Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Columbia, MD to Fulton, MD

Pin this trip

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

Drive Time

14m

Distance

9.3 mi

15 km

Drive Score

5/10

Practical drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 13m ★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
planned community in Howard County, Maryland, United States

Columbia, MD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fulton, MD, MD

Fulton, MD

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

Columbia, MD to Fulton, MD is 9.3 miles and takes about 14 minutes via Columbia Pike and MD 216, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a turn-heavy local drive, so keep your focus on the road. Given its brief duration, this route is perfect for a quick errand or a short scenic detour without requiring an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Columbia Pike 7 mi 9m
MD 216 1.1 mi 1m
Clarksville Pike 0.3 mi <1m
Lime Kiln Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Columbia Pike — 7 mi, about 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

7.0 mi · 9 min · Columbia Pike
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Exit 13 Toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork

410 ft · 11 sec
Toward MD 216 West: Fulton, Laurel Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Enter roundabout onto MD 216

329 ft · 5 sec · MD 216
9

Continue on MD 216

0.2 mi · 17 sec · MD 216
10

Enter roundabout onto MD 216

123 ft · 2 sec · MD 216
11

Continue on MD 216

0.1 mi · 13 sec · MD 216
12

Enter roundabout onto MD 216

134 ft · 2 sec · MD 216
13

Continue on MD 216

0.7 mi · 1 min · MD 216
14

Turn slight left onto Lime Kiln Road

153 ft · 3 sec · Lime Kiln Road
15

Arrive at destination

Lime Kiln Road

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.4 — 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...
8
7.8 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the exit toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel

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 13 Toward MD 216: Fulton, Laurel
9
8.1 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MD 216 West: Fulton, Laurel

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward MD 216 West: Fulton, Laurel
5
8.2 mi into trip | ~12m in | MD 216

Enter roundabout onto MD 216

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
8.4 mi into trip | ~12m in | MD 216

Enter roundabout onto MD 216

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.54 one way

$3.08 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $1.69 $3.38
premium $4.93 $1.80 $3.61
diesel $5.61 $2.05 $4.11

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.8 0 $0.98 $0.45
Efficient EV 2.3 0 $0.81 $0.37
EV Truck/SUV 3.7 0 $1.30 $0.60

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 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

Late night in Columbia on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fulton, MD

Late night in Fulton on Tuesday

Local time

5:34 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°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

15 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

14m 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 drive is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent turns rather than settling into a long, straight highway cruise. Only about 12% of this route involves highway driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7 miles along Columbia Pike. As you transition to MD 216 and then Clarksville Pike, anticipate navigating local roads with various intersections and traffic signals.

Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7 mi on Columbia Pike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 9.3 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: 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.

On the drive from Columbia, MD to Fulton, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Laurel along the way.

Laurel

7.8 mi in | ~11m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 9.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

14m 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 7 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 Fulton, 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 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Monocacy National Battlefield. 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 Fulton, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Fulton, MD

South Bel Air, MD 50.9 mi · 1h 8m

More from Columbia, MD

West Ocean City, MD 130 mi · 3h 9m Ocean Pines, MD 124.7 mi · 3h 2m Salisbury, MD 112.1 mi · 2h 40m Delmar, MD 105.9 mi · 2h 30m Cambridge, MD 81.7 mi · 1h 58m Drum Point, MD 79 mi · 2h

More trips to Fulton, MD

Frederick, MD 40.9 mi Baltimore, MD 22.4 mi Bowie, MD 20.9 mi Bethesda, MD 19.6 mi Gaithersburg, MD 19.2 mi Silver Spring, MD 14.9 mi
Escape planner: Columbia, MD Scenic drives in MD

Explore more options from Columbia, MD or browse trips ending in Fulton, MD.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MD road trips.