Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
18.2 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Highland, MD
Rámon van Raaij
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Highland, MD covers 18.2 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Intercounty Connector, Ashton Road, Olney Sandy Spring Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5 miles on Intercounty Connector. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 18.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 31m drive with frequent turns across 18.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 18.2 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 right onto MD 355 / North Frederick Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left toward MD 200 Toll East
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MD 97 South, MD 97 North: Wheaton, Olney
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward MD 97 North: Georgia Avenue, Olney
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto MD 216 / Scaggsville Road
Navigation decision point
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Highland, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Olney along the way.
Olney
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Intercounty Connector | 5 mi | 6m |
| Ashton Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Olney Sandy Spring Road | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Clarksville Pike | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Frederick Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Georgia Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Old Baltimore Road | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Shady Grove Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Highland, MD.
Start on this road
Turn right onto MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Continue on MD 355
Turn left onto Shady Grove Road
Turn left
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Turn straight onto MD 97
Turn right onto Old Baltimore Road
Turn right onto MD 108
Continue on MD 108
Continue on MD 108
Turn right onto MD 216
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$3.02 one way
$6.03 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.30 | $6.61 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.53 | $7.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.02 | $8.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.91 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.59 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Gaithersburg on Friday
Local time
11:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Highland on Friday
Local time
11:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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