Origin
Mountain Lake Park, MD
Morning in Mountain Lake Park on Monday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD
Drive Time
3h 20m
Distance
192.5 mi
310 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$32
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 8m
★
6 AM
3h 20m
8 AM
3h 44m
10 AM
3h 28m
12 PM
3h 26m
3 PM
3h 30m
5 PM
3h 43m
8 PM
3h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
The drive from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD covers 192.5 miles and takes about 3h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maryland Highway, Pratt Street, Front Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
96.2 miles from Mountain Lake Park, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 20m drive with frequent turns across 192.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maryland Highway is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD is easy. At 3h 20m 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 Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Pratt Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Front Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| New Georges Creek Road Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Lower Georges Creek Road Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Paradise Street Southwest | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| National Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Maryland Highway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mountain Lake Park, MD and Essex, MD.
1
Start on Maryland Highway
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Maryland Highway
2
Continue on Maryland Highway
14 mi
·
21 min
·
Maryland Highway
3
Continue on Pratt Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Pratt Street
4
Continue on Front Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Front Street
5
Turn left onto New Georges Creek Road Southwest
7.4 mi
·
12 min
·
New Georges Creek Road Southwest
6
Continue on West Main Street
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Main Street
7
Continue on Lower Georges Creek Road Southwest
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Lower Georges Creek Road Southwest
8
Continue on New Georges Creek Road Southwest
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
New Georges Creek Road Southwest
9
Turn right onto Paradise Street Southwest
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Paradise Street Southwest
10
Turn straight onto New Georges Creek Road Southwest
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
New Georges Creek Road Southwest
11
Take the ramp slight right
0.5 mi
·
1 min
12
Merge slight left onto National Freeway
46 mi
·
51 min
·
National Freeway
13
Continue on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
14
Continue on I 70, US 40 (Dwight D Eisenhower Highway)
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70, US 40 (Dwight D Eisenhower Highway)
15
Continue on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
66 mi
·
1 hr 11 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
16
Continue straight
6.5 mi
·
6 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on Baltimore
9.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Baltimore
18
Take the exit slight right toward I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
I 695 North, I 695 South: New York, Towson, Baltimore, Glen Burnie
19
Keep slight right to continue on I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
20
Merge slight left onto Baltimore Beltway
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 North, I 95 South: Baltimore, Washington
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
I 95 North, I 95 South: Baltimore, Washington
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 North: Baltimore
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 North: Baltimore
23
Merge slight left
4.7 mi
·
6 min
24
Keep slight left
4.3 mi
·
5 min
25
Take the exit slight right toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
MD 150: Eastern Avenue
26
Keep slight right to continue on MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
256 ft
·
8 sec
·
MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
27
Turn right onto Eastern Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastern Avenue
28
Continue on Eastern Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
29
Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue
210 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Taylor Avenue
30
Turn right
522 ft
·
38 sec
31
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 96.2 miles from Mountain Lake Park, MD, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 96.2 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Essex, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mountain Lake Park, MD so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Mountain Lake Park, MD
This is one driving day of about 192.5 miles and 3h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Mountain Lake Park, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 96.2 mi from Mountain Lake Park, MD · 1h 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
96 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 96.2 miles from Mountain Lake Park, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Essex, MD
The final approach into Essex, MD usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Essex, MD.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.85 one way
$63.71 round trip
$4.20/gal
25.4 MPG avg
67 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $34.85 | $69.71 |
| premium | $4.92 | $37.30 | $74.61 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $42.77 | $85.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 67.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 57.8 | 0 | $20.21 | $9.24 |
| Efficient EV | 48.1 | 0 | $16.84 | $7.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 77 | 0 | $26.95 | $12.32 |
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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
Essex, MD
Morning in Essex on Monday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
68°F
Washington, DC
96 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
5 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
3h 20m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD covers 192.5 miles and takes about 3h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maryland Highway, Pratt Street, Front Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 96.2 miles from Mountain Lake Park, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD is easy. At 3h 20m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Mountain Lake Park, MD to Essex, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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