Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
56.3 mi
91 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Castle Rock, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Dacono, CO
Ofspace LLC, Culture
Castle Rock, CO to Dacono, CO is 56.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes via I 25 and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Mountain West region, specifically Colorado, and primarily follows major interstate highways. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick transit or a day trip without extensive planning. You'll find the route efficient for getting between these two points in the state.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 35.9 mi | 43m |
| North Valley Highway | 9.6 mi | 11m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7.1 mi | 7m |
| CO 52 | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North Wilcox Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Ash Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~5,680 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~464 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Castle Rock, CO and Dacono, CO.
Start on North Cantril Street
Turn left onto 3rd Street
Continue on 3rd Street
Turn right onto North Wilcox Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
Continue on I 25
Take the exit
Turn right onto CO 52
Turn straight
Turn slight right onto Colorado Boulevard
Turn left onto 6th Street
Turn right onto Ash Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 28.1 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 53.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Enter roundabout onto 3rd Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CO 52: Dacono, Fort Lupton, Frederick, Niwot
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$9.64 one way
$19.28 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.59 | $10.17 | $20.35 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $11.86 | $23.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.93 | $2.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.5 | 0 | $7.88 | $3.60 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Castle Rock on Wednesday
Local time
3:46 PM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Dacono on Wednesday
Local time
3:46 PM
MDT
Current temp
78°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is mostly highway, with 67% of the 56.3 miles on primary roads like I 25. You'll experience a significant stretch of 35.9 miles on I 25 before transitioning to surface roads like North Valley Highway. Expect a high volume of exits and potential merging traffic as you navigate this stretch of highway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and North Valley Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 3rd Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.3 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (3rd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 37 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
Total Climb
349 ft
Total Descent
1,539 ft
Highest Point
6,378 ft
~8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,354 ft
Notable High Points
Founded 1874
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 56.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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