Origin
Columbia, MD
Late night in Columbia on Sunday
Local time
3:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
61.6 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
La Plata, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Columbia, MD to La Plata, MD is 61.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 28 minutes via I 95 and Crain Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Expect a mix of highway speeds and surface road cruising as you make your way south. This is a straightforward drive, suitable for a single day trip with minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 95 | 28.1 mi | 35m |
| Crain Highway | 13.6 mi | 21m |
| Branch Avenue | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| Columbia Pike | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| MD 337 | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Charles Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Clarksville Pike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 95
— 28.1 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and La Plata, 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
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Columbia Pike
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 16A
Toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
Use the right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
8
Merge onto MD 32
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Patuxent Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 95
28 mi
·
35 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 9
Toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate, Morningside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto MD 337
426 ft
·
12 sec
·
Forestville Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Turn slight right onto MD 337
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
MD 337
Toward MD 337 South
14
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 5 South: Waldorf
15
Merge onto MD 5
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Branch Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto US 301; MD 5
14 mi
·
21 min
·
Crain Highway
17
Turn left onto MD 6
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles Street
18
Turn left onto Kent Avenue
55 ft
·
3 sec
·
Kent Avenue
19
Turn right
9 ft
·
0 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 36.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 16A
Toward MD 32 East: Fort Meade
6
5.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Shaker Drive, Eden Brook Drive
7
7.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South: Washington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13B
Toward I 95 South: Washington
8
36.5 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate, Morningside
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 9
Toward MD 337: Andrews Air Force Base Main Gate...
6
36.8 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
MD 337 / Forestville Road
Turn right onto MD 337 / Forestville Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.21 one way
$20.43 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.19 | $22.37 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.95 | $23.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.60 | $27.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.47 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.62 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
La Plata, MD
Late night in La Plata on Sunday
Local time
3:48 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°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
3 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 28m 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 route is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 53% of the drive on highways. You'll encounter a 28.1-mile stretch on I 95 before transitioning to surface roads like Crain Highway and Branch Avenue. Expect a noticeable change in pace and traffic patterns when you leave the interstate.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.1 mi on I 95.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.6 miles you will encounter 17 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 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 La Plata, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Morningside along the way.
Morningside
36.5 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Arriving in La Plata, MD
Full guide →La Plata is a city in Southern Maryland. It is the county seat of Charles County.
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 28m. Total distance: 61.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.1 miles on I 95. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 La Plata, 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 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 La Plata, 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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