Mulberry, OH to Columbus, OH is 92.4 miles and takes about 2h 1m via I 71, US 22, SR 132, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive entirely within Ohio, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Given its short duration and predominantly highway profile, it's an ideal same-day trip for getting between these two locations efficiently. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained interstates, making it a practical choice for a quick commute or transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.2 miles from Mulberry, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 71
60.9 mi
1h 6m
US 22
10 mi
14m
SR 132
6.7 mi
11m
State Route 28
6.1 mi
10m
SR 380
3.5 mi
6m
SR 123
3 mi
5m
South Front Street
0.5 mi
1m
South Innerbelt
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 71
— 60.9 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mulberry, OH and Columbus, OH.
1
Start on this road
56 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn left
64 ft·5 sec
3
Turn right onto SR 28 Business
0.3 mi·41 sec·Business 28
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Turn left onto SR 28
6.1 mi·10 min·State Route 28
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left onto SR 132
6.7 mi·11 min·SR 132
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto SR 123
3.0 mi·5 min·SR 123
7
Turn right onto US 22; SR 3
10.0 mi·14 min·US 22; SR 3
8
Turn left onto SR 380
3.5 mi·6 min·SR 380
9
Turn left onto SR 73
0.2 mi·20 sec·State Route 73
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·27 sec
Toward I 71 North: Columbus
11
Merge onto I 71
61 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 71
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto I 71
0.4 mi·45 sec·I 71
Toward I 71 North, I 70 East: Cleveland, WheelingUse the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 70; I 71
0.3 mi·27 sec·South Innerbelt
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
15
Turn left onto South Front Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Front Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto West State Street
0.2 mi·54 sec·West State Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on East State Street
106 ft·3 sec·East State Street
18
Turn right
88 ft·6 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a drive time of just over two hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the peak rush hour in both Mulberry and Columbus. Since it's a relatively short drive, you won't need many stops, but there are plenty of opportunities along I 71 if you need to stretch your legs or refuel. The fuel cost is estimated at $14, so ensure your tank is sufficiently full before you depart. The majority of this trip being on I 71 means you can maintain a consistent speed for most of the journey.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 46.2 miles from Mulberry, OH, or about 1h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 60.9 miles.
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 20 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.2 miles or 1h 8m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Columbus, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mulberry, OH 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 Mulberry, OH
This is one driving day of about 92.4 miles and 2h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Mulberry, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 71 for about 60.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 92.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|SR 28 Business / Business 28
Turn right onto SR 28 Business / Business 28
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
29.8 mi into trip|~50m in
Take the ramp toward I 71 North: Columbus
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 71 North: Columbus
7
90.6 mi into trip|~1h 56m in|I 71
Take the exit onto I 71 toward I 71 North, I 70 East: Cleveland, Wheeling
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 71 North, I 70 East: Cleveland, Wheeli...
6
91.7 mi into trip|~1h 58m in|South Front Street
Turn left onto South Front Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
92.2 mi into trip|~2h in|West State Street
Turn right onto West State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.34 one way
$28.68 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.38
$15.92
$31.83
premium
$4.91
$17.86
$35.72
diesel
$5.61
$20.40
$40.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.7
0
$9.70
$4.44
Efficient EV
23.1
0
$8.09
$3.70
EV Truck/SUV
37
0
$12.94
$5.91
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Mulberry, OH
Late night
in Mulberry on Sunday
Local time
4:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Columbus, OH
Late night
in Columbus on Sunday
Local time
4:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Rain Showers Likely
NW 7 to 14 mph66% chanceLive forecast
52°F
Wilmington, OH
46 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 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
2h 1m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
National Monument
Throughout his life, Charles Young overcame countless obstacles in his ascent to prominence. In spite of overt racism and stifling inequality, Young rose through the military ranks to become one of th...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 38.3
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park was established to honor the lives and achievements of poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar and aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Through p...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
Free
near mile 31.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 98% highway, meaning you'll be on high-speed roads for almost the entire 92.4 miles. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 60.9 miles on I 71. You'll transition to surface roads like US 22 and SR 132 towards the end of your trip. Expect a high volume of exits and merging traffic as you approach the Columbus area.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 60.9 mi on I 71.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 71 and US 22. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 28 Business / Business 28.
Driving Effort6/10
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 92.4 miles you will encounter 17 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 (SR 28 Business / Business 28): Lane positioning matters here; at 29.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 90.6 miles (I 71): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 1m. Total distance: 92.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 60.9 miles on I 71. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. There are 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 28 Business / Business 28): Lane positioning matters here; at 29.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 90.6 miles (I 71): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument and Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical 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 Columbus, OH before heading back.
