Origin
Clinton, OH
Afternoon in Clinton on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clinton, OH to Columbus, OH
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
58.1 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clinton, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 58.5-mile drive from Clinton to Columbus, Ohio, is a straightforward 1-hour trip, making it an ideal day excursion. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $9, this route focuses on local roads, offering a turn-heavy experience rather than highway cruising. As both destinations are within the Midwest region and the state of Ohio, you'll be navigating familiar territory. Given its short duration and local road nature, this trip is best tackled in a single go, with no need for overnight stops. It's a practical option for a quick journey between these two Ohio locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 71 | 48 mi | 52m |
| Stone Road | 4.6 mi | 11m |
| SR 72 | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| South Front Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Innerbelt | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East State Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 48 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton, OH and Columbus, OH.
1
Start on C-23
4.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Stone Road
2
At end of road, turn left onto SR 72
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
SR 72
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 71 North: Columbus
4
Merge onto I 71
48 mi
·
52 min
·
I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto I 71
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
I 71
Toward I 71 North, I 70 East: Cleveland, Wheeling
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 70; I 71
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Innerbelt
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
8
Turn left onto South Front Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Front Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto West State Street
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
West State Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on East State Street
106 ft
·
3 sec
·
East State Street
11
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Clinton, OH, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 57.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
SR 72
At end of road, turn left onto SR 72
Navigation decision point
5
8.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 71
Merge onto I 71
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
56.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
I 71
Take the exit onto I 71 toward I 71 North, I 70 East: Cleveland, Wheeling
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 I 71 North, I 70 East: Cleveland, Wheeli...
6
57.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
South Front Street
Turn left onto South Front Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
57.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
West State Street
Turn right onto West State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.02 one way
$18.03 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $10.01 | $20.01 |
| premium | $4.91 | $11.23 | $22.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.83 | $25.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Columbus, OH
Afternoon in Columbus on Sunday
Local time
12:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
36°F
Mount Sterling, OH
29 mi in
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
13 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 15m 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?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with zero highway miles. The 58.5-mile journey from Clinton to Columbus primarily utilizes local streets and roads, meaning you'll be making frequent turns and navigating through potentially more built-up areas. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the 'turn-heavy' profile suggests consistent engagement with traffic signals and intersections. This isn't a route for settling into a high-speed cruise; rather, it requires active navigation and awareness of your surroundings as you transition from one local road to the next.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48 mi on I 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and Stone Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near SR 72.
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 58.1 miles you will encounter 10 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: at 4.6 miles (SR 72): Navigation decision point; at 8.7 miles (I 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.3 miles (I 71): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Columbus, OH
Full guide →Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state as the core of the Greater Columbus area. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Farm Belt meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of the Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and the Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of the Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers.
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 15m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48 miles on I 71. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 4.6 miles (SR 72): Navigation decision point; at 8.7 miles (I 71): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.3 miles (I 71): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument and Dayton Aviation Heritage 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 Columbus, OH 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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