Origin
Columbia, SC
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
6:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Columbia, SC to Irwin, 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 20m
Distance
60.9 mi
98 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 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irwin, SC
Just a Couple Photos
Trip Overview
This 60.9-mile drive from Columbia, SC to Irwin, SC is a straightforward trip that takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, with no need to split it into multiple days. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, making it an economical choice for a quick journey. You'll primarily be on highways, so expect a relatively fast pace for most of the route. Since both your origin and destination are in the Southeast region, you won't be crossing any major geographical boundaries, keeping the travel experience consistent within the area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Charles F Bolden Freeway | 21.4 mi | 23m |
| US 21 | 12.6 mi | 17m |
| I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Catawba River Road | 7.6 mi | 11m |
| Lancaster Highway | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Duraham Place Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Grace Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Bull Street | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Charles F Bolden Freeway
— 21.4 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Columbia, SC and Irwin, SC.
1
Start on Gervais Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Gervais Street
2
Turn left onto US 76
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Bull Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on SC 277
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 77
21 mi
·
23 min
·
Charles F Bolden Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 41
Toward Road 41, Winnsboro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn right onto Duraham Place Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Duraham Place Road
7
Turn slight left onto US 21
13 mi
·
17 min
·
US 21
8
Turn right onto US 21; SC 200
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Pendergrass Boulevard
9
Turn left onto US 21
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Catawba River Road
10
Take the ramp
372 ft
·
7 sec
11
Keep slight left at fork
98 ft
·
2 sec
12
Merge onto Texaco Road
450 ft
·
11 sec
·
Texaco Road
13
Turn left onto SC 9
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Lancaster Highway
14
Turn right onto S-29-50
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Grace Avenue
15
Turn left onto Thompson Avenue
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Thompson Avenue
16
Turn right onto Confederate Avenue
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Confederate Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Confederate Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.5 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 60.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 76 / Bull Street
Turn left onto US 76 / Bull Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
9.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 77 / Charles F Bolden Freeway
Merge onto I 77 / Charles F Bolden Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.9 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Road 41, Winnsboro
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 41
Toward Road 41, Winnsboro
5
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
60.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
Confederate Avenue
Turn right onto Confederate Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.52 one way
$19.05 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $10.41 | $20.83 |
| premium | $4.70 | $11.27 | $22.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.45 | $26.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.39 | $2.92 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.53 | $3.90 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Irwin, SC
Morning in Irwin on Tuesday
Local time
6:11 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°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 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 20m 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 predominantly highway-focused, with 68% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Charles F. Bolden Freeway, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 21.4 miles. The route transitions to US-21 and the I. DeQuincey Newman Freeway, offering a mix of high-speed travel and the expected characteristics of interstate driving. The overall feel is one of efficient transit rather than winding backroads.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.4 mi on Charles F Bolden Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Charles F Bolden Freeway and US 21. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near US 76 / Bull Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.4 miles (US 76 / Bull Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (I 77 / Charles F Bolden Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Columbia, SC and Irwin, SC, road signs point toward Road 41 and Winnsboro.
Road 41
30.9 mi in
|
~35m
Winnsboro
30.9 mi in
|
~35m
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 20m. Total distance: 60.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.4 miles on Charles F Bolden Freeway. 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 Irwin, SC 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 0.4 miles (US 76 / Bull Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles (I 77 / Charles F Bolden Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Irwin, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Irwin, SC
More trips to Irwin, SC
Explore more options from Columbia, SC or browse trips ending in Irwin, SC.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse SC road trips.