Origin
Broomfield, CO
Late night in Broomfield on Sunday
Local time
1:55 AM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Broomfield, CO to Boulder, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
13 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 13-mile drive between Broomfield and Boulder, Colorado, will only take about 19 minutes, making it perfect for a single-day excursion. The majority of this trip, 82% to be exact, is on highways, offering a straightforward connection between these two Mountain West communities. With a low estimated fuel cost of just $2, you won't need to worry about breaking the bank on gas. Given its short distance and rapid completion time, this route is ideal for a spontaneous outing or as a seamless addition to a larger Colorado adventure. You'll be arriving in Boulder before you know it, leaving plenty of time to explore.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 3rd Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 19th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| US 287 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 10.5 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Broomfield, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on this road
192 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft
·
19 sec
·
West 3rd Avenue
3
Turn left onto Nickel Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Nickel Street
4
Turn right onto US 287
140 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 287
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward CO 121 South
6
Turn straight onto CO 121
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
CO 121
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 36 West: Boulder
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 36
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left
87 ft
·
4 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.3 — 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
|
West 3rd Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto West 3rd Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CO 121 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward CO 121 South
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m 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.
6
4.7 mi into trip
|
~7m 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.
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.96 one way
$3.92 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $2.07 | $4.15 |
| premium | $4.39 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.87 | $5.74 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.73
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(10.5 mi)
$0.73
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$1
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.14 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Sunday
Local time
1:55 AM
MDT
Current temp
72°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
3 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
19m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 13-mile journey. The Denver–Boulder Turnpike will be your main artery for the longest stretch, covering 10.5 miles without interruption. You'll also navigate sections of 28th Street and Arapahoe Avenue as you approach your destination. This route is designed for efficient travel, minimizing time spent on slower local roads. The drive progresses smoothly, largely keeping you on well-maintained, high-speed thoroughfares until the final approach into Boulder.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.5 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 28th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 3rd 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 13 decision points packed into just 13 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 19m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 3rd Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.8 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Broomfield, CO
Full guide →Broomfield is a combined city and county of about 77,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. Broomfield lies 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Denver and 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Boulder. The only other combined city and county in Colorado is the City and County of Denver, the state capital.
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 19m. Total distance: 13 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.5 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.73 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 Boulder, 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 (West 3rd Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.8 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Boulder, 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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