Origin
Thurmont, MD
Morning in Thurmont on Monday
Local time
9:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
75.6 mi
122 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thurmont, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
The drive from Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD covers 75.6 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jimtown Road, Creagerstown Road, Woodsboro Creagerstown Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.51 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
37.8 miles from Thurmont, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 38m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 17m drive with frequent turns across 75.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jimtown Road 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 Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD is easy. At 1h 17m 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 Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jimtown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Creagerstown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Woodsboro Creagerstown Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Woodsboro Pike | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Woodsboro Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Walnut Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Green Valley Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Jimtown Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thurmont, MD and Essex, MD.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
2
Keep slight right to continue on Jimtown Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Jimtown Road
3
Turn left onto Creagerstown Road
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Creagerstown Road
4
Continue on Woodsboro Creagerstown Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Woodsboro Creagerstown Road
5
At the end of the road, turn left onto Woodsboro Pike
43 ft
·
1 sec
·
Woodsboro Pike
6
Continue on Woodsboro Pike
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodsboro Pike
7
Turn left onto Woodsboro Road
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Woodsboro Road
8
Turn left onto Main Street
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Main Street
9
Turn right onto Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Walnut Street
10
Continue on Green Valley Road
7.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Green Valley Road
11
Turn left onto I 70 East
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 70 East
12
Merge slight left
13 mi
·
13 min
13
Continue straight
6.5 mi
·
6 min
14
Keep slight left to continue on Baltimore
9.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Baltimore
15
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
16
Keep slight right to continue on I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 695 South: Baltimore, Glen Burnie
17
Merge slight left onto Baltimore Beltway
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Baltimore Beltway
18
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
19
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 North: Baltimore
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 North: Baltimore
20
Merge slight left
4.7 mi
·
6 min
21
Keep slight left
4.3 mi
·
5 min
22
Take the exit slight right toward MD 150: Eastern Avenue
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
MD 150: Eastern Avenue
23
Keep slight right to continue on MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
256 ft
·
8 sec
·
MD 150 East: Eastern Avenue, East Essex
24
Turn right onto Eastern Avenue
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastern Avenue
25
Continue on Eastern Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Eastern Boulevard
26
Turn left onto North Taylor Avenue
210 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Taylor Avenue
27
Turn right
522 ft
·
38 sec
28
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37.8 miles from Thurmont, MD, or about 38m 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 75.6 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.8 miles or 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 6m
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 Thurmont, 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 Thurmont, MD
This is one driving day of about 75.6 miles and 1h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Thurmont, MD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 37.8 mi from Thurmont, MD · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 75.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.8 miles from Thurmont, 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
$12.51 one way
$25.02 round trip
$4.20/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $13.69 | $27.38 |
| premium | $4.92 | $14.65 | $29.30 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $16.80 | $33.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.7 | 0 | $7.94 | $3.63 |
| Efficient EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.2 | 0 | $10.58 | $4.84 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
9:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
68°F
Washington, DC
38 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
21 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 17m 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 Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD covers 75.6 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jimtown Road, Creagerstown Road, Woodsboro Creagerstown Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 37.8 miles from Thurmont, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.51 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.
The drive from Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD is easy. At 1h 17m 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 Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Thurmont, MD to Essex, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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