Origin
Castle Rock, CO
Late night in Castle Rock on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
MDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Castle Rock, CO to Colorado Springs, 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
47m
Distance
40.8 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Castle Rock, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 41.7 miles, the trip from Castle Rock to Colorado Springs is a straightforward journey through the Mountain West. You can expect to spend about 44 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Because the route relies entirely on local streets rather than major interstates, you won't need to worry about heavy highway traffic patterns. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, it is a highly affordable commute between these two Colorado hubs. This drive is best viewed as a practical connection rather than a long-distance excursion, offering you total flexibility in your departure time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 32.4 mi | 33m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 5.9 mi | 6m |
| East Kiowa Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| South Wilcox Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Wilcox Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Plum Creek Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Kiowa Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 32.4 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Castle Rock, CO and Colorado Springs, 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
·
20 sec
·
3rd Street
4
Turn left onto North Wilcox Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
North Wilcox Street
Use the left lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto South Wilcox Street
40 ft
·
0 sec
·
South Wilcox Street
6
Continue on South Wilcox Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Wilcox Street
7
Turn right onto West Plum Creek Parkway
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Plum Creek Parkway
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto Frontage Road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Frontage Road
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 25 South
10
Merge onto I 25
32 mi
·
33 min
·
I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 25
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 142
Toward Bijou Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
495 ft
·
14 sec
Toward I 25: Downtown
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn left onto West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Bijou Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Continue on West Kiowa Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
West Kiowa Street
16
Continue on East Kiowa Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Kiowa Street
17
Turn right onto North Weber Street
490 ft
·
17 sec
·
North Weber Street
18
Turn right onto East Pikes Peak Avenue
422 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Pikes Peak Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
East Pikes Peak Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 39.8 — 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
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Wilcox Street
Turn left onto North Wilcox Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Wilcox Street
Enter roundabout onto South Wilcox Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
39.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward Bijou Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 142
Toward Bijou Street
8
39.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25: Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 25: Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.15 one way
$12.29 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.51 | $13.02 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.06 | $14.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Colorado Springs, CO
Late night in Colorado Springs on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
MDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 15 to 20 mph
4% chance
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
18 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
47m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 that keeps you engaged throughout the 41.7-mile stretch. Unlike a standard interstate grind, this route avoids highways entirely, instead guiding you through town on 3rd Street, North Wilcox Street, and South Wilcox Street. The road profile is defined by these local transitions, meaning you will navigate more intersections than you would on a high-speed expressway. There is no single long, uninterrupted stretch, so you should prepare for a steady, rhythmic pace. You will find that the character of the road remains consistent as you navigate the local infrastructure connecting these two communities.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.4 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and Monument Valley Freeway. 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
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 40.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
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 0.2 miles (North Wilcox Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (South Wilcox Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
7,181 ft
6,009 ft
Total Climb
966 ft
Total Descent
1,173 ft
Highest Point
7,181 ft
~17.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,173 ft
Notable High Points
7,181 ft at ~17.5 miles
+85 ft prominence
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 Colorado Springs, CO
Full guide →Colorado Springs is a city of about 490,000 in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of El Paso County, the city lies 63 miles (101 km) south of Denver at the foot of Pikes Peak in South Central Colorado.
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 47m. Total distance: 40.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.4 miles on I 25. 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 Colorado Springs, 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 0.2 miles (North Wilcox Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (South Wilcox Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Colorado Springs, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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