Origin
Gaithersburg, MD
Afternoon in Gaithersburg on Saturday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gaithersburg, MD to Cape Saint Claire, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
54.4 mi
88 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gaithersburg, MD
Kristopher Hines
Cape Saint Claire, MD
Jay Johnson
Trip Overview
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Cape Saint Claire, MD covers 54.4 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Frederick Avenue, Chestnut Street, West Diamond Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Frederick Avenue | — | — |
| Chestnut Street | — | — |
| West Diamond Avenue | — | — |
| I 270 South | — | — |
| Eisenhower Memorial Highway | — | — |
| Capital Beltway | — | — |
| US 50 East | — | — |
| John Hanson Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Frederick Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gaithersburg, MD and Cape Saint Claire, MD.
1
Start on the route
85 ft
·
12 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto North Frederick Avenue
253 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Frederick Avenue
3
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Chestnut Street
4
Turn right onto West Diamond Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Diamond Avenue
5
Take the ramp left toward I 270 South: Washington
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 270 South: Washington
6
Merge slight left onto Eisenhower Memorial Highway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Eisenhower Memorial Highway
7
Keep slight left
6.6 mi
·
9 min
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 270 South: Silver Spring, College Park
9
Merge slight right onto Capital Beltway
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Capital Beltway
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 50 East: Annapolis
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 50 East: Annapolis
11
Merge slight left onto John Hanson Highway
19 mi
·
21 min
·
John Hanson Highway
12
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit slight right toward MD 179: Saint Margarets Road, Busch's Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
MD 179: Saint Margarets Road, Busch's Frontage Road
14
Continue on Busch's Frontage Road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Busch's Frontage Road
15
Turn left onto Saint Margarets Road
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Saint Margarets Road
16
Continue on Cape Saint Claire Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Cape Saint Claire Road
17
Turn left onto Hilltop Drive
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Hilltop Drive
18
Turn left onto Blue Ridge Drive
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Blue Ridge Drive
19
Turn right onto Hampton Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Hampton Road
20
Turn left onto Dogwood Tree Drive
312 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dogwood Tree Drive
21
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Gaithersburg, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.02 one way
$18.04 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.88 | $19.76 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.55 | $21.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.01 | $24.02 |
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 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Cape Saint Claire, MD
Afternoon in Cape Saint Claire on Saturday
Local time
4:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
2 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
1h 14m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
54.4 mi in 1h 14m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: North Frederick Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Cape Saint Claire, MD is easy. At 1h 14m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Cape Saint Claire, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 54.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Gaithersburg, MD to Cape Saint Claire, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cape Saint Claire, MD before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Cape Saint Claire, MD
More trips to Cape Saint Claire, MD
Explore more options from Gaithersburg, MD or browse trips ending in Cape Saint Claire, MD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.