Colorado Springs to Lafayette is 90.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 47 minutes via Ronald Reagan Highway, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, and Monument Valley Freeway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Colorado, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. Expect a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a straightforward drive. Given the relatively short duration, it's easily accomplished in a single day, allowing for a relaxed pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.2 miles from Colorado Springs, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Highway
68.6 mi
1h 16m
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8.7 mi
10m
Monument Valley Freeway
5.7 mi
6m
US 287
4 mi
6m
South Public Road
1 mi
3m
CO 121
0.2 mi
<1m
West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
<1m
South 112th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 68.6 mi, about 1h 16m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,006 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~373 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Colorado Springs, CO and Lafayette, 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
69 mi·1 hr 16 min·Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·51 sec
Exit 217AToward US 36 West: Westminster, BoulderUse the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto US 36
2.1 mi·2 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi·1 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi·2 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi·2 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi·52 sec·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth ParkwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto CO 121
0.2 mi·30 sec·CO 121
15
Continue on US 287
4.0 mi·6 min·US 287
16
Continue on South 112th Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·South 112th Street
17
Enter roundabout onto South Public Road
132 ft·3 sec·South Public Road
18
Continue on South Public Road
1.0 mi·2 min·South Public Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
19
Turn right
50 ft·8 sec
20
Turn left
206 ft·15 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
This 90.5-mile drive is best tackled in the morning to avoid potential afternoon traffic congestion, especially as you approach the Denver metro area. Since it's a relatively short trip, you can easily complete it in one day without needing to stop overnight. Plan for your fuel needs, with an estimated cost of around $16, and consider making a quick stop for any necessities before you hit the longer highway segments. The route's profile is mostly surface roads, so keep an eye out for traffic signals and speed limit changes.
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 45.2 miles from Colorado Springs, CO, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 68.6 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.2 miles or 52m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, 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 90.5 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 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 68.6 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 84.6 — 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
75.3 mi into trip|~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
6
81.9 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
84.6 mi into trip|~1h 36m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.50 one way
$31.00 round trip
$4.35/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.59
$16.35
$32.71
premium
$4.93
$17.57
$35.14
diesel
$5.35
$19.06
$38.12
Estimated Tolls: $0.60
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(8.7 mi)$0.60
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.2
0
$9.50
$4.34
Efficient EV
22.6
0
$7.92
$3.62
EV Truck/SUV
36.2
0
$12.67
$5.79
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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 May 23, 2026
Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Afternoon
in Colorado Springs on Wednesday
Local time
3:51 PM
MDT
Current temp
41°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ENE 0 to 5 mph39% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lafayette, CO
Afternoon
in Lafayette on Wednesday
Local time
3:51 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 3 mph3% chanceLive 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
3 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 47m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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?
You'll spend about 21% of this 90.5-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 68.6 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. After that, expect to transition to mostly surface roads for the remainder of your trip. Watch for frequent exits and potential merging traffic as you navigate through more populated areas.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 68.6 mi on Ronald Reagan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 90.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 75.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,972 ft5,187 ft
Total Climb
1,273 ft
Total Descent
2,071 ft
Highest Point
6,972 ft
~19.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,785 ft
Notable High Points
6,972 ft at ~19.4 miles+41 ft prominence
6,383 ft at ~45.2 miles+92 ft prominence
5,405 ft at ~84 miles+88 ft prominence
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 Colorado Springs, CO to Lafayette, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
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.
Top landmarks
•United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel — chapel in Colorado, USA
•Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun — commemorative tower and chapel in Colorado Springs, Colorado
•St. Mary's Cathedral — cathedral in Colorado Springs, United States of America
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 90.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 68.6 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.60 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Lafayette, 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 75.3 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 Lafayette, CO before heading back.
