Origin
Brighton, CO
Late night in Brighton on Tuesday
Local time
2:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brighton, CO to Fort Collins, 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
1h 3m
Distance
54.1 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brighton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Collins, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Brighton to Fort Collins covers 54.3 miles and typically takes about 57 minutes of driving time. Since this route is well within the range of a standard day trip, you can easily complete the journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via South Main Street, West Bridge Street, and East 160th Avenue. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel should adequately cover your needs for this Mountain West transit. Because this trip stays entirely within Colorado, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the entire drive. It is a straightforward, practical commute that allows for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 39.9 mi | 39m |
| East 160th Avenue | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| East Mulberry Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| West Bridge Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Mulberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Sherwood Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Meldrum Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 39.9 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brighton, CO and Fort Collins, CO.
1
Start on Bush Street
414 ft
·
14 sec
·
Bush Street
2
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Main Street
3
Turn left onto West Bridge Street
427 ft
·
8 sec
·
West Bridge Street
Use the left lane.
4
Enter roundabout onto CO 7
142 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Bridge Street
5
Continue on CO 7
266 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Bridge Street
6
Enter roundabout onto CO 7
147 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Bridge Street
7
Continue on CO 7
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Bridge Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on CO 7
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
East 160th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
10
Merge onto I 25
40 mi
·
39 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 269B
Toward CO 14 West: Fort Collins
12
Merge onto CO 14
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft
·
29 sec
·
South Meldrum Street
15
Turn left onto West Magnolia Street
476 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Magnolia Street
16
Continue on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Sherwood Street
17
Arrive at destination
South Sherwood Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Brighton, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 9.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Main Street
Turn right onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Bridge Street
Turn left onto West Bridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CO 7 / West Bridge Street
Enter roundabout onto CO 7 / West Bridge Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CO 7 / West Bridge Street
Enter roundabout onto CO 7 / West Bridge Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
9.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge onto I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.15 one way
$16.30 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $8.63 | $17.26 |
| premium | $4.39 | $9.36 | $18.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.94 | $23.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.68 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.57 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Fort Collins, CO
Late night in Fort Collins on Tuesday
Local time
2:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Johnstown, CO
27 mi in
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
1 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
1h 3m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route maintains a 0% highway share. Behind the wheel, you will navigate through local roads, meaning there is no long-distance highway cruising to be found here. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on South Main Street, which signals that you will be navigating frequent turns and transitions throughout the journey. This personality makes the drive feel more engaged and active compared to a high-speed motorway experience. Prepare for a steady, hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention as you transition between the specified local streets.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.9 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Main Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 54.1 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: at 0.1 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (CO 7 / West Bridge Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
About the Cities
Starting in Brighton, CO
Full guide →Founded 1887
Brighton is a city of about 42,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Adams County and also extending into adjacent Weld County, the city lies northeast of Denver along the South Platte River. A former farming community, Brighton is now a residential suburb of Denver.
Arriving in Fort Collins, CO
Full guide →Fort Collins is a city of about 170,000 in north central region of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Larimer County, the city lies 59 miles (95 km) north of Denver on the Cache La Poudre River at the eastern edge of the Front Range foothills. Fort Collins is the home of Colorado State University and is a major research center.
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 1h 3m. Total distance: 54.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m 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 39.9 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 Fort Collins, 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 0.1 miles (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (CO 7 / West Bridge Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Collins, 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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