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Trip from Clearwater, SC to Columbia, SC

Data updated 4 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 22m

Distance

67.7 mi

109 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 16m ★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Clearwater, SC, SC

Clearwater, SC

Jared Lung

Trip Overview

The drive from Clearwater, SC to Columbia, SC covers 67.7 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 20, Augusta Road, Jarvis Klapman Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.3 miles on I 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.59 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

33.8 miles from Clearwater, SC

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 40m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 1h 22m highway drive covering 67.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 20 and Augusta Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 51.3 miles on I 20.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 51.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and Augusta Road. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.2 miles in.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.9 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
5.2 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 20 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 20 East
5
5.9 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 20

Merge onto I 20

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
57.2 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in

Take the exit toward US 1: Columbia Airport, West Columbia, Lexington

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 58 Toward US 1: Columbia Airport, West Columbia, L...
5
66.9 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | US 21; US 176; US 321 / Huger Street

Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321 / Huger Street

Navigation decision point

4
67 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | Gervais Street

Turn left onto Gervais Street

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 Clearwater, SC to Columbia, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Lexington along the way.

Lexington

57.2 mi in | ~1h 5m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 20 51.3 mi 56m
Augusta Road 6.1 mi 9m
Jarvis Klapman Boulevard 2.7 mi 3m
Belvedere-Clearwater Road 2.2 mi 3m
Palmetto Parkway 2 mi 2m
Belvedere Road 0.6 mi 1m
Gervais Street 0.6 mi 1m
Hampton Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 20 — 51.3 mi, about 56m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Clearwater, SC and Columbia, SC.

1

Start on SC 421

37 ft · 2 sec · Augusta Road
2

Turn right onto SC 126

0.6 mi · 1 min · Belvedere Road
3

Continue on SC 126

2.2 mi · 3 min · Belvedere-Clearwater Road
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 44 sec
5

Merge onto I 520

2.0 mi · 2 min · Palmetto Parkway
6

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 20 East
7

Merge onto I 20

51 mi · 56 min · I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Exit 58 Toward US 1: Columbia Airport, West Columbia, Lexington Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn left onto US 1

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Augusta Road
10

Continue on US 1

5.9 mi · 8 min · Augusta Road
11

Turn straight onto SC 12

2.7 mi · 3 min · Jarvis Klapman Boulevard
12

Continue on SC 12

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Hampton Street
13

Turn right onto Williams Street

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Williams Street
14

Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Huger Street
15

Turn left onto Gervais Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Gervais Street
Use the left lane.
16

Arrive at destination

Gervais Street

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 33.8 miles from Clearwater, SC, or about 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.3 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 67.7 miles or 1h 22m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 33.8 miles or 40m 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 Columbia, SC than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Clearwater, SC 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 Clearwater, SC

This is one driving day of about 67.7 miles and 1h 22m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Clearwater, SC.
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 I 20 for about 51.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 33.8 mi from Clearwater, SC · 40m into the drive

Downtown Inman Mills, SC, SC

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Inman Mills, SC

34 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.

Popular next leg

Inman Mills, SC to Columbia, SC

103.1 mi · 1h 39m

Pacing Suggestions

Charlotte, NC

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 67.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Inman Mills, SC

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.8 miles from Clearwater, SC, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Columbia, SC

The final approach into Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park

National Park

Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and...

22 mi from route ~55 min detour Free near mile 67.7
Caution: Backcountry Trail Conditions
Park Closure: Boardwalk Partially Closed for Construction
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.59 one way

$21.17 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $11.58 $23.15
premium $4.70 $12.53 $25.06
diesel $5.61 $14.95 $29.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.3 0 $7.11 $3.25
Efficient EV 16.9 0 $5.92 $2.71
EV Truck/SUV 27.1 0 $9.48 $4.33

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 hours ago

Origin

Clearwater, SC

Night in Clearwater on Tuesday

Local time

9:26 PM

EDT

Current temp

89°F

Sunny

SW 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Columbia, SC

Night in Columbia on Tuesday

Local time

9:26 PM

EDT

Current temp

63°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

26 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

1h 22m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Clearwater, SC to Columbia, SC covers 67.7 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 20, Augusta Road, Jarvis Klapman Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.8 miles from Clearwater, SC. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.59 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 67.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.9 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Clearwater, SC to Columbia, SC, road signs begin pointing toward Lexington along the way.

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