The drive from Harrisburg, PA to Forest Hills, PA covers 35.6 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 83, Cape Horn Road, North Main Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25 miles on I 83.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.90 one way before food or hotel costs.
Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 35.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 53m highway drive covering 35.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 83 and Cape Horn Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 25 miles on I 83.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 83 is the longest continuous segment at about 25 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 83 and Cape Horn Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 7th Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 35.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 7th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.2 miles (North Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North 7th Street
Enter roundabout onto North 7th Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in|North Front Street
At end of road, turn left onto North Front Street
Navigation decision point
7
1.9 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 83 South: York
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 83 South: York
5
2.2 mi into trip|~5m in|I 83
Merge onto I 83
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
3.3 mi into trip|~7m in|I 83
Keep slight right at fork onto I 83 toward I 83 South: York, Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 83 South: York, Baltimore
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Harrisburg, PA to Forest Hills, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
3.3 mi in|~7m|via I 83
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 83
25 mi
30m
Cape Horn Road
4.6 mi
7m
North Main Street
1.8 mi
5m
Mount Rose Avenue
1 mi
1m
Walnut Street
0.6 mi
1m
North 7th Street
0.5 mi
1m
North Front Street
0.5 mi
1m
East Prospect Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 83
— 25 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harrisburg, PA and Forest Hills, PA.
1
Start on North 7th Street
89 ft·3 sec·North 7th Street
2
Enter roundabout onto North 7th Street
209 ft·7 sec·North 7th Street
3
Continue on North 7th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·North 7th Street
4
Continue on Fisher Plaza
0.2 mi·19 sec·Fisher Plaza
5
Keep slight right at fork onto Walnut Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Walnut Street
6
At end of road, turn left onto North Front Street
0.5 mi·1 min·North Front Street
7
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·30 sec·this road
Toward I 83: York
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 83 South: YorkUse the straight lane.
9
Merge onto I 83
1.0 mi·1 min·I 83
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 83
24 mi·29 min·I 83
Toward I 83 South: York, BaltimoreUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward PA 124 East
12
Turn straight onto PA 124
1.0 mi·1 min·Mount Rose Avenue
13
Continue on PA 124
0.3 mi·43 sec·East Prospect Road
14
Turn right onto PA 24
4.6 mi·7 min·Cape Horn Road
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on PA 24
1.8 mi·5 min·North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Forest Hills Road
0.3 mi·49 sec·Forest Hills Road
17
Arrive at destination
Forest Hills Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.8 mi from Harrisburg, PA
· 25m into the drive
The midpoint is around 17.8 miles from Harrisburg, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Forest Hills, PA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Forest Hills, PA 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
$5.90 one way
$11.80 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$6.46
$12.93
premium
$4.93
$6.90
$13.81
diesel
$5.61
$7.86
$15.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
10.7
0
$3.74
$1.71
Efficient EV
8.9
0
$3.11
$1.42
EV Truck/SUV
14.2
0
$4.98
$2.28
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Harrisburg, PA
Morning
in Harrisburg on Saturday
Local time
11:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 7 to 10 mph0% 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 4:42AM EDT by NWS State College PA
Destination
Forest Hills, PA
Morning
in Forest Hills on Saturday
Local time
11:53 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
14 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
53m 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 Harrisburg, PA to Forest Hills, PA covers 35.6 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 83, Cape Horn Road, North Main Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.8 miles from Harrisburg, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.90 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 9 decision points packed into just 35.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 7th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.2 miles (North Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Harrisburg, PA to Forest Hills, PA, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
How this page is built
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.
