Origin
Frederick, MD
Evening in Frederick on Thursday
Local time
6:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, MD to Damascus, MD
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
28m
Distance
20.4 mi
33 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Damascus, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Frederick, MD to Damascus, MD covers 20.4 miles and takes about 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, Ridge Road, Woodfield Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.9 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 20.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 28m highway drive covering 20.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and Ridge Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 12.9 miles on I 70.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 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 12.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Ridge Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Market Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 20.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (North East Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Market Street
Turn right onto North Market Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North East Street
Turn right onto North East Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 70; US 40
Merge onto I 70; US 40
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 68
Toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy
9
14.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 27 South, MD 144 East: Damascus, Historic Towns, Rattlewood
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward MD 27 South, MD 144 East: Damascus, Hist...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Frederick, MD and Damascus, MD, road signs point toward Mount Airy, Historic Towns and Rattlewood.
Mount Airy
14.6 mi in
|
~18m
Historic Towns
14.9 mi in
|
~18m
Rattlewood
14.9 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 12.9 mi | 13m |
| Ridge Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Woodfield Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North East Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Buckeystown Pike | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 12.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, MD and Damascus, MD.
1
Start on MD 144
122 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Patrick Street
2
Turn right onto North Market Street
435 ft
·
18 sec
·
North Market Street
3
Turn right onto East Church Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
East Church Street
4
Turn right onto North East Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North East Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Enter roundabout onto East Street
101 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Street
6
Continue on East Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
East Street
7
Continue on MD 85
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Buckeystown Pike
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 70 East, US 40 East
9
Merge onto I 70; US 40
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 68
Toward MD 27: Damascus, Mount Airy
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward MD 27 South, MD 144 East: Damascus, Historic Towns, Rattlewood
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto MD 27
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Ridge Road
13
Turn left onto Woodfield Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodfield Road
14
Turn right onto MD 108
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Main Street
15
Turn right
35 ft
·
2 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.38 one way
$6.76 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.70 | $7.41 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.96 | $7.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.86 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Damascus, MD
Evening in Damascus on Thursday
Local time
6:35 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°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
19 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
28m 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 Frederick, MD to Damascus, MD covers 20.4 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Ridge Road, Woodfield Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.2 miles from Frederick, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.38 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 12 decision points packed into just 20.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (North East Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 70; US 40): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Frederick, MD and Damascus, MD, road signs point toward Mount Airy, Historic Towns and Rattlewood.
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