Origin
Spencerville, MD
Late night in Spencerville on Sunday
Local time
12:15 AM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spencerville, 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
37m
Distance
23.3 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spencerville, MD
Jonathan Borba
Bowie, MD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 23.3-mile drive from Spencerville, MD to Bowie, MD is easily manageable in about 37 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on the John Hanson Highway and Capital Beltway, with a significant portion on local roads as well. With a fuel cost estimated at $4, this trip is very budget-friendly. The route is characterized by frequent turns, so be prepared for a more engaged driving experience. Given its brevity and the ease of navigation, this journey is best suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John Hanson Highway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Capital Beltway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Cherry Hill Road | 4.1 mi | 7m |
| Briggs Chaney Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Good Hope Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Collington Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Old Columbia Pike | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Columbia Pike | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John Hanson Highway
— 5.7 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spencerville, MD and Bowie, MD.
1
Start on Good Hope Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Good Hope Road
2
Turn left onto Briggs Chaney Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Briggs Chaney Road
3
Turn right onto Old Columbia Pike
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Columbia Pike
4
Turn left onto Fairland Road
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Fairland Road
5
Turn right onto US 29
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
Columbia Pike
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Toward E. Randolph Road, Cherry Hill Road
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto Cherry Hill Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Cherry Hill Road
Use the left lane.
8
At end of road, turn sharp left onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Baltimore Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 95 South, I 495 South: Richmond Virginia, Andrews Air Force Base
10
Merge onto I 95; I 495
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Capital Beltway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 50
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
John Hanson Highway
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 11
Toward MD 197: Bowie
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
273 ft
·
6 sec
Toward MD 197
Use the left / right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto MD 197
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Collington Road
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Evergreen Parkway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Evergreen Parkway
17
Turn right
259 ft
·
20 sec
18
Turn left
110 ft
·
8 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 22.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward E. Randolph Road, Cherry Hill Road
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 E. Randolph Road, Cherry Hill Road
5
4.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Cherry Hill Road
Turn left onto Cherry Hill Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
15.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward US 50 East: Annapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward US 50 East: Annapolis
7
21.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward MD 197: Bowie
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11
Toward MD 197: Bowie
7
22.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MD 197
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward MD 197
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.86 one way
$7.73 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.23 | $8.46 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.52 | $9.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.14 | $10.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Late night in Bowie on Sunday
Local time
12:15 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
8 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
37m 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 23.3-mile route. While it features some highway stretches, including a 5.7-mile segment on John Hanson Highway, the character shifts frequently with local road segments and turns. The highway share is high at 100%, but the nature of the drive suggests it's not a continuous, high-speed interstate experience. You'll likely find yourself navigating various road types, requiring attention to your surroundings and upcoming turns.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.7 mi on John Hanson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 16 decision points packed into just 23.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles (Cherry Hill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Spencerville, MD to Bowie, MD, road signs begin pointing toward Andrews Air Force Base along the way.
Andrews Air Force Base
9 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Arriving in Bowie, MD
Full guide →Bowie is a suburban bedroom community of Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, Maryland.
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 37m. Total distance: 23.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m 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 5.7 miles on John Hanson 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 Bowie, 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 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles (Cherry Hill Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 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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