Centennial, CO to Cedaredge, CO is 274.8 miles and takes about 5h 49m via I 70 and CO 65, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, offering a straightforward path from the Denver metro area towards the Western Slope. With 90% of the route on highways, expect a relatively quick transit. This is a solid option if you're looking for an efficient, single-day trip without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
137.4 miles from Centennial, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
199.4 mi
3h 41m
CO 65
40.3 mi
1h 8m
South Valley Highway
12.5 mi
15m
De Beque Cutoff Road
11.1 mi
26m
West 6th Avenue Freeway
7.6 mi
9m
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
0.9 mi
1m
East Dry Creek Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Northwest Aspen Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 199.4 mi, about 3h 41m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,409 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,083
Quietest
2 AM
~77 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centennial, CO and Cedaredge, 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 NorthUse 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-BToward US 6 West: 6th AvenueUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 209BToward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, LakewoodUse 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
7.6 mi·9 min·West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi·55 sec
Toward I 70 West: Grand JunctionUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 70
199 mi·3 hr 41 min·I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward US 6: De Beque
16
Turn left onto US 6
0.1 mi·10 sec·Roan Creek Road
17
Continue on 45½
11 mi·26 min·De Beque Cutoff Road
18
At end of road, turn left onto CO 65
40 mi·1 hr 8 min·CO 65
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right onto Northwest Aspen Avenue
0.1 mi·36 sec·Northwest Aspen Avenue
20
Turn left onto Northwest 3rd Street
100 ft·4 sec·Northwest 3rd Street
21
Arrive at destination
Northwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour 49 minute drive time, leaving Centennial in the morning should allow you to reach Cedaredge with plenty of daylight to spare. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 199.4 miles on I 70, so plan your fuel stops accordingly before entering that segment. While the drive is manageable in one day, the flexibility of finishing early means you could stop for a meal or a brief break on CO 65 if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach the final stretch onto CO 65 and South Valley Highway, as services might be more spaced out than on the interstate.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 137.4 miles from Centennial, CO, or about 2h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 199.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 60 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 137.4 miles or 2h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedaredge, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Centennial, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Centennial, CO
This is one driving day of about 274.8 miles and 5h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Centennial, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 70 for about 199.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 234.3 — 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
6
22.6 mi into trip|~30m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
7
234.3 mi into trip|~4h 40m in|CO 65
At end of road, turn left onto CO 65
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.81 one way
$93.63 round trip
$4.33/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.58
$49.51
$99.01
premium
$4.90
$53.06
$106.11
diesel
$6.18
$66.85
$133.70
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.4
1
$28.85
$13.19
Efficient EV
68.7
0
$24.05
$10.99
EV Truck/SUV
109.9
1
$38.47
$17.59
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Centennial, CO
Late night
in Centennial on Sunday
Local time
5:27 AM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Sunny
E 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cedaredge, CO
Late night
in Cedaredge on Sunday
Local time
5:27 AM
MDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
7 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
5h 49m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
National Park
Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the G...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
$30
near mile 274.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is primarily highway driving, with 90% of the 274.8 miles covered on major routes like I 70. You'll experience a long stretch of nearly 200 miles (199.4 miles) on I 70, which means sustained cruising. The final leg will transition from highway to surface roads as you move onto CO 65 and South Valley Highway, marking the shift from high-speed travel to more local roads.
90% 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: 199.4 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and CO 65. 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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 274.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
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 Douglas County southeast of Denver.
Top landmarks
•Seventeen Mile House — historic site in Centennial, Colorado
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 49m. Total distance: 274.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 199.4 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Cedaredge, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 — Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.8 hours each way, a round trip means 11.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cedaredge, CO before the return drive.
