Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Morning in Colorado Springs on Sunday
Local time
11:31 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Colorado Springs, CO to Fort Carson, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
8.1 mi
13 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Carson, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Colorado Springs to Fort Carson is 8.1 miles and takes about 15m via South Nevada Avenue, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Colorado and the Mountain West region. It's a straightforward trip primarily on surface roads, making it a quick and easy transition. You won't be spending much time on the road, so it's perfect for a quick commute or an easy start to a longer trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Nevada Avenue | 6.8 mi | 12m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Wetzel Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Pikes Peak Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Prussman Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Nevada Avenue
— 6.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colorado Springs, CO and Fort Carson, CO.
1
Start on East Pikes Peak Avenue
66 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Pikes Peak Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Nevada Avenue
6.8 mi
·
12 min
·
South Nevada Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto Nelson Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Nelson Boulevard
102 ft
·
2 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
5
Keep slight left at fork onto Nelson Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
6
Enter roundabout onto Nelson Boulevard
142 ft
·
3 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
7
Continue on Nelson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Nelson Boulevard
8
Turn right onto Wetzel Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wetzel Avenue
9
Turn left onto Prussman Avenue
42 ft
·
1 sec
·
Prussman Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
Prussman Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 7.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Nevada Avenue
Turn left onto South Nevada Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
6.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Nelson Boulevard
Turn left onto Nelson Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Nelson Boulevard
Keep slight left at fork onto Nelson Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Nelson Boulevard
Keep slight left at fork onto Nelson Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
7.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Nelson Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto Nelson Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.22 one way
$2.44 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.29 | $2.58 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.40 | $2.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.79 | $3.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Fort Carson, CO
Morning in Fort Carson on Sunday
Local time
11:31 AM
MDT
Current temp
45°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
1 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
15m 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 covers 8.1 miles with no highway driving, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire trip. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.8 miles along South Nevada Avenue. Expect to navigate through typical urban traffic patterns with frequent intersections and potentially moderate congestion, especially during peak hours. Nelson Boulevard and Wetzel Avenue will also feature in your drive.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.8 mi on South Nevada Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Nevada Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 8.1 miles you will encounter 7 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: near the start (South Nevada Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (Nelson Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (Nelson Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Fort Carson, CO
Full guide →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.
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 15m. Total distance: 8.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.8 miles on South Nevada Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (South Nevada Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (Nelson Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (Nelson Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Carson, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fort Carson, CO
More trips to Fort Carson, CO
Explore more options from Colorado Springs, CO or browse trips ending in Fort Carson, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.