Origin
Wheaton, MD
Late night in Wheaton on Friday
Local time
1:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wheaton, MD to Riverside, MD
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
27m
Distance
16.2 mi
26 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wheaton, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, MD
Sjuan Dogjani
Trip Overview
This 16.2-mile drive from Wheaton to Riverside, Maryland, is a quick 27-minute journey perfect for a single day. You'll navigate primarily using Columbia Pike, Randolph Road, and the Intercounty Connector, with no highway driving involved. With a modest fuel cost estimate of $3, this route offers a straightforward local exploration within the Northeast region of Maryland. It's an ideal option if you're looking for a short, efficient trip without the need for an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 16.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you’ll encounter is 7.5 miles on Columbia Pike. This road personality means you'll be actively navigating through local streets and connectors for most of the trip, rather than cruising on high-speed highways. Be prepared for frequent turns and adjustments as you transition between Columbia Pike, Randolph Road, and the Intercounty Connector.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Columbia Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 7.5 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 around 1.5 miles in.
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 11 decision points packed into just 16.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
8
7.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
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 16A-B
Toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
6
7.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 North: Columbia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 16B
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
5
8.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge onto US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Rivers Edge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Rivers Edge
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 Wheaton, MD to Riverside, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Columbia along the way.
Columbia
7.6 mi in
|
~13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 7.5 mi | 10m |
| Randolph Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Intercounty Connector | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Georgia Avenue | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Rivers Edge Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Ennalls Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Rivers View Court | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 7.5 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wheaton, MD and Riverside, MD.
1
Start on MD 586
322 ft
·
15 sec
·
Veirs Mill Road
2
Turn left onto Ennalls Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Ennalls Avenue
3
At end of road, turn left onto MD 97
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Georgia Avenue
4
Turn right
235 ft
·
8 sec
5
Continue on this road
230 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
6
Keep slight left at fork
285 ft
·
12 sec
7
Turn straight onto Randolph Road
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Randolph Road
8
Turn left onto MD 650
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
New Hampshire Avenue
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward MD 200 Toll East
10
Merge onto MD 200 Toll
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Intercounty Connector
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 16A-B
Toward US 29: Silver Spring, Columbia
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 16B
Toward US 29 North: Columbia
13
Merge onto US 29
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
337 ft
·
11 sec
Toward Rivers Edge
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on Rivers Edge Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Rivers Edge Road
16
Turn left onto Rivers View Court
390 ft
·
17 sec
·
Rivers View Court
17
Arrive at destination
Rivers View Court
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.69 one way
$5.37 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.94 | $5.88 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.14 | $6.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.58 | $7.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.70 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Riverside, MD
Late night in Riverside on Friday
Local time
1:25 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
4 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
27m 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 Wheaton, MD to Riverside, MD covers 16.2 miles and takes about 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Columbia Pike, Randolph Road, Intercounty Connector. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.1 miles from Wheaton, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.69 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 16.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Wheaton, MD to Riverside, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Columbia along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and Monocacy National Battlefield.
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