Origin
Arvada, CO
Night in Arvada on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arvada, CO to Burlington, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 1m
Distance
170.9 mi
275 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 51m
★
6 AM
3h 2m
8 AM
3h 25m
10 AM
3h 10m
12 PM
3h 8m
3 PM
3h 11m
5 PM
3h 24m
8 PM
2h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Burlington, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 170.9-mile drive from Arvada, Colorado, to Burlington, Colorado, will take you about 3 hours and 1 minute to complete. Primarily utilizing the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and I-70, this route is a straightforward, single-day trip, perfect for a quick excursion. With a projected fuel cost of around $26, it's an economical choice for a short journey. The drive stays within the Mountain West region, offering a consistent feel throughout your travels. Plan for just one stop to break up the driving, making it an efficient way to get from point A to point B.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
85.4 miles from Arvada, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 150.5 mi | 2h 30m |
| I 70 | 13.1 mi | 17m |
| Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Ralston Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South Lincoln Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Rose Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 15th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 150.5 mi, about 2h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arvada, CO and Burlington, CO.
1
Start on this road
41 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Ammons Street
58 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ammons Street
3
Turn left
313 ft
·
25 sec
4
At end of road, turn right onto Allison Street
172 ft
·
13 sec
·
Allison Street
5
Turn left onto Ralston Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn right onto CO 95
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Sheridan Boulevard
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 70 East
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 70
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 70
Use the right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 70
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on I 70
151 mi
·
2 hr 30 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto I 70 Business
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 70 Business
Toward US 385, I 70 Business: Lincoln Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto I 70 Business; US 385
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Lincoln Street
14
Turn right onto I 70 Business; US 24; US 385
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Rose Avenue
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto 15th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
15th Street
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
15th Street
Trip Plan
Given its manageable 3-hour duration and 170.9-mile length, this drive is best tackled in a single day. Leaving Arvada in the morning will give you ample daylight for the entire trip, and with only one recommended stop, you can maintain a steady pace. The fuel cost is estimated at $26, so ensure your tank is full before departing. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to highway signage as you transition between the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and I-70, as the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile suggests potential for less obvious road changes.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 85.4 miles from Arvada, CO, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 150.5 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 38 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.4 miles or 1h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burlington, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arvada, CO 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 Arvada, CO
This is one driving day of about 170.9 miles and 3h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Arvada, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 150.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
85 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 85.4 miles from Arvada, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 150.5 miles.
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 0.1 and 169.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Allison Street
At end of road, turn right onto Allison Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ralston Road
Turn left onto Ralston Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard
Turn right onto CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
7.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 70
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
169.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 58m in
|
I 70 Business
Take the exit onto I 70 Business toward US 385, I 70 Business: Lincoln Street
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 US 385, I 70 Business: Lincoln Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.75 one way
$51.50 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
60 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $27.26 | $54.53 |
| premium | $4.39 | $29.56 | $59.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $37.73 | $75.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 51.3 | 0 | $17.94 | $8.20 |
| Efficient EV | 42.7 | 0 | $14.95 | $6.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 68.4 | 0 | $23.93 | $10.94 |
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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
Burlington, CO
Night in Burlington on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 1m 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" profile for this 170.9-mile journey, though 8% of it is on major highways like the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway. While there's a significant stretch of 150.5 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the overall character suggests you'll be navigating a mix of faster highway sections and more localized roads. This means the driving experience will likely involve more frequent adjustments and varied road conditions as you progress toward Burlington.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 150.5 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
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 around 0.1 miles in near Allison 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 170.9 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: at 0.1 miles (Allison Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Ralston Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Arvada, CO
Full guide →Arvada is a city of about 125,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the U.S. state of Colorado. A former farming community in Jefferson and Adams counties, the city is now a residential suburb of Denver. Olde Town Arvada lies 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the Colorado State Capitol and 9 miles (14 km) east of the Front Range foothills.
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 3h 1m. Total distance: 170.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 150.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Burlington, CO 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Allison Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Ralston Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Burlington, CO, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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