Origin
Silver Hill, MD
Morning in Silver Hill on Tuesday
Local time
8:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Silver Hill, 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
56m
Distance
37.6 mi
60 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Silver Hill, MD
Robert So
Columbia, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD is 37.6 miles and takes about 56 minutes via Baltimore-Washington Parkway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, offering a fairly direct connection between these two Maryland locations. The drive is a mixed bag, meaning you'll experience both highway speeds and potentially some slower sections as you navigate between your starting and ending points. It's a straightforward journey, perfectly suited for a quick day trip or as a segment of a larger regional exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Washington Parkway | 20.8 mi | 28m |
| Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway | 7.9 mi | 10m |
| Fort Davis Drive Southeast | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Kenilworth Avenue Freeway | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Minnesota Avenue Northeast | 1 mi | 2m |
| Branch Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Southern Avenue Southeast | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Ridge Road Southeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
— 20.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Silver Hill, MD and Columbia, MD.
1
Start on MD 414
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Old Silver Hill Road
2
Turn left onto MD 5
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Branch Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto Southern Avenue Southeast
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Southern Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Fort Davis Drive Southeast
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Davis Drive Southeast
6
Turn left onto Ridge Road Southeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Ridge Road Southeast
7
Turn right onto Minnesota Avenue Northeast
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Minnesota Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast
363 ft
·
21 sec
·
Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Kenilworth Avenue Northeast
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Kenilworth Avenue Northeast
10
Merge onto DC 295
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Kenilworth Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Toward Baltimore
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto Baltimore-Washington Parkway
21 mi
·
28 min
·
Baltimore-Washington Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MD 100 West: Ellicott City
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto MD 100
7.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Paul T. Pitcher Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 29 South: Washington
Use the slight left lane.
16
Merge onto US 29
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Pike
17
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.
18
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
19 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 37.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.8 miles from Silver Hill, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 37.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
Turn left onto Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Minnesota Avenue Northeast
Turn right onto Minnesota Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Baltimore
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Baltimore
7
36.1 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 29 South: Washington
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 29 South: Washington
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
$6.23 one way
$12.47 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.83 | $13.65 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.29 | $14.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.30 | $16.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.41 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Columbia, MD
Morning in Columbia on Tuesday
Local time
8:01 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
1 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
56m 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 features a 58% highway share, so expect a good portion of your 37.6 miles to be on faster-paced roads. The longest stretch you'll encounter without a significant change in road type is 20.8 miles along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The profile is described as a 'mixed drive,' suggesting that while the parkway dominates, you'll likely transition onto local roads or potentially other highways as you get closer to Columbia. This blend means the driving experience will vary, moving from open highway cruising to more local traffic conditions.
58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.8 mi on Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 2 miles in near Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 37.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Minnesota Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 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.
On the drive from Silver Hill, MD to Columbia, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Baltimore along the way.
Baltimore
6.7 mi in
|
~14m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 37.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.8 miles on Baltimore-Washington Parkway. 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 2 miles (Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Minnesota Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 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 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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