The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Davidsonville, MD covers 43.3 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, John Hanson Highway, I 270 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.3 miles on Capital Beltway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 43.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m 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 59m drive with frequent turns across 43.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 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 16.3 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 near Chestnut Street.
Driving Effort10/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 43.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Chestnut Street
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
9.1 mi into trip|~13m 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
7
28.2 mi into trip|~38m in
Take the exit toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
8
39.6 mi into trip|~52m in
Take the exit toward MD 424: Davidsonville, Crofton
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 16
Toward MD 424: Davidsonville, Crofton
8
40.1 mi into trip|~53m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 424 South: Davidsonville Road, Davidsonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward MD 424 South: Davidsonville Road, Davids...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gaithersburg, MD and Davidsonville, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Crofton.
College Park
9.1 mi in|~13m|via I 270
Crofton
39.6 mi in|~52m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Capital Beltway
16.3 mi
21m
John Hanson Highway
10.4 mi
11m
I 270
9.4 mi
12m
Davidsonville Road
3 mi
5m
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
1.4 mi
1m
West Diamond Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Chestnut Street
0.3 mi
<1m
North Frederick Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 16.3 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Davidsonville, MD.
1
Start on this road
85 ft·12 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto MD 355
251 ft·12 sec·North Frederick Avenue
3
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.3 mi·49 sec·Chestnut Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto MD 117
0.5 mi·1 min·West Diamond Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward I 270 South: Washington
6
Merge onto I 270
1.4 mi·1 min·Eisenhower Memorial Highway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
6.6 mi·9 min·I 270
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
2.8 mi·3 min·I 270
Toward I 270 South: Silver Spring, College ParkUse the slight left / straight lanes.
9
Merge onto I 495
16 mi·21 min·Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Exit 19AToward US 50 East: AnnapolisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 50
10 mi·11 min·John Hanson Highway
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 16Toward MD 424: Davidsonville, CroftonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward MD 424 South: Davidsonville Road, DavidsonvilleUse the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Turn straight onto MD 424
3.0 mi·5 min·Davidsonville Road
15
Arrive at destination
Birdsville Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.7 mi from Gaithersburg, MD
· 30m into the drive
The midpoint is around 21.7 miles from Gaithersburg, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Davidsonville, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Davidsonville, 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
$7.18 one way
$14.36 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$7.86
$15.72
premium
$4.93
$8.40
$16.79
diesel
$5.61
$9.56
$19.12
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13
0
$4.55
$2.08
Efficient EV
10.8
0
$3.79
$1.73
EV Truck/SUV
17.3
0
$6.06
$2.77
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Gaithersburg, MD
Morning
in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
7:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 13 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 4:45AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 3:33AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC
Destination
Davidsonville, MD
Morning
in Davidsonville on Friday
Local time
7:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
59m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Davidsonville, MD covers 43.3 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, John Hanson Highway, I 270. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.7 miles from Gaithersburg, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.18 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 43.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Gaithersburg, MD and Davidsonville, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Crofton.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
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.
