Cimarron Hills to Fort Collins is 135.5 miles and takes about 2 hours 36 minutes via Ronald Reagan Highway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Colorado, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the same region. Given its relatively short duration and turn-heavy local drive profile, this is a good option for a single-day trip. You'll experience a mix of highway and local road driving, making it a practical choice if you're looking for a straightforward journey between these two Colorado locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
67.7 miles from Cimarron Hills, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Highway
64.6 mi
1h 12m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
41.7 mi
41m
North Powers Boulevard
11.2 mi
14m
North Valley Highway
9.6 mi
11m
East Mulberry Street
4 mi
7m
Interquest Parkway
2.2 mi
3m
Palmer Park Boulevard
1.1 mi
2m
West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 64.6 mi, about 1h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cimarron Hills, CO and Fort Collins, CO.
1
Start on Palmer Park Boulevard
1.1 mi·2 min·Palmer Park Boulevard
2
Turn right onto CO 21
11 mi·14 min·North Powers Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
At end of road, turn left onto CO 83
2.2 mi·3 min·Interquest Parkway
Use the left lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward I 25 North: DenverUse the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 25
65 mi·1 hr 12 min·Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi·5 min·North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi·5 min·North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
42 mi·41 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 269BToward CO 14 West: Fort Collins
10
Merge onto CO 14
4.0 mi·7 min·East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·West Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft·29 sec·South Meldrum Street
13
Turn left onto West Magnolia Street
476 ft·18 sec·West Magnolia Street
14
Continue on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·South Sherwood Street
15
Arrive at destination
South Sherwood Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under 3 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day, offering flexibility in your departure time. Consider starting in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for any unexpected delays. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 64.6 miles, so plan for your first significant break after that point, perhaps around the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway portion. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is around $20, and fuel availability might be more limited on the local road segments. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to navigation as you transition from highway to local roads, as the 'turn-heavy' nature means frequent adjustments.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 67.7 miles from Cimarron Hills, CO, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.6 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 30 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 67.7 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Collins, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cimarron Hills, 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 Cimarron Hills, CO
This is one driving day of about 135.5 miles and 2h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Cimarron Hills, 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 Ronald Reagan Highway for about 64.6 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 12.3 and 83.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
12.3 mi into trip|~17m in|CO 83 / Interquest Parkway
At end of road, turn left onto CO 83 / Interquest Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
14.5 mi into trip|~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 25 North: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 25 North: Denver
5
14.8 mi into trip|~21m in|I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge onto I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
79.4 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
83.7 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.42 one way
$40.83 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg47 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$21.62
$43.23
premium
$4.39
$23.44
$46.88
diesel
$5.61
$29.92
$59.83
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 47.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
40.7
0
$14.23
$6.50
Efficient EV
33.9
0
$11.86
$5.42
EV Truck/SUV
54.2
0
$18.97
$8.67
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Cimarron Hills, CO
Late night
in Cimarron Hills on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 AM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Fort Collins, CO
Late night
in Fort Collins on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live 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
42 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
2h 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.
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...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$10
near mile 18.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a varied driving experience, characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive' with a 50% highway share. You'll navigate stretches like the 64.6-mile segment on Ronald Reagan Highway, providing a taste of consistent highway travel. However, expect transitions onto local roads, indicated by the highway share and profile, which means more turns and potentially varied speed limits. This dynamic suggests the drive isn't a monotonous interstate cruise but rather involves a mix of faster highway segments and more involved local road navigation as you approach your destination.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.6 mi on Ronald Reagan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 12.3 miles in near CO 83 / Interquest Parkway.
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 10 significant decision points across 135.5 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 12.3 miles (CO 83 / Interquest Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Fort Collins is a city of about 170,000 in north central region of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Larimer County, the city lies 59 miles (95 km) north of Denver on the Cache La Poudre River at the eastern edge of the Front Range foothills. Fort Collins is the home of Colorado State University and is a major research center.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 36m. Total distance: 135.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.6 miles on Ronald Reagan 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 Fort Collins, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.3 miles (CO 83 / Interquest Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Collins, CO before heading back.
