Origin
Ellicott City, MD
Night in Ellicott City on Wednesday
Local time
10:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ellicott City, MD to Olney, MD
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
31m
Distance
18.8 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ellicott City, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Olney, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ellicott City, MD to Olney, MD covers 18.8 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Clarksville Pike, Olney Sandy Spring Road, Ashton Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10 miles on Clarksville Pike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.12 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
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
9.4 miles from Ellicott City, MD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 16m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 31m drive with frequent turns across 18.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Clarksville Pike is the longest continuous segment at about 10 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
542 ft
157 ft
Total Climb
640 ft
Total Descent
255 ft
Highest Point
542 ft
~18.8 mi in
Elevation Range
385 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 31m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward US 29 South: Washington
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
3
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge onto US 29 / Columbia Pike
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
3
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
MD 108 / Clarksville Pike
Turn straight onto MD 108 / Clarksville Pike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
3
18.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD / Georgia Avenue
Turn sharp left onto 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD / Georgia Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ellicott City, MD and Olney, MD, road signs point toward Dorsey's Search and Harper's Choice.
Dorsey's Search
2.7 mi in
|
~5m
Harper's Choice
2.7 mi in
|
~5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Clarksville Pike | 10 mi | 16m |
| Olney Sandy Spring Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Ashton Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Old Columbia Pike | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| Montgomery Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Georgia Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Clarksville Pike
— 10 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ellicott City, MD and Olney, MD.
1
Start on Old Columbia Pike
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Columbia Pike
2
Turn slight right onto MD 103
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Montgomery Road
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Merge onto US 29
0.9 mi
·
57 sec
·
Columbia Pike
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn straight onto MD 108
10.0 mi
·
16 min
·
Clarksville Pike
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on MD 108
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Ashton Road
8
Continue on MD 108
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Olney Sandy Spring Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn sharp left onto 18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
117 ft
·
13 sec
·
18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
10
Arrive at destination
18000 Georgia Avenue, Olney MD
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 9.4 miles from Ellicott City, MD, or about 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10 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 18.8 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 9.4 miles or 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Olney, MD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Ellicott City, MD.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ellicott City, MD
This is one driving day of about 18.8 miles and 31m.
At 18.8 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Clarksville Pike for about 10 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 9.4 mi from Ellicott City, MD · 16m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 18.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 9.4 miles from Ellicott City, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Olney, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Olney, MD if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.12 one way
$6.23 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.41 | $6.83 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.65 | $7.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Olney, MD
Night in Olney on Wednesday
Local time
10:28 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
31m 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 Ellicott City, MD to Olney, MD covers 18.8 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Clarksville Pike, Olney Sandy Spring Road, Ashton Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.4 miles from Ellicott City, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.12 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 straightforward 31m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 29 / Columbia Pike): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Ellicott City, MD and Olney, MD, road signs point toward Dorsey's Search and Harper's Choice.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 157 ft to 542 ft elevation with about 640 ft of total climbing.
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