Origin
Silver Spring, MD
Late night in Silver Spring on Saturday
Local time
3:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Silver Spring, MD to Arnold, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
36.4 mi
59 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
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
Arnold, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Silver Spring, MD to Arnold, MD covers 36.4 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on John Hanson Highway, Capital Beltway, Blue Star Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.7 miles on John Hanson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 36.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m 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 48m drive with frequent turns across 36.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John Hanson Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 18.7 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
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 36.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
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 12.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 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.
7
12.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
8
34.6 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
MD 2
Take the exit onto MD 2 toward MD 2 North, MD 450 South: Baltimore, Naval Academy
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 27
Toward MD 2 North, MD 450 South: Baltimore, Nav...
7
34.8 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
MD 2
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 2 toward MD 2 North: Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MD 2 North: 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 Silver Spring, MD to Arnold, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Naval Academy along the way.
Naval Academy
34.6 mi in
|
~44m
|
via MD 2
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John Hanson Highway | 18.7 mi | 21m |
| Capital Beltway | 10.7 mi | 13m |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | 2 mi | 2m |
| MD 2 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Colesville Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Georgia Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Church Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Arnold Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John Hanson Highway
— 18.7 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Silver Spring, MD and Arnold, 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
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto US 50
19 mi
·
21 min
·
John Hanson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit onto MD 2
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
MD 2
Exit 27
Toward MD 2 North, MD 450 South: Baltimore, Naval Academy
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto MD 2
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
MD 2
Toward MD 2 North: Baltimore
Use the slight left lane.
12
Turn right onto Arnold Road
321 ft
·
18 sec
·
Arnold Road
13
Turn left onto Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
198 ft
·
8 sec
·
Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
14
Continue on Church Road
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Church Road
15
Arrive at destination
Church Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.2 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 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.2 miles from Silver Spring, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arnold, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Arnold, 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
$6.03 one way
$12.07 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.61 | $13.22 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.06 | $14.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.04 | $16.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 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 | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
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
Arnold, MD
Late night in Arnold on Saturday
Local time
3:04 AM
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
3 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
48m 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 Arnold, MD covers 36.4 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John Hanson Highway, Capital Beltway, Blue Star Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.2 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 $6.03 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 11 decision points packed into just 36.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
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 12.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Silver Spring, MD to Arnold, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Naval Academy 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 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.
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