Origin
Aurora, CO
Late night in Aurora on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Dove Valley, CO
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
14 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
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.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Dove Valley, CO
Regan Dsouza
Trip Overview
This quick 14-mile drive from Aurora, CO to Dove Valley, CO takes about 22 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll primarily travel on South Parker Road and I-225, with a smaller portion on East Arapahoe Road. With only a 31% highway share, expect a mixed driving experience. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $2, and with no planned stops, it's a straightforward journey within the Mountain West region. This short distance means you have plenty of flexibility for when you depart and how you spend your time upon arrival.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Parker Road | 5 mi | 7m |
| I 225 | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| East Arapahoe Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Potomac Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Zion Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Vaughn Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Parker Road
— 5 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Dove Valley, 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
·
18 sec
·
Vaughn Street
4
Turn left onto CO 30
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 225 South
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 225
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 4
Toward CO 83: Parker Road
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward CO 83 South: Parker Road
9
Continue on CO 83
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
South Parker Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward CO 88: East Arapahoe Road, South Parker Road south, CO 83 south
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on this road
528 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
Toward CO 88, CR 42: East Arapahoe Road, South Parker Road south, CO 83 south
12
Keep slight right at fork
525 ft
·
16 sec
Toward CO 88 west, CR 42 west: East Arapahoe Road west
13
Turn straight onto CO 88; CR 42
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Arapahoe Road
14
Turn left onto South Potomac Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Potomac Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
South Potomac Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 11.2 — 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
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 225 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 225 South
7
5.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward CO 83: Parker Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4
Toward CO 83: Parker Road
7
11 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward CO 88: East Arapahoe Road, South Parker Road south, CO 83 south
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.
Toward CO 88: East Arapahoe Road, South Parker...
7
11.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 88 west, CR 42 west: East Arapahoe Road west
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CO 88 west, CR 42 west: East Arapahoe Ro...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.11 one way
$4.22 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $2.23 | $4.47 |
| premium | $4.39 | $2.42 | $4.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.09 | $6.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 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 | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.96 | $0.90 |
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
Dove Valley, CO
Late night in Dove Valley on Sunday
Local time
1:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
61°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
14 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
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?
The journey between Aurora and Dove Valley offers a mixed drive profile, with 31% of the route on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 5 miles on South Parker Road, providing a continuous segment before transitioning. The road character shifts as you navigate through urban and suburban landscapes, moving from arterial roads to interstate sections and back. This blend means you'll experience varying speed limits and traffic patterns throughout the short 14-mile trip.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on South Parker Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.2 miles in near North Zion Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 14 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 22m.
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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 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.
Between Aurora, CO and Dove Valley, CO, road signs point toward Parker Road South and Cr 42 West: East Arapahoe Road West.
Parker Road South
11 mi in
|
~16m
Cr 42 West: East Arapahoe Road West
11.2 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Aurora, CO
Full guide →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."
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: 14 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 (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5 miles on South Parker Road. 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 Dove Valley, CO 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 0.2 miles (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dove Valley, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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