Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
54.2 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Deale, MD
Jonathan Borba
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Deale, MD covers 54.2 miles and takes about 1h 19m 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, Southern Maryland Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.9 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 54.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m 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.
Expect a 1h 19m drive with frequent turns across 54.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.2 miles you will encounter 20 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 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (I 270): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Take the exit toward MD 221A: Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MD 258 East: Bristol, Deale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gaithersburg, MD and Deale, MD, road signs point toward College Park and Upper Marlboro.
College Park
Upper Marlboro
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 21.9 mi | 28m |
| I 270 | 9.4 mi | 12m |
| Southern Maryland Boulevard | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| Ritchie Marlboro Road | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| Stephanie Roper Highway | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Rockhold Creek Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Deale, MD.
Start on this road
Turn left onto MD 355
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Turn right onto MD 117
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Keep slight left at fork onto I 270
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto MD 4
Continue on MD 4
Take the exit
Continue on MD 258
Turn right onto Rockhold Creek Road
Turn left onto MD 256
Turn right onto Drum Point Road
At end of road, turn left onto Owings Beach Road
Turn right onto Trapper Way
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.1 mi from Gaithersburg, MD · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Gaithersburg, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Deale, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$8.99 one way
$17.97 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.84 | $19.68 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.51 | $21.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.97 | $23.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.69 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
10:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Destination
Night in Deale on Friday
Local time
10:14 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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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