Origin
Columbia, SC
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, SC to Clearwater, SC
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
1h 22m
Distance
67 mi
108 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clearwater, SC
Jared Lung
Trip Overview
Columbia, SC to Clearwater, SC is 67 miles and takes about 1 hour 22 minutes via I 20 and Jefferson Davis Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, offering a straightforward drive primarily on major roads. Given its short duration, it's an easy same-day excursion, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment. You'll find the journey mostly on well-traveled highways, making it a practical choice for a quick relocation or visit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 20 | 35 mi | 38m |
| Jefferson Davis Highway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Columbia Highway North | 6 mi | 6m |
| Augusta Road | 6 mi | 8m |
| University Parkway | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Jarvis Klapman Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Robert M Bell Parkway | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Rutland Drive | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 20
— 35 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, SC and Clearwater, SC.
1
Start on Gervais Street
434 ft
·
17 sec
·
Gervais Street
2
Continue on US 1; US 378
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Gervais Street
3
Turn right onto US 21; US 176; US 321
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Huger Street
4
Turn left onto SC 12
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Taylor Street
5
Continue on SC 12
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Hampton Street
6
Continue on SC 12
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Jarvis Klapman Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on US 1
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Augusta Road
8
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
9
Merge onto I 20
35 mi
·
38 min
·
I 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 22
Toward US 1: Aiken
11
Turn straight onto US 1
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Columbia Highway North
12
Continue on US 1
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
York Street Northeast
13
Turn right onto SC 118; US 78 Truck
171 ft
·
2 sec
·
Rudy Mason Parkway
14
Continue on SC 118; US 1 Truck; US 78 Truck
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Rutland Drive
15
Continue on SC 118; US 1 Truck; US 78 Truck; SC 19 Truck
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
University Parkway
16
Continue on SC 118; US 1 Truck; US 78 Truck; SC 19 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Robert M Bell Parkway
17
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 78 Truck
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 1 Truck; US 78 Truck
18
Continue on US 1; US 78
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Jefferson Davis Highway
19
Turn left onto SC 126
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Belvedere Road
20
Turn left onto SC 421
37 ft
·
0 sec
·
Augusta Road
21
Arrive at destination
SC 421
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.5 miles from Columbia, SC, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 66.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
SC 12 / Taylor Street
Turn left onto SC 12 / Taylor Street
Navigation decision point
5
10.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 20
Merge onto I 20
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
45.5 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Aiken
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 22
Toward US 1: Aiken
4
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
|
SC 118; US 78 Truck / Rudy Mason Parkway
Turn right onto SC 118; US 78 Truck / Rudy Mason Parkway
Navigation decision point
4
66.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
SC 126 / Belvedere Road
Turn left onto SC 126 / Belvedere Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.48 one way
$20.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.46 | $22.91 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.40 | $24.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.79 | $29.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.03 | $3.22 |
| Efficient EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.86 | $2.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.8 | 0 | $9.38 | $4.29 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Clearwater, SC
Morning in Clearwater on Tuesday
Local time
8:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°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 22m 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 a mixed bag, with 59% of your journey spent on highways like I 20. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 35 miles on I 20, which offers a faster pace. As you transition to roads like Jefferson Davis Highway and Columbia Highway North, expect the character of the drive to shift, likely becoming more localized. The profile is described as a 'Mixed drive,' suggesting you'll experience both the efficiency of interstate travel and the more community-focused feel of surface roads.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35 mi on I 20.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near SC 12 / Taylor Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 22m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (SC 12 / Taylor Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Starting in Columbia, SC
Full guide →Columbia is the capital city and second largest city in South Carolina. It is home to the main campus of the University of South Carolina, and to the Army's Fort Jackson. It is in the approximate geographic center of the state, and was one of the first planned cities in the United States.
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 22m. Total distance: 67 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35 miles on I 20. 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: at 1.2 miles (SC 12 / Taylor Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (I 20): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Congaree National 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 Clearwater, SC 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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