Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Late night in Colorado Springs on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Colorado Springs, CO to Denver, 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 19m
Distance
68.4 mi
110 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Colorado Springs to Denver is 68.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 19 minutes via Ronald Reagan Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Colorado, connecting the Mountain West region. Expect a local feel with a significant amount of turn-heavy driving rather than an open highway experience. With only 1 recommended day and no specified stops, this trip is easily manageable for a quick transit or a leisurely start to a larger adventure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 57.6 mi | 1h 1m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| South Logan Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| East Buchtel North Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Bijou Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Pikes Peak Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Cascade Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 13th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 57.6 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colorado Springs, CO and Denver, CO.
1
Start on East Pikes Peak Avenue
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
East Pikes Peak Avenue
2
Turn right onto North Cascade Avenue
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
North Cascade Avenue
3
Turn left onto West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Bijou Street
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 25
5
Merge onto I 25
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 25
58 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 206
Toward Downing Street, Washington Street, Emerson Street
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Emerson Street, Washington Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on East Buchtel North Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Buchtel North Boulevard
10
Turn right onto South Logan Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Logan Street
11
Turn left onto East 13th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East 13th Avenue
12
Turn right onto Sherman Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Sherman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
At end of road, turn right
298 ft
·
21 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Colorado Springs, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 68.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Cascade Avenue
Turn right onto North Cascade Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Bijou Street
Turn left onto West Bijou Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
64.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward Downing Street, Washington Street, Emerson Street
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 206
Toward Downing Street, Washington Street, Emers...
9
64.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Emerson Street, Washington Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Emerson Street, Washington Street
7
68.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
Sherman Street
Turn right onto Sherman Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.31 one way
$20.61 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $10.91 | $21.82 |
| premium | $4.39 | $11.83 | $23.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.10 | $30.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.18 | $3.28 |
| Efficient EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.99 | $2.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.58 | $4.38 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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
Denver, CO
Late night in Denver on Sunday
Local time
2:02 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 19m 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 route leans towards a turn-heavy local drive, with only 8% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of road types as you navigate between the two cities. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 57.6 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway, offering a more extended period of consistent travel before transitioning to other roads. Be prepared for more frequent changes in direction and speed as you get closer to your destination.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.6 mi on Ronald Reagan 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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Cascade Avenue.
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 68.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.2 miles (North Cascade Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 64.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Denver, CO
Full guide →Denver is the capital of the western U.S. state of Colorado and the dominant city of the Rocky Mountain Region. Founded in 1858 as the placer gold mining camp known as the Cherry Creek Diggings, the "Mile-High City" is today the most populous city within a 560-mile (900 km) radius and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor of more than five million residents. Denver embraces its cowboy and mining past but also looks toward the future with a vibrant arts and performing arts scene, dozens of great outdoor festivals, and distinct neighborhoods each offering a unique experience. You'll find everything a cosmopolitan city has to offer including a spectacular view of and easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, which arise only 12 miles (19 km) west of the Colorado State Capitol.
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 19m. Total distance: 68.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 57.6 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 Denver, 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 0.2 miles (North Cascade Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 64.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Denver, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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