Boone to Rye is 52.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway and US 50, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Colorado's Mountain West region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a practical option for connecting two points without a significant time commitment. You'll find this route suitable for a quick transfer, whether you're heading out for the day or concluding an earlier leg of your travels. Consider this a simple transit between two familiar areas.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
18.5 mi
18m
US 50
10.4 mi
16m
CO 165
8.4 mi
13m
Main Street
6.2 mi
10m
South Freeway
5.3 mi
6m
East 4th Street
2.6 mi
4m
North Chester Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
East City Center Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
— 18.5 mi, about 18m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 2 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,440 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~161 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
21.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boone, CO and Rye, CO.
1
Start on North Baker Avenue
147 ft·10 sec·North Baker Avenue
2
Turn right onto CO 96
6.2 mi·10 min·Main Street
3
Continue on US 50; CO 96
9.4 mi·15 min·US 50; CO 96
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on US 50; CO 96
1.0 mi·1 min·US 50; CO 96
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward CO 47, CO 96: 4th Street, Cesar Chavez BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
421 ft·20 sec
Toward CO 96: 4th StreetUse the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto CO 96
2.6 mi·4 min·East 4th Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto North Chester Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·North Chester Avenue
9
Turn right onto East City Center Drive
0.2 mi·33 sec·East City Center Drive
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
11
Merge onto I 25; US 50 Bus
5.3 mi·6 min·South Freeway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on I 25
18 mi·18 min·John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward CO 165 West: Colorado City, Rye
14
Turn right onto CO 165
8.4 mi·13 min·CO 165
15
Turn left onto CR 271
414 ft·19 sec·Boulder Avenue
16
Turn left
51 ft·3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Boone, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 16.6 and 19.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
16.6 mi into trip|~27m in
Take the exit toward CO 47, CO 96: 4th Street, Cesar Chavez Boulevard
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 47, CO 96: 4th Street, Cesar Chavez B...
8
16.8 mi into trip|~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CO 96: 4th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward CO 96: 4th Street
6
16.9 mi into trip|~28m in|CO 96 / East 4th Street
Turn left onto CO 96 / East 4th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
19.6 mi into trip|~32m in|East City Center Drive
Turn right onto East City Center Drive
Navigation decision point
5
19.8 mi into trip|~33m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.99 one way
$17.98 round trip
$4.35/gal25.4 MPG avg18 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.59
$9.49
$18.97
premium
$4.93
$10.19
$20.38
diesel
$5.35
$11.06
$22.12
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15.8
0
$5.51
$2.52
Efficient EV
13.1
0
$4.59
$2.10
EV Truck/SUV
21
0
$7.35
$3.36
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Forecast as of May 15, 2026
Origin
Boone, CO
Afternoon
in Boone on Wednesday
Local time
2:50 PM
MDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
N 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 14 at 10:19PM MDT until May 15 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued May 14 at 10:19PM MDT until May 16 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Destination
Rye, CO
Afternoon
in Rye on Wednesday
Local time
2:50 PM
MDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
NW 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 14 at 10:19PM MDT until May 15 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued May 14 at 10:19PM MDT until May 16 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 13m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 46% of this 52.5-mile drive is on highways. You'll spend roughly 24 miles on roads like the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch on a highway is 18.5 miles. The route transitions from highway driving to surface roads, so expect a change in pace and surrounding environment. You'll notice the shift from more controlled highway speeds to local road conditions.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.5 mi on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 16.6 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.5 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 16.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (CO 96 / East 4th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 52.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.5 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Rye, 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 16.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (CO 96 / East 4th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rye, CO before heading back.
