Origin
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boulder, CO to Glendale, 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
45m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Glendale, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
Boulder, CO to Glendale, CO is 31.5 miles and takes about 45 minutes via the Denver–Boulder Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Mountain West region, making it a straightforward hop between two Colorado cities. Given its brief duration and mostly highway profile, it's ideal for a quick transit or a day trip where you want to maximize time at your destination. You'll spend most of your time on major arteries, so expect steady progress.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 19.9 mi | 23m |
| North Colorado Boulevard | 5.7 mi | 12m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Leetsdale Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Cherry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 19.9 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boulder, CO and Glendale, 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 onto US 36
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 270
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 2A
Toward US 85, CO 2 South: Vasquez Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto US 6; US 85; CO 2
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
17
Turn slight right onto CO 2
5.7 mi
·
12 min
·
North Colorado Boulevard
Toward CO 2
Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn left onto South Leetsdale Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Leetsdale Drive
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto South Cherry Street
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
South Cherry Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto East Exposition Avenue
14 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Exposition Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
East Exposition Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.8 miles from Boulder, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 30.6 — 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.
6
18 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
8
24.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward US 85, CO 2 South: Vasquez Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2A
Toward US 85, CO 2 South: Vasquez Boulevard
5
30.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
South Leetsdale Drive
Turn left onto South Leetsdale Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.75 one way
$9.49 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.03 | $10.05 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.45 | $10.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.39
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(19.9 mi)
$1.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Glendale, CO
Late night in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
17 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
45m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 63% of the route on major roads. You'll cover a longest stretch of 19.9 miles on the Denver–Boulder Turnpike before transitioning to surface streets like North Colorado Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway cruising and urban merging as you approach your destination. The density of exits will likely increase as you get closer to Glendale.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.9 mi on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and North Colorado Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Arapahoe Avenue.
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 18 decision points packed into just 31.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
On the drive from Boulder, CO to Glendale, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Collins along the way.
Fort Collins
20 mi in
|
~25m
|
via US 36
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.9 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.39 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Glendale, 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: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Glendale, 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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