CDOT Rest Area: Pueblo South
0 mi from route
Trip from Centennial, CO to Pagosa Springs, CO
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 15m
Distance
308.3 mi
496 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 3m
★
6 AM
6h 16m
8 AM
6h 41m
10 AM
6h 25m
12 PM
6h 22m
3 PM
6h 26m
5 PM
6h 40m
8 PM
6h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Pagosa Springs, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
Centennial to Pagosa Springs is 308.3 miles and takes about 6h 15m via West 7th Street and US-160, with a fuel budget near $48 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within Colorado, moving you from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. Expect a mix of highway driving and surface roads as you make your way southwest. It's a manageable distance for a single day's drive, offering a straightforward transition between two familiar landscapes.
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
154.2 miles from Centennial, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 45m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 7th Street | 71.4 mi | 1h 27m |
| West U.S. Highway 160 | 70.2 mi | 1h 34m |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 53.4 mi | 53m |
| South Valley Highway | 47.6 mi | 49m |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 22.9 mi | 23m |
| Main Street | 16.6 mi | 27m |
| North Freeway | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
Longest stretch:
West 7th Street
— 71.4 mi, about 1h 27m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,880 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~190 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 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 Pagosa 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
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 25; US 24
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 25
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 25
13 mi
·
12 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 25
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 100B
Toward 29th Street
14
Merge onto I 25; US 50
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Freeway
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Exit 99B
Toward 13th Street
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
this road
17
Merge onto I 25; US 50 Bus
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
North Freeway
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on I 25
41 mi
·
40 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
19
Take the exit onto I 25 Business
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
I 25 Business
Exit 52
Toward South I 25 Business, US 160 West: Walsenburg, Alamosa
20
Turn right onto US 160
71 mi
·
1 hr 27 min
·
West 7th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on US 160; CO 17
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Broadway Avenue
22
Continue on US 160; CO 17
521 ft
·
18 sec
·
Denver Avenue
23
Turn right onto Fourth Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Fourth Street
24
Turn left onto West Avenue
403 ft
·
15 sec
·
West Avenue
25
Turn right onto US 160; US 285
17 mi
·
27 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on US 160; US 285
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Park Avenue
Use the straight lane.
27
Continue on US 160; US 285
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
1st Avenue
28
Continue on US 160
13 mi
·
14 min
·
West U.S. Highway 160
29
Continue on US 160
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
30
Continue on US 160
58 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
West U.S. Highway 160
31
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
355 ft
·
20 sec
·
North 3rd Street
32
Turn left onto Lewis Street
364 ft
·
10 sec
·
Lewis Street
33
Arrive at destination
Lewis Street
Trip Plan
For this 6h 15m drive, leaving Centennial in the morning is your best bet, allowing you to reach Pagosa Springs with ample daylight. With only one recommended stop and a manageable distance, you have flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you transition from the initial surface roads to the longer highway stretches. The $48 fuel estimate should cover most of the 308.3 miles, but it's always wise to top off before a significant highway segment like the one on US-160.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 154.2 miles from Centennial, CO, or about 2h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 71.4 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 68 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154.2 miles or 2h 45m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pagosa Springs, 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 308.3 miles and 6h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 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 West 7th Street for about 71.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
154 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 68 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 154.2 miles from Centennial, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before West 7th Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 71.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
CDOT Rest Area: Pueblo North (Closed)
0.1 mi from route
CDOT Rest Area: Shaw Creek
0.1 mi from route
Cuerno Verde Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
TA Express
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
1.4 mi from route
Museum of Outdoor Arts
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.8 mi from route
~5 min detour
Greenwood Village, Colorado
+13038060444
Visit websiteLarkspur Community Park
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
First break
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Larkspur, Colorado
Hours: 6 am–8 pm
+13036812324
Visit websiteLathrop State Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour
Halfway reset
3.6 mi from route
~9 min detour
Walsenburg, Colorado
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+17197382376
Visit websiteKids Wonder
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~11 min detour
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Centennial, Colorado
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+13038350709
Visit websitePulpit Rock Park
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~11 min detour
First break
4.5 mi from route
~11 min detour
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Hours: 5 am–9 pm
+17193855940
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 219.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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.
6
57.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
97 mi into trip
|
~1h 43m in
Take the exit toward 13th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 99B
Toward 13th Street
6
144 mi into trip
|
~2h 32m in
|
I 25 Business
Take the exit onto I 25 Business toward South I 25 Business, US 160 West: Walsenburg, Alamosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 52
Toward South I 25 Business, US 160 West: Walsen...
6
219.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 7m in
|
US 160; US 285 / Main Street
Turn right onto US 160; US 285 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.80 one way
$105.60 round trip
$4.35/gal
25.4 MPG avg
108 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.59 | $55.71 | $111.42 |
| premium | $4.93 | $59.85 | $119.70 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $64.94 | $129.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 92.5 | 1 | $32.37 | $14.80 |
| Efficient EV | 77.1 | 0 | $26.98 | $12.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 123.3 | 1 | $43.16 | $19.73 |
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 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.
Origin
Centennial, CO
Afternoon in Centennial on Wednesday
Local time
1:06 PM
MDT
Current temp
55°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
SSW 3 mph
17% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Pagosa Springs, CO
Afternoon in Pagosa Springs on Wednesday
Local time
1:06 PM
MDT
Current temp
38°F
Clear
NNE 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
77°F
Rye, CO
154 mi in
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
17 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
6h 15m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...
24 mi from route
~61 min detour
$10
near mile 53.2
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 30% of this 308.3-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on surface roads is 71.4 miles along West 7th Street. After that, you'll transition to West U.S. Highway 160 and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. Be prepared for a mix of conditions, including potential urban merging near the start and more open cruising once you're on the main highways.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 71.4 mi on West 7th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near I 25 / South Valley Highway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 308.3 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 0.8 miles (I 25 / South Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.4 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 97 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
10,457 ft
4,965 ft
Total Climb
7,769 ft
Total Descent
6,478 ft
Highest Point
10,457 ft
~286.3 mi in
Elevation Range
5,493 ft
Notable High Points
6,603 ft at ~44 miles
+86 ft prominence
9,053 ft at ~176.2 miles
+1,289 ft prominence
10,457 ft at ~286.3 miles
+2,283 ft prominence
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 Pagosa Springs, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Alamosa along the way.
Alamosa
144 mi in
|
~2h 32m
|
via I 25 Business
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
Arriving in Pagosa Springs, CO
Full guide →Pagosa Springs is a town of 2,100 people (2019) in Southwestern Colorado along the San Juan River. It is most famous for its natural hot springs. There are also many opportunities for recreational activities nearby, such as the Wolf Creek Ski Area.
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 6h 15m. Total distance: 308.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 15m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 71.4 miles on West 7th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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 Pagosa Springs, 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 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (I 25 / South Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.4 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 97 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Pagosa Springs, CO before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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