Origin
Silver Spring, MD
Morning in Silver Spring on Friday
Local time
6:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Silver Spring, MD to Dunkirk Town Center, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
36.7 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Silver Spring, MD
www.kaboompics.com
Dunkirk Town Center, MD
Irina Iriser
Trip Overview
The drive from Silver Spring, MD to Dunkirk Town Center, MD covers 36.7 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Capital Beltway, Ritchie Marlboro Road, Southern Maryland Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.4 miles on Capital Beltway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 36.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m 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 55m drive with frequent turns across 36.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Capital Beltway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.4 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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 36.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (US 29 / Colesville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 29 / Colesville Road
Turn right onto US 29 / Colesville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
18.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward MD 221A: Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward MD 221A: Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro
6
18.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight left at fork toward East Upper Marlboro, Ritchie - Marlboro Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward East Upper Marlboro, Ritchie - Marlboro...
6
36.4 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
Ward Road
Turn left onto Ward Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 Silver Spring, MD to Dunkirk Town Center, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Upper Marlboro along the way.
Upper Marlboro
18.5 mi in
|
~25m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Beltway | 16.4 mi | 21m |
| Ritchie Marlboro Road | 5.9 mi | 10m |
| Southern Maryland Boulevard | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Stephanie Roper Highway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Colesville Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Ward Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Capital Beltway
— 16.4 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Silver Spring, MD and Dunkirk Town Center, MD.
1
Start on this road
85 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
200 ft
·
14 sec
3
Merge onto US 29
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Georgia Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 29
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Colesville Road
Use the right lane.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 495 East: College Park
6
Merge onto I 495
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 13
Toward MD 221A: Capitol Heights, Upper Marlboro
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward East Upper Marlboro, Ritchie - Marlboro Road
9
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
286 ft
·
4 sec
·
Ritchie Marlboro Road
10
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Ritchie Marlboro Road
11
Enter roundabout onto Ritchie Marlboro Road
140 ft
·
2 sec
·
Ritchie Marlboro Road
12
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Ritchie Marlboro Road
13
Continue on Ritchie Marlboro Road
5.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Ritchie Marlboro Road
14
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward MD 4 South: Prince Frederick
15
Merge onto MD 4
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on MD 4
4.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Stephanie Roper Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on MD 4
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Southern Maryland Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto Ward Road
115 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ward Road
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left onto MD 4
441 ft
·
8 sec
·
Southern Maryland Boulevard
20
Turn slight right
171 ft
·
17 sec
21
Turn left
196 ft
·
16 sec
22
Turn right
467 ft
·
34 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.3 mi from Silver Spring, MD · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Silver Spring, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Dunkirk Town Center, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Dunkirk Town Center, MD 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
$6.08 one way
$12.17 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.66 | $13.33 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.12 | $14.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.10 | $16.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.14 | $2.35 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Dunkirk Town Center, MD
Morning in Dunkirk Town Center on Friday
Local time
6:27 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
55m 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 Silver Spring, MD to Dunkirk Town Center, MD covers 36.7 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Capital Beltway, Ritchie Marlboro Road, Southern Maryland Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.3 miles from Silver Spring, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.08 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 15 decision points packed into just 36.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (US 29 / Colesville Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Silver Spring, MD to Dunkirk Town Center, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Upper Marlboro along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.
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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Return Trip
Dunkirk Town Center, MD to Silver Spring, MDPlan the drive back the other way.
36.1 mi
54m
Continue From Dunkirk Town Center, MD
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