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Trip from Columbia, MD to Brookmont, MD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

52m

Distance

33.3 mi

54 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 48m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m

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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planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Columbia, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Brookmont, MD, MD

Brookmont, MD

Jo Green

Trip Overview

This 33.3-mile drive from Columbia, MD, to Brookmont, MD, is a manageable one-day trip that should take about 52 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate Columbia Pike and the Capital Beltway, with a portion on the Cabin John Parkway. Given its short duration and the estimated $6 fuel cost, this route is ideal for a quick excursion without needing an overnight stay. The drive offers a blend of local roads and highway travel, making it a straightforward journey within the Northeast region of Maryland. Plan for a straightforward trip with minimal time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Columbia Pike 17.1 mi 24m
Capital Beltway 9.4 mi 12m
Cabin John Parkway 1.7 mi 2m
MacArthur Boulevard 1.6 mi 4m
Colesville Road 1 mi 2m
Clara Barton Parkway 0.8 mi 1m
Clarksville Pike 0.3 mi <1m
Ridge Drive 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Columbia Pike — 17.1 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Brookmont, 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

17 mi · 24 min · Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on US 29

1.0 mi · 2 min · Colesville Road
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 495

5.0 mi · 6 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495

4.3 mi · 5 min · Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto Cabin John Parkway

1.7 mi · 2 min · Cabin John Parkway
Exit 40 Toward Cabin John Parkway, Glen Echo Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on Clara Barton Parkway

0.7 mi · 1 min · Clara Barton Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

157 ft · 13 sec
Toward MacArthur Boulevard Use the left lane.
13

Merge onto Clara Barton Parkway

232 ft · 3 sec · Clara Barton Parkway
14

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 25 sec
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo
15

At end of road, turn right onto MacArthur Boulevard

1.6 mi · 4 min · MacArthur Boulevard
Use the right lane.
16

Turn right onto Maryland Avenue

0.1 mi · 35 sec · Maryland Avenue
17

At end of road, turn left onto Ridge Drive

0.2 mi · 44 sec · Ridge Drive
18

Turn left onto 63rd Street

380 ft · 16 sec · 63rd Street
19

Arrive at destination

63rd Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

group of communities in Montgomery County, Maryland that straddles the northwest border of Washington, D.C., United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chevy Chase, MD

17 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

Bethesda, MD

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kemp Mill, MD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 16.6 miles from Columbia, MD, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 18.9 and 31.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
18.9 mi into trip | ~28m in

Take the exit toward I 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia

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 495 West: Bethesda, Northern Virginia
6
24.3 mi into trip | ~36m in | I 495 / Capital Beltway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 495 / Capital Beltway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
28.6 mi into trip | ~42m in | Cabin John Parkway

Keep slight right at fork onto Cabin John Parkway toward Cabin John Parkway, Glen Echo

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 40 Toward Cabin John Parkway, Glen Echo
6
31.1 mi into trip | ~45m in

Take the exit toward MacArthur Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward MacArthur Boulevard
7
31.3 mi into trip | ~46m in | MacArthur Boulevard

At end of road, turn right onto MacArthur Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.52 one way

$11.04 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $6.05 $12.09
premium $4.93 $6.46 $12.92
diesel $5.61 $7.35 $14.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10 0 $3.50 $1.60
Efficient EV 8.3 0 $2.91 $1.33
EV Truck/SUV 13.3 0 $4.66 $2.13

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Columbia, MD

Morning in Columbia on Tuesday

Local time

6:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Brookmont, MD

Morning in Brookmont on Tuesday

Local time

6:25 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

52m 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 about 7% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.1 miles along Columbia Pike, offering a sustained period of driving before transitions. As you progress, the character of the road will shift from local streets to the faster pace of the Capital Beltway and then to the Cabin John Parkway. This mix means you'll need to stay attentive to changing speed limits and road conditions throughout the 52-minute travel time.

Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.1 mi on Columbia Pike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

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 18.9 miles in.

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 15 decision points packed into just 33.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.3 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (Cabin John Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

Between Columbia, MD and Brookmont, MD, road signs point toward Northern Virginia and Glen Echo.

Northern Virginia

18.9 mi in | ~28m

Glen Echo

28.6 mi in | ~42m | via Cabin John Parkway

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 33.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17.1 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 Brookmont, 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 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 24.3 miles (I 495 / Capital Beltway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (Cabin John Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brookmont, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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