Origin
Castle Rock, CO
Night in Castle Rock on Saturday
Local time
10:35 PM
MDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Castle Rock, CO to Fort Carson, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
48.7 mi
78 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 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Castle Rock, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Carson, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Castle Rock to Fort Carson, you are looking at a straightforward 48.7-mile journey through the Mountain West. Expect to spend about 59 minutes behind the wheel, making this a very manageable day trip that does not require an overnight stay. Your primary path takes you along I-25, the Monument Valley Freeway, and South Nevada Avenue. With a fuel cost of roughly $7, it is an economical route for a quick commute or visit. Since the drive is focused on efficiency, it is best suited for those who want to get from point A to point B without unnecessary detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 32.4 mi | 33m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 7.8 mi | 9m |
| South Nevada Avenue | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Wetzel Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Wilcox Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Wilcox Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 3rd 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 Fort Carson, 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
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 140
Toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto CO 115
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
South Nevada Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Nelson Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto Nelson Boulevard
102 ft
·
2 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
16
Keep slight left at fork onto Nelson Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
17
Enter roundabout onto Nelson Boulevard
142 ft
·
3 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
18
Continue on Nelson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Nelson Boulevard
19
Turn right onto Wetzel Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wetzel Avenue
20
Turn left onto Prussman Avenue
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
Prussman Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
Prussman Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.4 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 41.5 — 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
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Plum Creek Parkway
Turn right onto West Plum Creek Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
41.5 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 140
Toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenu...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.34 one way
$14.68 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.77 | $15.54 |
| premium | $4.39 | $8.42 | $16.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.75 | $21.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.82 | $3.12 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Fort Carson, CO
Night in Fort Carson on Saturday
Local time
10:35 PM
MDT
Current temp
45°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
28 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
59m 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?
This highway-focused drive is dominated by high-speed transit, with 83% of the journey spent on major roads. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, as your longest uninterrupted stretch covers 32.4 miles on I-25. The route balances the open feel of the interstate with the transition into the local infrastructure of the Monument Valley Freeway and South Nevada Avenue. Do not expect technical winding roads here; instead, anticipate a consistent, steady pace that moves you efficiently through the region. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that prioritizes speed over meandering backroads.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 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?
8/10
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
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 48.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
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.
About the Cities
Arriving in Fort Carson, 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 59m. Total distance: 48.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). 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 Fort Carson, 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 Fort Carson, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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