Origin
South Laurel, MD
Morning in South Laurel on Sunday
Local time
8:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Laurel, MD to Bowie, MD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
12.9 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Laurel, MD
RDNE Stock project
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 12.9-mile drive from South Laurel, MD to Bowie, MD takes approximately 22 minutes and is perfect for a single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily local roads, including Laurel Bowie Road, Collington Road, and Deerfield Road, with a significant portion on paved surfaces. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $2, making it an economical option for a quick excursion. Given the short distance and duration, no overnight stay is necessary. The entire route stays within the Northeast region of Maryland, offering a straightforward local exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Bowie Road | 10 mi | 15m |
| Collington Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Deerfield Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Evergreen Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Contee Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Laurel Bowie Road
— 10 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Laurel, MD and Bowie, MD.
1
Start on this road
133 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on Deerfield Road
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
Deerfield Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto Contee Road
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Contee Road
4
Turn right onto MD 197
10.0 mi
·
15 min
·
Laurel Bowie Road
5
Continue on MD 197
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Collington Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
7
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
8
Turn left
110 ft
·
8 sec
9
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 12.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Contee Road
At end of road, turn right onto Contee Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MD 197 / Laurel Bowie Road
Turn right onto MD 197 / Laurel Bowie Road
Navigation decision point
4
12.7 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Evergreen Parkway
Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway
Navigation decision point
5
12.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
4
12.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.14 one way
$4.28 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $2.34 | $4.68 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.50 | $5.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.85 | $5.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.35 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.81 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Bowie, MD
Morning in Bowie on Sunday
Local time
8:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
6 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
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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a monotonous highway experience. While 100% of the drive involves highway travel, it's characterized by frequent intersections and changes in direction rather than high-speed cruising. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10 miles along Laurel Bowie Road. This means you'll be actively engaged with the road, navigating through various local thoroughfares as you make your way from South Laurel to Bowie.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on Laurel Bowie Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Contee Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 22m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Contee Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (MD 197 / Laurel Bowie Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (Evergreen Parkway): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Founded 1882
Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Top landmarks
- • Belair Mansion — mansion located in Collington, Maryland, United States of America
- • Bowie Railroad Buildings — railway building and museum in Bowie, Maryland, USA
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 22m. Total distance: 12.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10 miles on Laurel Bowie Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.2 miles (Contee Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles (MD 197 / Laurel Bowie Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (Evergreen Parkway): Navigation decision point.
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 Bowie, 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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