Origin
Mount Vernon, OH
Morning in Mount Vernon on Tuesday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Vernon, OH to Columbus, OH
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 8m
Distance
45.3 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Vernon, OH
Michaela Schmidt
Columbus, OH
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Mount Vernon to Columbus is 45.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Ohio, offering a straightforward transition between two familiar areas. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a single-day trip, allowing for a relaxed pace without the need for an overnight stay. You'll find it's a local drive that's easy to navigate, perfect for a quick relocation or a visit to a nearby city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest | 13.1 mi | 14m |
| Granville Road | 7.4 mi | 13m |
| Granville Street | 7.3 mi | 9m |
| Johnstown Road | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| East Johnstown Road | 2.8 mi | 6m |
| North Street Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| East Coshocton Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| South Main Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest
— 13.1 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Vernon, OH and Columbus, OH.
1
Start on US 36; SR 3
75 ft
·
4 sec
·
Public Square
2
Continue on South Main Street
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on SR 13
389 ft
·
19 sec
·
Newark Road
4
Turn right onto South Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
5
Continue on Granville Road
7.4 mi
·
13 min
·
Granville Road
6
Continue on SR 661
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
North Street Road
7
Turn right onto US 62
9.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest
8
Continue on US 62
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
East Coshocton Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 62
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 62
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Johnstown Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 62
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
East Main Street
12
Enter roundabout onto Johnstown Road
103 ft
·
1 sec
·
Johnstown Road
13
Continue on Johnstown Road
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnstown Road
14
Enter roundabout onto US 62
116 ft
·
1 sec
·
Johnstown Road
15
Continue on US 62
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnstown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Enter roundabout onto US 62
136 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Johnstown Road
17
Continue on US 62
2.8 mi
·
6 min
·
East Johnstown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on US 62
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Mill Street
19
At end of road, turn right onto US 62
7.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Granville Street
Use the right lane.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto Northeast Freeway
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
Northeast Freeway
Toward US 23 South
21
Turn straight onto US 23
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
North Third Street
Use the straight lane.
22
Turn right onto East State Street
106 ft
·
3 sec
·
East State Street
Use the right lane.
23
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
24
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.6 miles from Mount Vernon, OH, 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 0 and 45.2 — 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
|
South Main Street
Right onto South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Main Street
Turn right onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
36.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
US 62 / Granville Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 62 / Granville Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
43.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
Northeast Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Northeast Freeway toward US 23 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 23 South
6
45.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
East State Street
Turn right onto East State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.03 one way
$14.06 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.38 | $7.80 | $15.61 |
| premium | $4.91 | $8.76 | $17.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.00 | $20.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.76 | $2.17 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Columbus, OH
Morning in Columbus on Tuesday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 9 mph
6% chance
Live forecast
71°F
New Albany, OH
23 mi in
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
7 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 8m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with 100% of the journey on local roads and no highway segments. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 13.1 miles along Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest, meaning you'll be making frequent turns and adjustments. Expect the roads to change and feel more like navigating through towns and communities rather than open highway cruising. This driving personality means you should stay alert for turns and local traffic patterns throughout the 45.3-mile trip.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.1 mi on Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Main Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.3 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: near the start (South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.6 miles (US 62 / Granville Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Columbus, OH
Full guide →Founded 1812
Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state as the core of the Greater Columbus area. Sited in an area where the Rust Belt, Bible Belt, Appalachia, and the Farm Belt meet, Columbus is a fusion of many different parts of America. It is the home of the Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and the Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research environment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of the Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers.
Top landmarks
- • Ohio Stadium — stadium in Columbus, Ohio, USA
- • Columbus Museum of Art — Museum in Columbus, Ohio, United States
- • Wexner Center for the Arts — center at Ohio State University
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 8m. Total distance: 45.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.1 miles on Johnstown-Utica Road Northwest. 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 Columbus, OH 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 (South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.6 miles (US 62 / Granville Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Columbus, OH 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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