Origin
Columbia, MD
Late night in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to Brentwood, MD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
24.8 mi
40 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Brentwood, MD
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
Planning a short trip from Columbia, MD to Brentwood, MD? This drive covers 24.8 miles and should take about 41 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You'll navigate primarily via local roads like Columbia Pike, Riggs Road, and Cherry Hill Road, with no highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost is around $4, which is quite budget-friendly for a weekend getaway. Given the short distance and quick travel time, this route offers a lot of flexibility for your schedule. Both your origin and destination are located within the Northeast region, so you'll be staying within familiar territory.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 13.6 mi | 18m |
| Riggs Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Cherry Hill Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Powder Mill Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Ager Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| 38th Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Hamilton Street | 0.7 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 Brentwood, 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
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Riggs Road
10
Turn left onto MD 410
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
East-West Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Ager Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Ager Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Hamilton Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hamilton Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto MD 208
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
38th Street
14
Arrive at destination
MD 208
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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...
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.
6
22.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Ager Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Ager Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.11 one way
$8.22 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.50 | $9.01 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.81 | $9.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.48 | $10.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.17 | $0.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.47 | $1.59 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Brentwood, MD
Late night in Brentwood on Tuesday
Local time
4:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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
13 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
41m 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 for this 24.8-mile journey. With a 0% highway share, you'll be spending your entire time on surface streets, offering a more intimate experience with the landscape. The longest uninterrupted stretch you’ll encounter is 13.6 miles along Columbia Pike. This type of driving means you'll be frequently adjusting your speed and making turns, so staying attentive is key. The roads will likely feel more urban and residential as you get closer to your destination.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.6 mi on Columbia Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 24.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: 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; at 14.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 24.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m 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 13.6 miles on Columbia Pike. 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 Brentwood, 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: near the start: 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; at 14.4 miles: 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 Brentwood, 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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