Origin
Silver Hill, MD
Night in Silver Hill on Friday
Local time
9:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
37.6 mi
60 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Silver Hill, MD
Robert So
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD is 37.6 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Baltimore-Washington Parkway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, offering a fairly direct connection between these two Maryland locations. The drive is a mixed bag, meaning you'll experience both highway speeds and potentially some slower sections as you navigate between your starting and ending points. It's a straightforward journey, perfectly suited for a quick day trip or as a segment of a larger regional exploration.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 37.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This drive features a 58% highway share, so expect a good portion of your 37.6 miles to be on faster-paced roads. The longest stretch you'll encounter without a significant change in road type is 20.8 miles along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The profile is described as a 'mixed drive,' suggesting that while the parkway dominates, you'll likely transition onto local roads or potentially other highways as you get closer to Columbia. This blend means the driving experience will vary, moving from open highway cruising to more local traffic conditions.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Baltimore-Washington Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 20.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 37.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Minnesota Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Minnesota Avenue Northeast
Turn right onto Minnesota Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Baltimore
7
36.1 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~56m 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...
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 Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
6.7 mi in
|
~14m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 20.8 mi | 28m |
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 7.9 mi | 10m |
| Fort Davis Drive Southeast | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Kenilworth Avenue Freeway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Minnesota Avenue Northeast | 1 mi | 2m |
| Branch Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Southern Avenue Southeast | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Ridge Road Southeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
— 20.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Silver Hill, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on MD 414
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Old Silver Hill Road
2
Turn left onto MD 5
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Branch Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto Southern Avenue Southeast
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Southern Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Fort Davis Drive Southeast
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Davis Drive Southeast
6
Turn left onto Ridge Road Southeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Ridge Road Southeast
7
Turn right onto Minnesota Avenue Northeast
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Minnesota Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast
363 ft
·
21 sec
·
Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Kenilworth Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue Northeast
10
Merge onto DC 295
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Baltimore
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
21 mi
·
28 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto MD 100
7.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
16
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.8 mi from Silver Hill, MD · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.8 miles from Silver Hill, MD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Columbia, MD
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Columbia, 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
$6.23 one way
$12.47 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.83 | $13.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.29 | $14.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.30 | $16.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.41 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Columbia, MD
Night in Columbia on Friday
Local time
9:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
75°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
56m 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 Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD covers 37.6 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway, Fort Davis Drive Southeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.8 miles from Silver Hill, MD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.23 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 short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 37.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Minnesota Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
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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