Origin
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
2:51 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boulder, CO to Buena Vista, 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
3h 2m
Distance
133.6 mi
215 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
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.
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Buena Vista, CO
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
Boulder, CO to Buena Vista, CO is 133.6 miles and takes about 3h 2m via US 285, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Colorado's Mountain West region, offering a straightforward drive. Expect a highway-focused experience that's ideal for a single-day excursion. With a modest distance and duration, you can easily fit this into your travel plans without needing an overnight stop.
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
66.8 miles from Boulder, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 285 | 101.5 mi | 2h 13m |
| South Foothills Highway | 8.3 mi | 12m |
| CO 93 | 7.5 mi | 11m |
| CO 470 | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| US 24 | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Broadway | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 285
— 101.5 mi, about 2h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boulder, CO and Buena Vista, CO.
1
Start on this road
87 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
13 sec
·
19th Street
3
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
5
Turn straight
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Baseline Road
6
Keep slight left at fork
381 ft
·
15 sec
Toward Baseline Road, Broadway South
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on 27th Way
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
27th Way
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
At end of road, turn left onto CO 93
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Broadway
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on CO 93
8.3 mi
·
12 min
·
South Foothills Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on CO 93
7.5 mi
·
11 min
·
CO 93
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on US 6
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto CO 470
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
CO 470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5A
Toward US 285 South: Fairplay
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto US 285
101 mi
·
2 hr 13 min
·
US 285
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 24
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
US 24
16
Turn slight right onto Cottonwood Road
474 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cottonwood Road
17
Turn right onto East Main Street
151 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
East Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 2m duration, starting your drive in Boulder, CO, earlier in the day is recommended to maximize daylight. You'll encounter only one recommended stop along the way, giving you plenty of flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without a town is over 100 miles on US 285, and the estimated fuel cost is around $20. Plan to depart with a full tank to ensure a smooth journey to Buena Vista.
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 66.8 miles from Boulder, CO, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.5 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 29 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.8 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buena Vista, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Boulder, 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 Boulder, CO
This is one driving day of about 133.6 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Boulder, 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 US 285 for about 101.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 66.8 miles from Boulder, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 285 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 101.5 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Arapahoe Avenue
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Baseline Road, Broadway South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Baseline Road, Broadway South
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CO 93 / Broadway
At end of road, turn left onto CO 93 / Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
29 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward US 285 South: Fairplay
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5A
Toward US 285 South: Fairplay
5
29.7 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
US 285
Merge onto US 285
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.13 one way
$40.26 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
47 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $21.31 | $42.63 |
| premium | $4.39 | $23.11 | $46.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.50 | $58.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40.1 | 0 | $14.03 | $6.41 |
| Efficient EV | 33.4 | 0 | $11.69 | $5.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.4 | 0 | $18.70 | $8.55 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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
Buena Vista, CO
Late night in Buena Vista on Tuesday
Local time
2:51 AM
MDT
Current temp
28°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
25 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
3h 2m 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?
This route is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 88% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience stretches of open highway, including a significant 101.5-mile segment on US 285. The roads are generally well-maintained and designed for steady progress. While the majority is highway, be aware of the initial and final segments that utilize South Foothills Highway and CO 93, which may offer a slightly different driving feel before you merge onto the main route.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 101.5 mi on US 285.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 285 and South Foothills Highway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Arapahoe Avenue.
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 133.6 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (CO 93 / Broadway): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 2m. Total distance: 133.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 101.5 miles on US 285. 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (CO 93 / Broadway): 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 Buena Vista, 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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