Origin
Garrison, MD
Morning in Garrison on Friday
Local time
6:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Garrison, MD to Rockville, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
40.2 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Garrison, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Rockville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
This 40.2-mile drive from Garrison, MD to Rockville, MD takes about 1 hour and 2 minutes, making it a perfect day trip within the Northeast region. You'll primarily navigate Columbia Pike and Norbeck Road, with a short stint on the Baltimore Beltway, accounting for about 9% highway driving. With an estimated fuel cost of $7, this route is very budget-friendly for a single day's excursion. The journey is characterized by frequent turns and local road navigation, so plan for a dynamic driving experience. No overnight stays are recommended, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 40.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m 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 turn-heavy local drive for most of this 40.2-mile journey. While only 9% of the route involves highway travel, the longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13 miles on Columbia Pike. This means you'll be adjusting your speed and direction frequently as you transition between local roads like Columbia Pike and Norbeck Road. The drive offers a dynamic feel, requiring constant engagement rather than a passive interstate cruise. You'll experience a true local feel as you navigate through Maryland communities.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Columbia Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 13 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 7.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
7.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick
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 16A; 16B
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Fre...
8
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 West: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 16A
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
8
11.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellic...
7
25.5 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Laurel, Burtonsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Laurel, Burtonsville
7
40.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
South Washington Street
Turn right onto South Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Garrison, MD and Rockville, MD, road signs point toward Frederick, Washington, Ellicott City, Laurel and Burtonsville.
Frederick
7.3 mi in
|
~12m
Washington
11.7 mi in
|
~17m
Ellicott City
11.7 mi in
|
~17m
Laurel
25.5 mi in
|
~35m
Burtonsville
25.5 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 13 mi | 16m |
| Norbeck Road | 8.7 mi | 14m |
| Baltimore Beltway | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| I 70 | 3.7 mi | 3m |
| Spencerville Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Reisterstown Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Old Columbia Pike | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Veirs Mill Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 13 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garrison, MD and Rockville, MD.
1
Start on Kenmar Avenue
44 ft
·
8 sec
·
Kenmar Avenue
2
Turn left onto MD 140
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Reisterstown Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 695 South: Glen Burnie
4
Merge onto I 695
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 16A; 16B
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Local Traffic, Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 16A
Toward I 70 West: Frederick
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 70
3.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington, Ellicott City
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto US 29
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward Laurel, Burtonsville
Use the slight right lane.
11
Enter roundabout onto Old Columbia Pike
147 ft
·
3 sec
·
Old Columbia Pike
12
Continue on Old Columbia Pike
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Columbia Pike
13
Continue on MD 198
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Old Columbia Pike
14
Continue on MD 198
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Spencerville Road
15
Continue on Norbeck Road
8.7 mi
·
14 min
·
Norbeck Road
16
Continue on MD 28
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
First Street
17
Turn right onto MD 28
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Veirs Mill Road
18
Continue on MD 28
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Jefferson Street
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto South Washington Street
300 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Washington Street
Use the right lane.
20
Arrive at destination
South Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.1 mi from Garrison, MD · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Garrison, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Rockville, MD
The final approach into Rockville, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.66 one way
$13.33 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.30 | $14.60 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.80 | $15.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.88 | $17.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.22 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.52 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Rockville, MD
Morning in Rockville on Friday
Local time
6:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
92°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 9 to 14 mph
3% chance
Live 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
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
1h 2m 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 Garrison, MD to Rockville, MD covers 40.2 miles and takes about 1h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Columbia Pike, Norbeck Road, Baltimore Beltway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.1 miles from Garrison, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.66 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Garrison, MD and Rockville, MD, road signs point toward Frederick, Washington, Ellicott City, Laurel and Burtonsville.
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.
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