Origin
Centennial, CO
Morning in Centennial on Tuesday
Local time
6:09 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centennial, CO to Applewood, 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
37m
Distance
24 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Applewood, CO
Piotr Arnoldes
Trip Overview
This short 24-mile drive from Centennial to Applewood in Colorado is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 37 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $4, it's an economical option for a quick trip. The route primarily utilizes South Valley Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway, and West 20th Avenue, offering a local driving experience. As both the origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, you'll remain in familiar territory throughout this journey. Given its brevity, this drive is perfect for a spontaneous outing or an easy commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 12.5 mi | 15m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| West 20th Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Simms Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Eldridge Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Berry Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 12.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centennial, CO and Applewood, CO.
1
Start on this road
495 ft
·
41 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
118 ft
·
10 sec
3
Turn right onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
4
Turn right onto South Chester Street
384 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Chester Street
5
Turn right onto CR 46
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
6
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 25 North
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 25
13 mi
·
15 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 209A-B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 6
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
US 6
Toward US 6
12
Merge onto US 6
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward Simms Street, Union Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
254 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Simms Street, 8th Avenue West
15
Turn straight onto Simms Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Simms Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn left onto West 20th Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West 20th Avenue
17
Continue on West 20th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
West 20th Avenue
18
Turn right onto CR 18
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Eldridge Street
19
Turn left onto Berry Road
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Berry Road
20
Continue on Garden Road
372 ft
·
16 sec
·
Garden Road
21
Arrive at destination
Garden Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 20 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 25 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 North
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 209A-B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
9
13.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
7
19.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Simms Street, Union Boulevard
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.
Toward Simms Street, Union Boulevard
6
20 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Simms Street, 8th Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Simms Street, 8th Avenue West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.62 one way
$7.23 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.83 | $7.66 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.15 | $8.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.30 | $10.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Applewood, CO
Morning in Applewood on Tuesday
Local time
6:09 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°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
24 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
37m 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 on this route, with only 20% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.5 miles on South Valley Highway. As you transition from South Valley Highway to the West 6th Avenue Freeway and then to West 20th Avenue, the road character will shift, requiring your attention to frequent turns and local traffic. This drive offers a more intimate connection with the landscape as opposed to a high-speed transit.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.5 mi on South Valley Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
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 16 decision points packed into just 24 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Centennial, CO and Applewood, CO, road signs point toward Lakewood and 8Th Avenue West.
Lakewood
13.6 mi in
|
~18m
8Th Avenue West
20 mi in
|
~27m
About the Cities
Starting in Centennial, CO
Full guide →Founded 2001
Centennial is a suburban city of about 106,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Arapahoe County southeast of Denver.
Top landmarks
- • Seventeen Mile House — historic site in Centennial, 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 37m. Total distance: 24 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.5 miles on South Valley Highway. 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 Applewood, 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Applewood, 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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