mi · 36 sec · New Hampshire Avenue
7

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Toward I 495: Northern Virginia, Silver Spring, Baltimore, College Park Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 495 West: Northern Virginia, Silver Spring Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 495

7.6 mi · 9 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 270

3.6 mi · 4 min · I 270
Exit 35 Toward I 270 North: Frederick Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 270

27 mi · 34 min · I 270
Toward I 270 North Use the slight right lane.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Exit 31 Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown Use the slight right lane.
13

Turn left

110 ft · 4 sec
Toward MD 85 South: Buckeystown Use the left lane.
14

Turn left onto MD 85

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Buckeystown Pike
15

Continue on MD 85

0.8 mi · 1 min · Buckeystown Pike
Use the right lane.
16

Turn right onto Executive Way

0.7 mi · 1 min · Executive Way
Use the right lane.
17

At end of road, turn left onto New Design Road

0.4 mi · 51 sec · New Design Road
18

Turn right onto Robin Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Robin Drive
19

Turn right onto Canada Goose Court

178 ft · 7 sec · Canada Goose Court
20

Arrive at destination

Canada Goose Court

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown North Bethesda, MD, MD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Bethesda, MD

23 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

Chevy Chase, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gaithersburg, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.8 miles from College Park, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 42.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
3.8 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the ramp toward I 495: Northern Virginia, Silver Spring, Baltimore, College Park

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 495: Northern Virginia, Silver Spring,...
8
4 mi into trip | ~9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 West: Northern Virginia, Silver Spring

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 495 West: Northern Virginia, Silver Sp...
8
11.9 mi into trip | ~20m in | I 270

Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North: Frederick

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 35 Toward I 270 North: Frederick
7
15.4 mi into trip | ~24m in | I 270

Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 toward I 270 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 270 North
8
42.7 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the exit toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown

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 31 Toward MD 85: Frederick, Buckeystown

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.56 one way

$15.12 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $8.28 $16.56
premium $4.93 $8.84 $17.69
diesel $5.61 $10.07 $20.14

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.7 0 $4.79 $2.19
Efficient EV 11.4 0 $3.99 $1.82
EV Truck/SUV 18.2 0 $6.38 $2.92

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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

College Park, MD

Afternoon in College Park on Saturday

Local time

1:27 PM

EDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ballenger Creek, MD

Afternoon in Ballenger Creek on Saturday

Local time

1:27 PM

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

1h 6m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

45.6 mi in 1h 6m, mostly highway — 30.9 mi of that is on I 270.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.9 mi on I 270.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 270 and Capital Beltway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.

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 45.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.9 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between College Park, MD and Ballenger Creek, MD, road signs point toward Silver Spring, Baltimore and Buckeystown.

Silver Spring

3.8 mi in | ~9m

Baltimore

3.8 mi in | ~9m

Buckeystown

42.7 mi in | ~59m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 45.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 30.9 miles on I 270. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Ballenger Creek, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.9 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ballenger Creek, MD before heading back.

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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