Origin
Centennial, CO
Late night in Centennial on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centennial, CO to Indian Hills, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
27.6 mi
44 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Indian Hills, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
This 27.6-mile drive from Centennial, CO, to Indian Hills, CO, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 36 minutes. Primarily utilizing CO 470, US 285, and South Valley Highway, this route is focused on highway travel, with 87% of the journey on these main roads. It’s a perfect day trip with a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, so you won't need to break it up with an overnight stay. Given its short distance and straightforward path through the Mountain West region, you can enjoy a smooth transition between these Colorado communities without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CO 470 | 18.9 mi | 21m |
| US 285 | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| South Valley Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| CO 470 EXPR | 1 mi | 1m |
| Parmalee Gulch Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Santa Clara Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CO 470
— 18.9 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centennial, CO and Indian Hills, 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
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 25 South
7
Merge onto I 25
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand Junction
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Exit 194
Toward CO 470 West: Grand Junction
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 194
Toward CO 470 West: Grand Junction, Quebec Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Continue on CO 470
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
CO 470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
162 ft
·
2 sec
Toward CO 470 Express
Use the slight left lane.
13
Merge onto CO 470 EXPR
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 470 EXPR
14
Take the exit
125 ft
·
1 sec
Toward CO 470 West
15
Merge onto CO 470
13 mi
·
14 min
·
CO 470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 5A
Toward US 285 South: Fairplay
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Merge onto US 285
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
US 285
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto CH 120
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Parmalee Gulch Road
19
Turn left onto Santa Clara Road
465 ft
·
20 sec
·
Santa Clara Road
20
Continue on Santa Clara Road
298 ft
·
13 sec
·
Santa Clara Road
21
Keep slight left at fork onto Hiawatha Trail
173 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hiawatha Trail
22
Arrive at destination
Hiawatha Trail
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 22.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand J...
9
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 470 West: Grand Junction
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 194
Toward CO 470 West: Grand Junction
9
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 470 West: Grand Junction, Quebec Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 194
Toward CO 470 West: Grand Junction, Quebec Stre...
6
8.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward CO 470 Express
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward CO 470 Express
7
22.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward US 285 South: Fairplay
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 5A
Toward US 285 South: Fairplay
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.16 one way
$8.32 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.40 | $8.81 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.77 | $9.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.09 | $12.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.77 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Indian Hills, CO
Late night in Indian Hills on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
38°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
39 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
36m 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 highway-focused drive for the majority of this route, with 87% of the 27.6 miles on main roads like CO 470 and US 285. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.9 miles along CO 470, offering a consistent pace. As you progress, the character remains largely that of a functional highway, facilitating a direct journey. This isn't a winding mountain pass, but rather a well-established corridor designed for efficient travel between these Colorado locations.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.9 mi on CO 470.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CO 470 and US 285. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 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 18 decision points packed into just 27.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 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 Indian Hills, CO, road signs point toward E-470 North and Grand Junction.
E-470 North
1.8 mi in
|
~3m
Grand Junction
1.8 mi in
|
~3m
About the Cities
Starting in Centennial, CO
Full guide →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.
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 36m. Total distance: 27.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.9 miles on CO 470. 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 Indian Hills, 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 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 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 Indian Hills, 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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