Origin
Aurora, CO
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Indian Hills, 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
43m
Distance
29.3 mi
47 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Indian Hills, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
This 29.3-mile drive from Aurora, CO, to Indian Hills, CO, is a manageable 43-minute journey that's perfect for a single day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with a 28% share of highway driving, making it a turn-heavy experience. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $4, so you won't need to budget heavily for gas. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a spontaneous outing or a leisurely exploration of the Mountain West region within Colorado. It offers a straightforward way to transition from the Denver metro area into the foothills.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Hampden Avenue | 14 mi | 18m |
| I 225 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| East Hampden Avenue | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| South Valley Highway | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| East Jefferson Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Parmalee Gulch Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Hampden Bypass | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Hampden Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Hampden Avenue
— 14 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Indian Hills, 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
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 25 North: Denver
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 25
0.9 mi
·
59 sec
·
South Valley Highway
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 201
Toward US 285, CO 30: Hampden Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto US 285; CO 30
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
East Hampden Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 285
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Hampden Bypass
12
Continue on US 285
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Avenue
13
Continue on US 285
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Hampden Drive
14
Continue on US 285
14 mi
·
18 min
·
West Hampden Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto CH 120
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Parmalee Gulch Road
16
Turn left onto Santa Clara Road
465 ft
·
20 sec
·
Santa Clara Road
17
Continue on Santa Clara Road
298 ft
·
13 sec
·
Santa Clara Road
18
Keep slight left at fork onto Hiawatha Trail
173 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hiawatha Trail
19
Arrive at destination
Hiawatha Trail
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 10.5 — 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
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 225
Merge onto I 225
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
9.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 25 North: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25 North: Denver
8
10.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward US 285, CO 30: Hampden Avenue
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.
Exit 201
Toward US 285, CO 30: Hampden Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.41 one way
$8.83 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.67 | $9.35 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.07 | $10.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.47 | $12.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.08 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.10 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Indian Hills, CO
Late night in Indian Hills on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
MDT
Current temp
38°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
2 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
43m 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 for this 43-minute trip, featuring 28% highway usage. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 14 miles along West Hampden Avenue, offering a brief period of more consistent travel. As you progress, the route shifts from more urban-feeling arteries like East Hampden Avenue and I-225 towards less direct, local roads as you approach Indian Hills. This dynamic means you'll be adjusting your speed and navigation frequently, so staying alert is key.
Only 28% 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: 14 mi on West Hampden Avenue.
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 0.2 miles in near North Zion Street.
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 12 decision points packed into just 29.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
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 0.9 miles (I 225): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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
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 43m. Total distance: 29.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14 miles on West Hampden Avenue. 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 Indian Hills, 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 0.9 miles (I 225): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Indian Hills, 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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