Origin
Columbia, MD
Afternoon in Columbia on Saturday
Local time
1:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
61.6 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD covers 61.6 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MD 108 West, Clarksville Pike, US 29 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.21 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MD 108 West | — | — |
| Clarksville Pike | — | — |
| US 29 South | — | — |
| Columbia Pike | — | — |
| MD 32 East | — | — |
| Shaker Drive | — | — |
| Patuxent Freeway | — | — |
| I 95 South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
MD 108 West
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and La Plata, MD.
1
Start on MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
404 ft
·
10 sec
·
MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
2
Turn straight onto Clarksville Pike
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
3
Continue on Clarksville Pike
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
4
Take the ramp slight right toward US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
5
Merge slight left onto Columbia Pike
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Columbia Pike
6
Take the exit slight right toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
MD 32 East: Fort Meade
7
Keep slight left to continue on Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
8
Merge slight left onto Patuxent Freeway
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Patuxent Freeway
9
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South: Washington
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 South: Washington
10
Merge slight left
28 mi
·
35 min
11
Take the exit slight right toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate, Morningside
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate, Morningside
12
Turn right onto Forestville Road
427 ft
·
12 sec
·
Forestville Road
13
Turn slight right onto MD 337 South
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
MD 337 South
14
Turn left onto MD 5 South: Waldorf
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
MD 5 South: Waldorf
15
Merge slight left onto Branch Avenue
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Branch Avenue
16
Merge slight right onto Crain Highway
14 mi
·
21 min
·
Crain Highway
17
Turn left onto Charles Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles Street
18
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
56 ft
·
4 sec
·
Kent Avenue
19
Turn right
10 ft
·
1 sec
20
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Columbia, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.21 one way
$20.43 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.19 | $22.37 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.95 | $23.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.60 | $27.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.62 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
La Plata, MD
Afternoon in La Plata on Saturday
Local time
1:38 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°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 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 28m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
61.6 mi in 1h 28m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: MD 108 West.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD is easy. At 1h 28m 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 Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in La Plata, MD
Full guide →La Plata is a city in Southern Maryland. It is the county seat of Charles County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at La Plata, MD before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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