Origin
Centennial, CO
Night in Centennial on Saturday
Local time
10:36 PM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centennial, CO to Manitou Springs, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
57.9 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Manitou Springs, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Centennial, CO to Manitou Springs, CO is 57.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via South Valley Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, specifically within Colorado. Expect a turn-heavy local drive, so it's not a high-speed freeway sprint. It's a straightforward, manageable trip that can easily be completed in a single day, making it a convenient option for a quick change of scenery.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 47.6 mi | 49m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| Midland Expressway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| West Fillmore Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| North 31st Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Fontmore Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| West Fontanero Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 47.6 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centennial, CO and Manitou Springs, 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
48 mi
·
49 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 145
Toward Fillmore Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
232 ft
·
7 sec
Toward Fillmore Street West
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on West Fillmore Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Fillmore Street
12
Continue on Fontmore Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Fontmore Road
13
Continue on West Fontanero Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Fontanero Street
14
Turn left onto North 31st Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North 31st Street
15
Turn sharp right onto US 24
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Cimarron Street
16
Continue on US 24
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Midland Expressway
17
Turn left onto Sunshine Trail
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Sunshine Trail
18
Turn right onto Washington Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue
19
Turn right onto Cañon Avenue
146 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cañon Avenue
20
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29 miles from Centennial, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 51.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Panorama Circle
Turn right onto East Panorama Circle
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 25 / South Valley Highway
Merge onto I 25 / South Valley Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward Fillmore Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 145
Toward Fillmore Street
8
51.9 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Fillmore Street West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Fillmore Street West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.72 one way
$17.45 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $9.24 | $18.47 |
| premium | $4.39 | $10.02 | $20.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.78 | $25.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.08 | $2.78 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.07 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.11 | $3.71 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Manitou Springs, CO
Night in Manitou Springs on Saturday
Local time
10:36 PM
MDT
Current temp
64°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
13 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
1h 8m 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 is primarily a turn-heavy local drive, with only a 10% highway share. You'll spend most of your time navigating local roads rather than high-speed interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 47.6 miles on South Valley Highway, indicating a significant portion of the journey will be on this particular road. Be prepared for more frequent turns and potentially slower speeds compared to a typical highway commute.
Only 10% 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: 47.6 mi on South Valley Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.9 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Panorama Circle): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (I 25 / South Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Centennial, CO to Manitou Springs, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fillmore Street West along the way.
Fillmore Street West
51.9 mi in
|
~56m
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 1h 8m. Total distance: 57.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m 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 47.6 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 Manitou Springs, 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: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Panorama Circle): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (I 25 / South Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Manitou Springs, 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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