This 73.9-mile drive from Colorado Springs to Derby, Colorado, is estimated to take about 1 hour and 31 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route largely follows local roads, with about 8% of the journey on highways like Ronald Reagan Highway and Monument Valley Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this is an economical trip. The general feel is a turn-heavy local drive, offering a straightforward journey within the Mountain West region. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, as this can easily be completed in a single day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37 miles from Colorado Springs, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 41m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Highway
55.5 mi
58m
Monument Valley Freeway
5.7 mi
6m
North Colorado Boulevard
4.8 mi
10m
North Vasquez Boulevard
3 mi
3m
South Colorado Boulevard
2.9 mi
6m
Kimberly Street
0.3 mi
1m
West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East Pikes Peak Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 55.5 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colorado Springs, CO and Derby, 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
56 mi·58 min·Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 204Toward CO 2: Colorado BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward CO 2: South Colorado BoulevardUse the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
335 ft·10 sec
Toward CO 2 North: Colorado Boulevard
10
Turn straight onto CO 2
2.9 mi·6 min·South Colorado Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on CO 2
4.8 mi·10 min·North Colorado Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
12
Merge onto US 6; US 85; CO 2
3.0 mi·3 min·North Vasquez Boulevard
13
Turn right onto East 77th Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·East 77th Avenue
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto Kimberly Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Kimberly Street
15
Arrive at destination
Kimberly Street
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 1 hour and 31-minute duration for this 73.9-mile trip, you have plenty of flexibility with your departure time. Consider leaving in the morning to avoid potential afternoon traffic, especially as you approach the Denver metro area. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $11, so plan accordingly. Since this is a turn-heavy local drive, stay alert for traffic signals and changing speed limits. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to your GPS in the latter half of the drive, as the transition from more open highways to urban streets can be complex.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37 miles from Colorado Springs, CO, or about 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.5 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 16 miles or 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37 miles or 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Derby, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colorado Springs, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colorado Springs, CO
This is one driving day of about 73.9 miles and 1h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Colorado Springs, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Ronald Reagan Highway for about 55.5 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 62.7 — 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.
7
62.2 mi into trip|~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward CO 2: Colorado Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 204
Toward CO 2: Colorado Boulevard
7
62.6 mi into trip|~1h 8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 2: South Colorado Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward CO 2: South Colorado Boulevard
6
62.7 mi into trip|~1h 9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 2 North: Colorado Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward CO 2 North: Colorado Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.13 one way
$22.27 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$11.79
$23.58
premium
$4.39
$12.78
$25.57
diesel
$5.61
$16.32
$32.63
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.2
0
$7.76
$3.55
Efficient EV
18.5
0
$6.47
$2.96
EV Truck/SUV
29.6
0
$10.35
$4.73
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Morning
in Colorado Springs on Tuesday
Local time
6:43 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Derby, CO
Morning
in Derby on Tuesday
Local time
6:43 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°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
25 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 31m 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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" on this route, as indicated by its profile. While only 8% of the 73.9 miles are on highways such as Ronald Reagan Highway and Monument Valley Freeway, you'll experience a longest stretch of 55.5 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. This suggests a journey that weaves through local areas more than it cruises on high-speed interstates. The road will likely feel like a connected series of local roads and arterial streets, requiring your attention for frequent turns and changes in speed.
Only 8% 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: 55.5 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 0.2 miles in near North Cascade Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 62.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Colorado Springs is a city of about 490,000 in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of El Paso County, the city lies 63 miles (101 km) south of Denver at the foot of Pikes Peak in South Central Colorado.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 31m. Total distance: 73.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 55.5 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 Derby, 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 62.2 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Derby, CO before heading back.
