Origin
Dunkirk Town Center, MD
Afternoon in Dunkirk Town Center on Friday
Local time
3:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dunkirk Town Center, MD to Silver Spring, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
36.1 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dunkirk Town Center, MD
Irina Iriser
Silver Spring, MD
www.kaboompics.com
Trip Overview
This straightforward 36.1-mile drive from Dunkirk Town Center to Silver Spring, Maryland, is easily manageable in about 54 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You'll primarily navigate using Capital Beltway, Largo Road, and Southern Maryland Boulevard. With a projected fuel cost of around $6, this route is quite economical. The overall feel is that of a turn-heavy local drive, so expect a less monotonous journey than a pure interstate experience. This trip stays within the Northeast region, making for a simple point-to-point journey within Maryland.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 36.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m 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
This drive offers a dynamic experience with a notable 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, meaning you won't be on a monotonous interstate for the entire 36.1 miles. The highway share is 0%, emphasizing local roads. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 13.2 miles, likely on the Capital Beltway, offering a brief period of higher-speed travel before you transition back to more varied local road conditions. Expect frequent turns and changes in speed limits as you navigate through different communities on Largo Road and Southern Maryland Boulevard, making for an engaging driving experience.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.2 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 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 36.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
6
9.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward MD 717: Upper Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward MD 717: Upper Marlboro
8
29.6 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
I 495 / Capital Beltway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
7
33.8 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 30
Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
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 Dunkirk Town Center, MD to Silver Spring, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
20.1 mi in
|
~31m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 13.2 mi | 16m |
| Largo Road | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Southern Maryland Boulevard | 5 mi | 7m |
| Stephanie Roper Highway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Landover Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Colesville Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 13.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dunkirk Town Center, MD and Silver Spring, MD.
1
Start on this road
467 ft
·
39 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
115 ft
·
11 sec
3
Turn right
238 ft
·
17 sec
4
Merge onto MD 4
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Southern Maryland Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on MD 4
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Stephanie Roper Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Toward MD 717: Upper Marlboro
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto MD 717
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Water Street
8
Turn right onto MD 725
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Main Street
9
Turn left onto MD 202
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Largo Road
10
Continue on MD 202
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Landover Road
11
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: College Park, Baltimore
12
Merge onto I 95; I 495
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 30
Toward US 29 South: Silver Spring
Use the right lane.
15
Merge onto US 29
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Colesville Road
16
Turn left onto US 29
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
17
Continue on US 29
93 ft
·
9 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
18
Turn right
158 ft
·
13 sec
19
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.1 mi from Dunkirk Town Center, MD · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from Dunkirk Town Center, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Silver Spring, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Silver Spring, MD if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.98 one way
$11.97 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.55 | $13.11 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.97 | $15.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Silver Spring, MD
Afternoon in Silver Spring on Friday
Local time
3:33 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
54m 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 Dunkirk Town Center, MD to Silver Spring, MD covers 36.1 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Largo Road, Southern Maryland Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.1 miles from Dunkirk Town Center, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.98 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 14 decision points packed into just 36.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Dunkirk Town Center, MD to Silver Spring, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore 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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