Colorado Springs to Springfield is 216.4 miles and takes about 4h 44m via Highway 94 and US 287, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Colorado, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. Expect a predominantly highway experience for most of this trip. With a duration under five hours, it's a straightforward route well-suited for a single-day excursion. Consider this if you're looking for a direct connection between these two points without extensive detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.2 miles from Colorado Springs, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Highway 94
85.7 mi
2h 1m
US 287
62.5 mi
1h 13m
West 15th Street
29.8 mi
35m
US 40
22.9 mi
26m
US 50
8 mi
13m
East Platte Avenue
7.1 mi
12m
North Weber Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East 6th Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Highway 94
— 85.7 mi, about 2h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colorado Springs, CO and Springfield, CO.
1
Start on East Pikes Peak Avenue
66 ft·6 sec·East Pikes Peak Avenue
2
Turn right onto North Nevada Avenue
491 ft·21 sec·North Nevada Avenue
3
Turn right onto East Kiowa Street
495 ft·20 sec·East Kiowa Street
4
Turn left onto North Weber Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·North Weber Street
5
Turn right onto East Platte Avenue
5.2 mi·10 min·East Platte Avenue
6
Continue on East Platte Avenue
1.9 mi·2 min·East Platte Avenue
7
Turn right onto CO 94
86 mi·2 hr 1 min·Highway 94
8
At end of road, turn right onto US 40; US 287
23 mi·26 min·US 40; US 287
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 287; CR 40
18 mi·20 min·US 287; CR 40
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 287; CO 96
30 mi·35 min·West 15th Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 50; US 287
8.0 mi·13 min·US 50; US 287
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on US 287; US 385
1.6 mi·1 min·US 287; US 385
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 287; US 385
43 mi·50 min·US 287; US 385
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto East 6th Avenue
0.1 mi·28 sec·East 6th Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
East 6th Avenue
Trip Plan
For this roughly 4.5-hour drive, leaving in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach Springfield comfortably. Since the total mileage is under 220 miles, you can easily complete this in one day without needing to split it. The longest stretch without a major town is 85.7 miles on Highway 94, so ensure you have adequate fuel before starting that segment. While there's only one noted stop, keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially in the more rural sections. The $38 fuel cost estimate is helpful for budgeting your trip.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 108.2 miles from Colorado Springs, CO, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.7 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 48 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.2 miles or 2h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Springfield, 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.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Colorado Springs, CO
This is one driving day of about 216.4 miles and 4h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Colorado Springs, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Highway 94 for about 85.7 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 93.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Nevada Avenue
Turn right onto North Nevada Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East Kiowa Street
Turn right onto East Kiowa Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|North Weber Street
Turn left onto North Weber Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|East Platte Avenue
Turn right onto East Platte Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
93.1 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|US 40; US 287
At end of road, turn right onto US 40; US 287
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.00 one way
$65.99 round trip
$3.87/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$35.08
$70.15
premium
$4.45
$37.94
$75.88
diesel
$4.80
$40.86
$81.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.9
0
$22.72
$10.39
Efficient EV
54.1
0
$18.94
$8.66
EV Truck/SUV
86.6
1
$30.30
$13.85
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Colorado Springs, CO
Night
in Colorado Springs on Saturday
Local time
11:22 PM
MDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny
SE 5 to 10 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 15 at 4:32PM MDT until July 15 at 6:30PM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 15 at 4:32PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Destination
Springfield, CO
Night
in Springfield on Saturday
Local time
11:22 PM
MDT
Current temp
90°F
Sunny
SSE 20 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 15 at 4:32PM MDT until July 15 at 6:30PM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 15 at 4:32PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
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
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
4h 44m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 be on highways for about 83% of this 216.4-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 85.7 miles, primarily on Highway 94. After the highway portions, you'll transition to surface roads as you approach Springfield, with West 15th Street being one of the final segments. Given the high highway share, anticipate a good amount of rural cruising with fewer exits for extended periods.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.7 mi on Highway 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 94 and US 287. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Nevada Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 44m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Nevada Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Kiowa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Weber Street): Navigation decision point.
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
The longest stretch is about 85.7 miles on Highway 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Nevada Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Kiowa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North Weber Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Springfield, CO, but most travelers stay overnight.
