Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 16m
Distance
119 mi
191 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbus, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Scottdale, GA
Gera Cejas
Columbus, GA to Scottdale, GA is 119 miles and takes about 2h 16m via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Chet Atkins Parkway, and Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region and entirely within Georgia. It's a straightforward drive that's mostly highway, making it a convenient option for a quick trip or a leg of a longer journey. You'll likely find it to be a practical route with minimal fuss, ideal for when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.5 miles from Columbus, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 6m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 48 mi | 51m |
| Chet Atkins Parkway | 43.7 mi | 46m |
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 17.7 mi | 20m |
| Covington Highway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Wynnton Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Macon Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Clarendon Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| GA 14 Connector | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 182 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,396 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~773 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Columbus, GA and Scottdale, GA.
Start on US 27; GA 1
Continue on US 27; GA 1
Turn right onto 10th Street
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
Turn sharp right onto Wynnton Road
Continue on GA 22 Spur
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 185
Merge onto I 85
Take the exit
Merge onto GA 14 Connector
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 285
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 278; GA 12
Continue on US 278; GA 10
Continue on US 278; GA 10
Turn right onto North Clarendon Avenue
Turn slight right onto Church Street
Arrive at destination
Given the 2h 16m estimated drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Leaving in the morning or early afternoon should give you ample time to arrive before dark. With only 119 miles, you have the flexibility to stop if needed, though the longest stretch between exits is 48 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is $18, so plan your fill-up accordingly before you depart or as you near Scottdale, GA.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 26 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.5 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scottdale, GA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Columbus, GA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Columbus, GA
This is one driving day of about 119 miles and 2h 16m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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.
A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 59.5 miles from Columbus, GA, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 114.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 10th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn sharp right onto Wynnton Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward GA 279: Old National Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 285 East: Atlanta International Airport, Macon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 278: Covington Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$18.23 one way
$36.47 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $20.01 | $40.02 |
| premium | $4.64 | $21.72 | $43.45 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $26.23 | $52.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.7 | 0 | $12.50 | $5.71 |
| Efficient EV | 29.8 | 0 | $10.41 | $4.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.6 | 0 | $16.66 | $7.62 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Columbus on Friday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 2:20PM EDT until September 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
Destination
Morning in Scottdale on Friday
Local time
9:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued September 3 at 2:20PM EDT until September 4 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
About 38% of this 119-mile drive is on the highway. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, lasting 48 miles. The route transitions from highway driving to surface roads, so be prepared for changes in speed limits and traffic patterns. Expect to navigate through areas with a higher density of exits as you approach your destination.
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 0.7 miles in near 10th Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 119 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (10th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (Wynnton Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 95.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,183 ft
Total Descent
390 ft
Highest Point
1,033 ft
~119 mi in
Elevation Range
793 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Columbus, GA to Scottdale, GA, road signs begin pointing toward Macon along the way.
Macon
Founded 1828
Columbus is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland, near the Chattahoochee River and bordering Alabama. It is known for its Southern hospitality, unique attractions, and proximity to Fort Benning.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 16m. Total distance: 119 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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