Origin
Columbia, MD
Evening in Columbia on Friday
Local time
6:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to University Park, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
22.6 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
University Park, MD
DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ
Trip Overview
The drive from Columbia, MD to University Park, MD covers 22.6 miles and takes about 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Columbia Pike, Adelphi Road, Cherry Hill Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.6 miles on Columbia Pike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 22.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (3%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 37m drive with frequent turns across 22.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 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 13.6 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 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 22.6 miles you will encounter 12 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: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Depart toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m 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.
7
14.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward E. Randolph Road, Cherry Hill Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward E. Randolph Road, Cherry Hill Road
5
14.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Cherry Hill Road
Turn left onto Cherry Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 13.6 mi | 18m |
| Adelphi Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Cherry Hill Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Riggs Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Powder Mill Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Wells Parkway | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Wells Parkway East | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Clarksville Pike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 13.6 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and University Park, MD.
1
Start on this road
404 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
2
Turn straight onto MD 108
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
3
Continue on MD 108
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Clarksville Pike
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Town Center
5
Merge onto US 29
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Toward E. Randolph Road, Cherry Hill Road
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto Cherry Hill Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Cherry Hill Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto MD 212
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Powder Mill Road
9
Turn straight onto MD 212
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Riggs Road
10
Turn left onto Adelphi Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Adelphi Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto Wells Parkway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wells Parkway
12
Continue on Wells Parkway East
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Wells Parkway East
13
Turn left onto Beechwood Road
311 ft
·
15 sec
·
Beechwood Road
14
Turn right onto Underwood Street
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Underwood Street
15
Turn left onto Queens Chapel Road
56 ft
·
1 sec
·
Queens Chapel Road
16
Arrive at destination
Queens Chapel Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.75 one way
$7.49 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.10 | $8.21 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.38 | $8.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.99 | $9.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 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 | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.98 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.45 |
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
University Park, MD
Evening in University Park on Friday
Local time
6:58 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
37m 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 Columbia, MD to University Park, MD covers 22.6 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Columbia Pike, Adelphi Road, Cherry Hill Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.3 miles from Columbia, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.75 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 22.6 miles you will encounter 12 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: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Columbia, MD to University Park, MD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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