Origin
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
7:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to Clarksburg, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
27.5 mi
44 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Clarksburg, MD
Jonathan Borba
Trip Overview
Columbia, MD to Clarksburg, MD is 27.5 miles and takes about 51 minutes via Clarksville Pike, Brink Road, and Brighton Dam Road, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip primarily within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a local driving experience rather than a highway cruise, with plenty of turns to keep you engaged. Given the short distance and duration, this route is easily manageable for a quick excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Clarksville Pike | 6.3 mi | 10m |
| Brink Road | 6.2 mi | 11m |
| Brighton Dam Road | 4.2 mi | 7m |
| Sundown Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| New Hampshire Avenue | 3 mi | 7m |
| Frederick Road | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| Ten Oaks Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Damascus Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Clarksville Pike
— 6.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and Clarksburg, 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
6.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Clarksville Pike
3
Turn right onto Ten Oaks Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Ten Oaks Road
4
Enter roundabout onto Brighton Dam Road
190 ft
·
3 sec
·
Brighton Dam Road
5
Continue on Brighton Dam Road
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Brighton Dam Road
6
Turn right onto MD 650
3.0 mi
·
7 min
·
New Hampshire Avenue
7
Continue on MD 650
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
Damascus Road
8
Turn slight left onto Sundown Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Sundown Road
9
Continue on Brink Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Brink Road
10
Continue on Brink Road
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Brink Road
11
At end of road, turn right onto MD 355
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Frederick Road
12
Arrive at destination
MD 355
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.1 — 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...
3
6.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Ten Oaks Road
Turn right onto Ten Oaks Road
Navigation decision point
5
7.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Brighton Dam Road
Enter roundabout onto Brighton Dam Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
25.1 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
MD 355 / Frederick Road
At end of road, turn right onto MD 355 / Frederick Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.56 one way
$9.12 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.99 | $9.99 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.33 | $10.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.07 | $12.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.89 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Clarksburg, MD
Morning in Clarksburg on Sunday
Local time
7:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°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
1 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
51m 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?
This journey is characterized by its turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share. You'll be navigating a series of local roads, including Clarksville Pike, Brink Road, and Brighton Dam Road, which means a dynamic driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 6.3 miles on Clarksville Pike, offering a brief period of consistent travel before the turns resume. The route unfolds as a typical local road network, requiring your attention to navigation and road conditions.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.3 mi on Clarksville Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Columbia, MD to Clarksburg, MD is easy. At 51m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles (Ten Oaks Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (Brighton Dam Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 27.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on Clarksville Pike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 6.4 miles (Ten Oaks Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (Brighton Dam Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (5 total within detour distance). 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 Clarksburg, 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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