This 95.9-mile journey from Colorado Springs to Lochbuie is a straightforward, one-day drive lasting about 1 hour and 43 minutes. With a projected fuel cost of $14, it's an economical option for a quick trip within Colorado. The route primarily utilizes Ronald Reagan Highway, E-470, and Heartland Expressway, offering a blend of highway and local road driving. Given its relatively short duration, this drive is perfectly suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time and schedule. You'll be traveling within the Mountain West region for the entire trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48 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
45.9 mi
47m
E-470
34.4 mi
34m
Heartland Expressway
6.1 mi
6m
Monument Valley Freeway
5.7 mi
6m
County Road 37
0.4 mi
<1m
West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East Pikes Peak Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
East 168th Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 45.9 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colorado Springs, CO and Lochbuie, 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
46 mi·47 min·Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 194Toward CO 470 West, E 470 North Toll: Grand Junction, LimonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 194Toward E-470 North: LimonUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto E470
34 mi·34 min·E-470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.1 mi·1 min
Exit 35Toward I 76 East: Fort MorganUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 76
6.1 mi·6 min·Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 25Toward LochbuieUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto East 168th Avenue;County Road 2
0.2 mi·20 sec·East 168th Avenue;County Road 2
14
Enter roundabout onto I-76 Frontage Road
12 ft·0 sec·I-76 Frontage Road
15
Continue on I-76 Frontage Road
0.1 mi·17 sec·I-76 Frontage Road
16
Turn left onto County Road 37
0.4 mi·57 sec·County Road 37
17
Arrive at destination
County Road 37
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over 1 hour and 43 minutes, this drive offers significant flexibility. You can depart at your convenience, whether it's a morning start or an afternoon arrival. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $14, and plan for any necessary stops accordingly. Since this is a short trip with no designated stops in the data, you have the freedom to add spontaneous breaks as needed. A helpful tip for this route is to be prepared for the 'turn-heavy' nature; ensure your navigation is set up to clearly indicate upcoming turns to smoothly transition between Ronald Reagan Highway, E-470, and Heartland Expressway.
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 48 miles from Colorado Springs, CO, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 45.9 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 21 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lochbuie, 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 95.9 miles and 1h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 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 45.9 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 94.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
52.6 mi into trip|~56m in
Take the exit toward CO 470 West, E 470 North Toll: Grand Junction, Limon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 194
Toward CO 470 West, E 470 North Toll: Grand Jun...
8
52.8 mi into trip|~57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward E-470 North: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North: Limon
7
87.8 mi into trip|~1h 32m in
Take the exit toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
94.9 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward Lochbuie
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25
Toward Lochbuie
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.45 one way
$28.90 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$15.30
$30.60
premium
$4.39
$16.59
$33.18
diesel
$5.61
$21.17
$42.35
Estimated Tolls: $4.13
E-470
(34.4 mi)$4.13
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
$14
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.8
0
$10.07
$4.60
Efficient EV
24
0
$8.39
$3.84
EV Truck/SUV
38.4
0
$13.43
$6.14
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Night
in Colorado Springs on Saturday
Local time
10:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lochbuie, CO
Night
in Lochbuie on Saturday
Local time
10:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
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 43m 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' profile for this 95.9-mile route, with a highway share of only 12%. While the longest uninterrupted stretch is 45.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway, much of the drive involves navigating local roads and interchanges. This means you'll experience frequent changes in speed and direction as you transition between different road segments. The drive will feel less like a continuous highway cruise and more like a series of connected local journeys.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.9 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 0.4 miles in near West Bijou Street.
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 95.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 52.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 52.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Colorado Springs, CO and Lochbuie, CO, road signs point toward E 470 North Toll: Grand Junction, Limon and E-470 North: Limon.
E 470 North Toll: Grand Junction
52.6 mi in|~56m
Limon
52.6 mi in|~56m
E-470 North: Limon
52.8 mi in|~57m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 43m. Total distance: 95.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.13 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. 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 Lochbuie, 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 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 52.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 52.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Lochbuie, CO before heading back.
