Origin
Castle Rock, CO
Late night in Castle Rock on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
MDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Castle Rock, CO to Broomfield, 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
57m
Distance
45.8 mi
74 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Castle Rock, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
Trip Overview
Spanning 45.8 miles, this connection between Castle Rock and Broomfield is a straightforward commute across the Colorado Mountain West. You can expect a drive time of approximately 48 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of just $7, it is an economical route to navigate. Because the journey is relatively short, there is no need to plan for overnight stays or complex logistics. Whether you are heading north for business or personal errands, the trip is manageable and efficient for any driver.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 34.4 mi | 40m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| North Wilcox Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Midway Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 3rd Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 34.4 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Castle Rock, CO and Broomfield, CO.
1
Start on North Cantril Street
90 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Cantril Street
2
Turn left onto 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
3rd Street
3
Continue on 3rd Street
442 ft
·
17 sec
·
3rd Street
4
Turn right onto North Wilcox Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wilcox Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 25 North
6
Merge onto I 25
34 mi
·
40 min
·
I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto US 36
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto CO 121
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
CO 121
15
Continue on US 287
204 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 287
16
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Midway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
17
Turn right onto Nickel Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Nickel Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft
·
17 sec
·
West 3rd Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left
192 ft
·
14 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.9 miles from Castle Rock, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 45.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
3rd Street
Enter roundabout onto 3rd Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
35.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
6
42.1 mi into trip
|
~51m 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
44.7 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
6
45.6 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Nickel Street
Turn right onto Nickel Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.90 one way
$13.80 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.31 | $14.61 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.92 | $15.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.11 | $20.22 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.60
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(8.7 mi)
$0.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.41 | $2.93 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Broomfield, CO
Late night in Broomfield on Tuesday
Local time
4:57 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
57m 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 as you navigate out of Castle Rock via 3rd Street and North Wilcox Street. Once you transition onto I-25 North, the character of the road shifts significantly toward a standard interstate experience. While the route is composed of a mix of local surface streets and major highway segments, you will find it lacks long, monotonous stretches. Because the highway share is 0% of the total distance, you should prepare for a more involved driving experience as you transition between local roads and the main interstate artery.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.4 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and Denver–Boulder Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 3rd Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 45.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (3rd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 35.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Castle Rock, CO to Broomfield, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
Boulder
35.5 mi in
|
~44m
About the Cities
Starting in Castle Rock, CO
Full guide →Castle Rock is a town of about 81,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Douglas County, the town lies 26 miles (42 km) south-southeast of Denver.
Arriving in Broomfield, CO
Full guide →Founded 2001
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 57m. Total distance: 45.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.4 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.60 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 Broomfield, 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 (3rd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 35.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 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 Broomfield, 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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