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Trip from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Bowie, MD

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

29m

Distance

19.8 mi

32 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 27m ★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m

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 Cape Saint Claire, MD, MD

Cape Saint Claire, MD

Jay Johnson

city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States

Bowie, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Cape Saint Claire, MD to Bowie, MD covers 19.8 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on John Hanson Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway, US 301 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.7 miles on John Hanson Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.28 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John Hanson Highway 10.7 mi 13m
Blue Star Memorial Highway 4.5 mi 6m
US 301 0.9 mi 1m
North West Crain Highway 0.8 mi 1m
Collington Road 0.7 mi 1m
Cape Saint Claire Road 0.7 mi 1m
Hampton Road 0.3 mi 1m
Hilltop Drive 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John Hanson Highway — 10.7 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cape Saint Claire, MD and Bowie, MD.

1

Start on Dogwood Tree Drive

312 ft · 16 sec · Dogwood Tree Drive
2

Turn right onto Hampton Road

0.3 mi · 1 min · Hampton Road
3

Turn left onto Blue Ridge Drive

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Blue Ridge Drive
4

Turn right onto Hilltop Drive

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Hilltop Drive
5

Turn right onto Cape Saint Claire Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · Cape Saint Claire Road
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward US 50 West, US 301 West: Washington
7

Merge onto US 50; US 301

4.5 mi · 6 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on US 50; US 301; MD 2

11 mi · 13 min · John Hanson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit onto US 301

0.2 mi · 14 sec · US 301
Exit 13A-B-C Toward MD 3, US 301: Crofton, Richmond Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto US 301

0.4 mi · 34 sec · US 301
Exit 13A Toward US 301 South: Richmond Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto US 301

0.3 mi · 41 sec · US 301
Exit 13A Toward US 301 South: Richmond Use the right lane.
12

Merge onto US 301

0.8 mi · 1 min · North West Crain Highway
13

Turn right onto MD 197

0.7 mi · 1 min · Collington Road
Use the left lane.
14

Turn left onto Evergreen Parkway

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Evergreen Parkway
15

Turn right

259 ft · 20 sec
16

Turn left

110 ft · 8 sec
17

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 17.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Hampton Road

Turn right onto Hampton Road

Navigation decision point

5
1.8 mi into trip | ~4m in | US 50; US 301 / Blue Star Memorial Highway

Merge onto US 50; US 301 / Blue Star Memorial Highway

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17 mi into trip | ~23m in | US 301

Take the exit onto US 301 toward MD 3, US 301: Crofton, Richmond

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 13A-B-C Toward MD 3, US 301: Crofton, Richmond
8
17.2 mi into trip | ~24m in | US 301

Keep slight left at fork onto US 301 toward US 301 South: Richmond

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 13A Toward US 301 South: Richmond
8
17.6 mi into trip | ~24m in | US 301

Keep slight right at fork onto US 301 toward US 301 South: Richmond

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 13A Toward US 301 South: Richmond

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.28 one way

$6.57 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $3.60 $7.19
premium $4.93 $3.84 $7.68
diesel $5.61 $4.37 $8.74

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 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 5.9 0 $2.08 $0.95
Efficient EV 5 0 $1.73 $0.79
EV Truck/SUV 7.9 0 $2.77 $1.27

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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Cape Saint Claire, MD

Afternoon in Cape Saint Claire on Sunday

Local time

12:11 PM

EDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bowie, MD

Afternoon in Bowie on Sunday

Local time

12:11 PM

EDT

Current temp

68°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

29m 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?

19.8 mi in 29m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.7 mi on John Hanson Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Hampton Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 14 decision points packed into just 19.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hampton Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (US 50; US 301 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 Cape Saint Claire, MD to Bowie, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Richmond along the way.

Richmond

17 mi in | ~23m | via US 301

About the Cities

Arriving in Bowie, MD

Full guide →

Founded 1882

Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Top landmarks

  • • Belair Mansion — mansion located in Collington, Maryland, United States of America
  • • Bowie Railroad Buildings — railway building and museum in Bowie, Maryland, USA

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 29m. Total distance: 19.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

29m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 10.7 miles on John Hanson Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Bowie, MD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Hampton Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (US 50; US 301 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (US 301): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bowie, MD before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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