Origin
Columbia, MD
Late night in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, MD to North Laurel, 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
17m
Distance
11.4 mi
18 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
North Laurel, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 11.4-mile drive from Columbia, MD to North Laurel, MD takes about 17 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate via Columbia Pike and the Patuxent Freeway, with a portion on I-95. Given the short distance, it's ideal for a single, easy excursion rather than an overnight stay. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $2, so you won't need to budget much for gas. This route stays within the Northeast region, offering a straightforward journey through Maryland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Pike | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Patuxent Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| I 95 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| MD 216 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Clarksville Pike | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Columbia Pike
— 4.2 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, MD and North Laurel, 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
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 35B
Toward MD 216 West: Scaggsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto MD 216
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
MD 216
13
Arrive at destination
MD 216
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.3 — 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...
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
7
10.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward MD 216 West: Scaggsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35B
Toward MD 216 West: Scaggsville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.89 one way
$3.78 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.07 | $4.14 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.21 | $4.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.52 | $5.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.00 | $0.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
North Laurel, MD
Late night in North Laurel on Tuesday
Local time
5:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°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
2 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
17m 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 mixed drive on this route, with 42% of it being highway driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.2 miles on Columbia Pike. This means you'll experience a blend of faster highway speeds and potentially more local road conditions as you progress toward North Laurel. The transition between these road types should keep the drive engaging without being overly demanding, offering a varied driving experience over the short distance.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.2 mi on Columbia Pike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 11.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 17m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
407 ft
292 ft
Total Climb
165 ft
Total Descent
268 ft
Highest Point
407 ft
Elevation Range
115 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 11.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). 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 4.2 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 North Laurel, 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 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.
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 North Laurel, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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