Origin
Bowie, MD
Late night in Bowie on Wednesday
Local time
5:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bowie, MD to Highland, MD
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
40m
Distance
23.6 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Highland, MD
Rámon van Raaij
Trip Overview
This 23.6-mile drive from Bowie to Highland, Maryland, is a short, manageable trip that can easily be completed in about 40 minutes. It's perfect for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You'll navigate primarily via Laurel Bowie Road and MD 216, with a smaller portion on 7th Street. The route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local drive than a highway cruise. With a budget of around $4 for fuel, this trip is economical. Both Bowie and Highland are located in the Northeast region of Maryland, offering a consistent local experience throughout your journey.
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
11.8 miles from Bowie, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 20m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 23.6-mile journey. Only about 19% of the route involves highway driving, meaning you'll spend most of your time on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.5 miles along Laurel Bowie Road. This means you'll be making frequent adjustments and navigating through familiar community settings rather than cruising on high-speed highways. The road personality shifts as you transition between these different local thoroughfares, demanding your attention with its numerous turns.
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.
Laurel Bowie Road is the longest continuous segment at about 11.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23.6 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Evergreen Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (MD 197 / Collington Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Evergreen Parkway
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MD 197 / Collington Road
At end of road, turn left onto MD 197 / Collington Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
20 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
MD 216
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
20.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
MD 216
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Bowie Road | 11.5 mi | 18m |
| 7th Street | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| MD 216 | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Collington Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Talbott Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Fort Meade Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Evergreen Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Scaggsville Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Laurel Bowie Road
— 11.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bowie, MD and Highland, MD.
1
Start on this road
110 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
4
At end of road, turn left onto MD 197
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Collington Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Continue on MD 197
11 mi
·
18 min
·
Laurel Bowie Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto MD 198
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Fort Meade Road
7
Continue on MD 198
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Talbott Avenue
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Turn right onto MD 216
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
7th Street
9
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
157 ft
·
2 sec
·
MD 216
10
Continue on MD 216
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
MD 216
11
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
165 ft
·
3 sec
·
MD 216
12
Continue on MD 216
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
MD 216
13
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
123 ft
·
2 sec
·
MD 216
14
Continue on MD 216
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
MD 216
15
Enter roundabout onto MD 216
134 ft
·
2 sec
·
MD 216
16
Continue on MD 216
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
MD 216
17
Arrive at destination
MD 216
Trip Plan
Given the short 40-minute duration and 23.6-mile distance, this route offers a lot of flexibility. You can depart at any time of day without needing to worry about splitting the drive. Plan for potential delays due to the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, especially if you're traveling during peak local traffic hours. The estimated fuel cost is a low $4, so you won't need to make frequent stops for gas. Keep an eye on your GPS for the numerous turns required on Laurel Bowie Road and MD 216 to stay on track efficiently.
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 11.8 miles from Bowie, MD, or about 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 11.5 miles.
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 23.6 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 11.8 miles or 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Highland, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bowie, 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 Bowie, MD
This is one driving day of about 23.6 miles and 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bowie, 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.
The longest stretch is on Laurel Bowie Road for about 11.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 11.8 mi from Bowie, MD · 20m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
12 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 23.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 11.8 miles from Bowie, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Highland, MD
The final approach into Highland, 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 Highland, 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
$3.91 one way
$7.83 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.29 | $8.57 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.58 | $9.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Highland, MD
Late night in Highland on Wednesday
Local time
5:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
40m 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 Bowie, MD to Highland, MD covers 23.6 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Laurel Bowie Road, 7th Street, MD 216. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.8 miles from Bowie, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.91 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 23.6 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Evergreen Parkway): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (MD 197 / Collington Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bowie, MD to Highland, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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