Origin
Aurora, CO
Morning in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
8:03 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Denver, CO
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
23m
Distance
9.7 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Aurora to Denver, you are in for a quick, 15.3-mile trip that typically takes about 27 minutes. This short commute is entirely local, meaning you won’t be spending time on major highways, which keeps the experience straightforward and manageable. Budgeting just $2 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical excursion. Since the entire drive is within the Mountain West region, the transit feels familiar and consistent. You can easily complete this journey in a single day, as it is designed for efficiency rather than a long-haul adventure. Whether you are heading into the city for business or a quick visit, this route offers a simple, direct connection between the two Colorado cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East 6th Avenue | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| East 13th Avenue | 2.4 mi | 6m |
| East Hale Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Lowry Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East 8th Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Uinta Way | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Monaco Street Parkway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East 6th Avenue
— 3.5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Denver, CO.
1
Start on North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
26 sec
·
North Zion Street
3
Turn left onto Vaughn Street
257 ft
·
15 sec
·
Vaughn Street
4
Turn right onto CO 30
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East 6th Avenue
5
Continue on East Lowry Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
East Lowry Boulevard
6
Enter roundabout onto East Lowry Boulevard
170 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Lowry Boulevard
7
Continue on East Lowry Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
East Lowry Boulevard
8
Enter roundabout onto North Uinta Way
55 ft
·
1 sec
·
North Uinta Way
9
Continue on North Uinta Way
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Uinta Way
10
Enter roundabout onto East 6th Avenue
174 ft
·
4 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
11
Continue on East 6th Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East 6th Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn right onto North Monaco Street Parkway
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Monaco Street Parkway
13
Turn left onto East 8th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 8th Avenue
14
Turn slight right onto East Hale Parkway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Hale Parkway
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto CO 2
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Colorado Boulevard
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto East 13th Avenue
2.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East 13th Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Sherman Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Sherman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
At end of road, turn right
298 ft
·
21 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 9.6 — 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
|
~0m in
|
North Zion Street
At end of road, turn right onto North Zion Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
CO 2 / North Colorado Boulevard
Turn right onto CO 2 / North Colorado Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
7.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
East 13th Avenue
Turn left onto East 13th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
9.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Sherman Street
Turn right onto Sherman Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
9.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
At end of road, turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.46 one way
$2.92 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.55 | $3.09 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.68 | $3.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.14 | $4.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.02 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.36 | $0.62 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Denver, CO
Morning in Denver on Tuesday
Local time
8:03 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°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
23m 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 experience rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero percent highway travel. You will navigate through city streets using North Zion Street, Vaughn Street, and East 6th Avenue to reach your destination. Because the roads are local, there is no significant 'longest stretch' to speak of, with zero miles of uninterrupted highway driving. Behind the wheel, you should be prepared for frequent stops and turns that define this urban transit. This is a practical, utilitarian drive that prioritizes navigation through local infrastructure over open-road cruising.
Only 13% 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: 3.5 mi on East 6th Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Zion Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 9.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 7 miles (CO 2 / North Colorado Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles (East 13th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,435 ft
5,276 ft
Total Climb
63 ft
Total Descent
190 ft
Highest Point
5,435 ft
~1.4 mi in
Elevation Range
159 ft
Notable High Points
5,435 ft at ~1.4 miles
+7 ft prominence
5,386 ft at ~3.5 miles
+3 ft prominence
5,334 ft at ~8.3 miles
+8 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Founded 1891
Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
Top landmarks
- • DeLaney Barn
- • Blanche A. Wilson House — house
- • Plains Conservation Center — park in Colorado, United States of America
Arriving in Denver, CO
Full guide →“Mile High City” · Founded 1858
Denver is the capital of the western U.S. state of Colorado and the dominant city of the Rocky Mountain Region. Founded in 1858 as the placer gold mining camp known as the Cherry Creek Diggings, the "Mile-High City" is today the most populous city within a 560-mile (900 km) radius and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor of more than five million residents. Denver embraces its cowboy and mining past but also looks toward the future with a vibrant arts and performing arts scene, dozens of great outdoor festivals, and distinct neighborhoods each offering a unique experience. You'll find everything a cosmopolitan city has to offer including a spectacular view of and easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, which arise only 12 miles (19 km) west of the Colorado State Capitol.
Top landmarks
- • Denver Art Museum — museum in Denver, Colorado, United States
- • Denver Mint — United States Mint branch in Denver, Colorado
- • Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception — church in Colorado, United States
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 23m. Total distance: 9.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (13%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.5 miles on East 6th Avenue. 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 (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 7 miles (CO 2 / North Colorado Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles (East 13th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Denver, CO 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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