Origin
Forestville, MD
Afternoon in Forestville on Saturday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forestville, MD to Gaithersburg, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
37.8 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forestville, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Trip Overview
The drive from Forestville, MD to Gaithersburg, MD covers 37.8 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, I 270, West Diamond Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.8 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 24.8 mi | 32m |
| I 270 | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| West Diamond Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Forestville Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Chestnut Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Meem Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Marlboro Pike | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 24.8 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forestville, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
1
Start on this road
40 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Pumphrey Drive
74 ft
·
5 sec
·
Pumphrey Drive
3
Turn right onto Marlboro Pike
351 ft
·
9 sec
·
Marlboro Pike
4
Turn right onto Forestville Road
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Forestville Road
5
Turn left onto MD 4
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 95; I 495
15 mi
·
20 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 495
9.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Capital Beltway
Toward I 495 West: Beltway, Silver Spring
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
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.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 270
Toward I 270 North
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward MD 117, MD 124 South: Clopper Road, West Diamond Avenue, Quince Orchard Road
12
Turn left onto MD 117
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Diamond Avenue
13
Turn left onto Meem Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Meem Avenue
14
Turn right onto Chestnut Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Chestnut Street
15
Turn right onto MD 355
251 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
16
Turn right
85 ft
·
6 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.9 miles from Forestville, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Pumphrey Drive
Turn right onto Pumphrey Drive
Navigation decision point
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, College Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 95 North, I 495 North: Baltimore, Coll...
8
16.3 mi into trip
|
~22m 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
8
25.8 mi into trip
|
~35m 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
29.4 mi into trip
|
~39m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.27 one way
$12.53 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.86 | $13.73 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.33 | $14.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.35 | $16.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 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 | 11.3 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
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
Gaithersburg, MD
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Saturday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 2 to 7 mph
5% chance
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
14 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
52m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
37.8 mi in 52m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.8 mi on Capital Beltway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 early in the drive near Pumphrey Drive.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 15 decision points packed into just 37.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Pumphrey Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.3 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Forestville, MD to Gaithersburg, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Silver Spring along the way.
Silver Spring
16.3 mi in
|
~22m
|
via I 495
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 37.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.8 miles on Capital Beltway. 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 Gaithersburg, 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: near the start (Pumphrey Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.3 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Gaithersburg, 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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