Origin
Maugansville, MD
Morning in Maugansville on Tuesday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maugansville, MD to Columbia, 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
1h 22m
Distance
72.3 mi
116 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Maugansville, MD to Columbia, MD is 72.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 22 minutes via Dwight D Eisenhower Highway and I-70, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maryland, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a route that primarily uses surface roads, with a significant portion on major highways. It's a straightforward drive that's manageable for a single day, making it a convenient option for local travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D Eisenhower Highway | 49.4 mi | 53m |
| I 70 | 11.1 mi | 11m |
| Maryland Veterans Memorial Highway | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Columbia Pike | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| Maugans Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Maugansville Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
— 49.4 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maugansville, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on Maugansville Road
52 ft
·
3 sec
·
Maugansville Road
2
Turn right onto Maugans Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Maugans Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 81 South
4
Merge onto I 81
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Maryland Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 4
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Hancock, Frederick
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
Use the right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
9
Merge onto I 70
49 mi
·
53 min
·
Dwight D Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 70; US 40
6.5 mi
·
6 min
·
I 70; US 40
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 70
Toward Baltimore
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto US 29
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Columbia Pike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Exit 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.1 miles from Maugansville, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 6.1 and 71.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
6.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Hancock, Frederick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 4
Toward I 70 East, I 70 West: Hancock, Frederick
8
6.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 East: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 East: Frederick
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 4A
Toward I 70 East: Frederick
8
67.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington
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 87A
Toward US 29 South: Columbia, Washington
8
71.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Take the exit toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Search, Harper's Choice
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 21B
Toward MD 108 West: Clarksville, Dorsey's Searc...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.99 one way
$23.97 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $13.13 | $26.26 |
| premium | $4.93 | $14.02 | $28.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.96 | $31.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
| Efficient EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.9 | 0 | $10.12 | $4.63 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
64°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 cooler 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?
You'll spend about 15% of this 72.3-mile drive on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 49.4 miles on the Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. After this highway segment, you'll transition to mostly surface roads for the remainder of the trip. Keep an eye out for the dense exits as you navigate the highway portions, indicating a more developed corridor.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.4 mi on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.1 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 72.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Maugansville, MD and Columbia, MD, road signs point toward Frederick, Baltimore and Washington.
Frederick
6.1 mi in
|
~8m
Baltimore
63.1 mi in
|
~1h 11m
|
via I 70
Washington
67.7 mi in
|
~1h 16m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 72.3 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.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.4 miles on Dwight D Eisenhower Highway. 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 Columbia, 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 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Monocacy National Battlefield, Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (5 total within detour distance). 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 Columbia, 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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