Colorado Springs to Meridian is 53.3 miles and takes about 1 hour via Ronald Reagan Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Colorado and the Mountain West region, making it a straightforward drive. Given its brief duration and simple route, it's ideal for a quick transit or a leisurely day trip without much planning. You’ll primarily be on surface roads, so expect a steady pace rather than high-speed cruising.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Highway
43.7 mi
45m
Monument Valley Freeway
5.7 mi
6m
Peoria Street
1.7 mi
2m
RidgeGate Parkway
0.4 mi
<1m
Fisher Drive
0.3 mi
1m
West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East Pikes Peak Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
North Cascade Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 43.7 mi, about 45m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,516 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~218 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.7×
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 Meridian, 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
44 mi·45 min·Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·39 sec
Exit 192Toward Ridge Gate ParkwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·15 sec
Toward Eastbound RidgeGate ParkwayUse the right lane.
9
Turn straight onto RidgeGate Parkway
0.4 mi·48 sec·RidgeGate Parkway
10
Turn left onto Peoria Street
1.7 mi·2 min·Peoria Street
11
Turn left onto Forest Lake Road
203 ft·14 sec·Forest Lake Road
12
Turn left onto Fisher Drive
0.3 mi·1 min·Fisher Drive
13
Arrive at destination
Fisher Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 26.7 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 50.8 — 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.
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in|I 25 / Monument Valley Freeway
Merge onto I 25 / Monument Valley Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
50.4 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward Ridge Gate Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 192
Toward Ridge Gate Parkway
7
50.8 mi into trip|~55m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Eastbound RidgeGate Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Eastbound RidgeGate Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.13 one way
$16.25 round trip
$3.87/gal25.4 MPG avg19 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$8.64
$17.28
premium
$4.45
$9.34
$18.69
diesel
$4.80
$10.06
$20.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
16
0
$5.60
$2.56
Efficient EV
13.3
0
$4.66
$2.13
EV Truck/SUV
21.3
0
$7.46
$3.41
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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 Jun 27, 2026
Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Morning
in Colorado Springs on Sunday
Local time
10:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 25 to 30 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 27 at 3:18PM MDT until June 27 at 11:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued June 27 at 1:11PM MDT until June 28 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Destination
Meridian, CO
Morning
in Meridian on Sunday
Local time
10:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
SW 21 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 27 at 3:18PM MDT until June 27 at 11:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued June 27 at 1:11PM MDT until June 28 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
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
1h 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with only 11% on highways. You'll spend most of your time navigating local streets, with the longest continuous stretch on Ronald Reagan Highway covering 43.7 miles. Expect a consistent, moderate pace as you transition from highway segments to surface streets like Monument Valley Freeway and Peoria Street.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.7 mi on Ronald Reagan Highway.
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 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 Effort5/10
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 53.3 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 1 miles (I 25 / Monument Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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. Total distance: 53.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (11%). 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 43.7 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. 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: at 0.2 miles (North Cascade Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 25 / Monument Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Meridian, CO before heading back.
