If you are planning to head from Commerce City to Edwards, you are looking at a 116.3-mile journey across the Mountain West. Clocking in at approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, this trip is perfectly manageable as a straightforward day trip. You will primarily navigate via the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway, transitioning through North Vasquez Boulevard before reaching the Edwards Access Road. Expect to budget around $18 for fuel to cover the distance. Because the drive is relatively short and direct, there is no need to split this into an overnight excursion. It is a practical, efficient route that gets you from the Denver metro area into the heart of the mountains without a complex itinerary.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.2 miles from Commerce City, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
112.9 mi
2h 12m
North Vasquez Boulevard
2 mi
2m
Edwards Access Road
0.6 mi
1m
US 6
0.3 mi
<1m
Dexter Street
0.1 mi
<1m
East 60th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
East 46th North Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
— 112.9 mi, about 2h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Commerce City, CO and Edwards, CO.
1
Start on this road
0.1 mi·55 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Dexter Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·Dexter Street
3
Turn right
148 ft·16 sec
4
Turn left
96 ft·12 sec
5
At end of road, turn left onto East 60th Avenue
200 ft·14 sec·East 60th Avenue
6
Turn right onto US 6; US 85; CO 2
2.0 mi·2 min·North Vasquez Boulevard
Use the right lane.
7
Turn right onto US 6; US 85
98 ft·1 sec·East 46th North Avenue
8
Take the exit onto US 6; US 85
0.3 mi·38 sec·US 6; US 85
Toward I 70 West
9
Merge onto I 70
113 mi·2 hr 12 min·Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward Edwards
11
Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business
250 ft·5 sec·Edwards Access Road
12
Continue on I 70 Business
314 ft·6 sec·Edwards Access Road
13
Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business
106 ft·2 sec·Edwards Access Road
14
Continue on I 70 Business
301 ft·6 sec·Edwards Access Road
15
Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business
76 ft·1 sec·Edwards Access Road
16
Continue on I 70 Business
0.4 mi·40 sec·Edwards Access Road
17
Turn right
211 ft·15 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a 2-hour and 20-minute trip with no mandatory stops, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. We recommend fueling up before you leave Commerce City to keep your $18 budget on track, as local mountain pricing can fluctuate. Keep in mind that this is a continuous stretch of road, so plan your breaks strategically if you prefer to stretch your legs before hitting the final segments of the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway. Because the route is categorized as turn-heavy, stay alert for changing road conditions as you approach the Edwards Access Road. Taking this trip in a single day is the most efficient way to travel, allowing you to reach your destination without the hassle of mid-way lodging.
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 58.2 miles from Commerce City, CO, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.9 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 26 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.2 miles or 1h 11m 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 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Edwards, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Commerce City, 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 Commerce City, CO
This is one driving day of about 116.3 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Commerce City, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway for about 112.9 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 0.1 and 115.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Dexter Street
At end of road, turn right onto Dexter Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|East 60th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East 60th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~2m in|US 6; US 85; CO 2 / North Vasquez Boulevard
Turn right onto US 6; US 85; CO 2 / North Vasquez Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
115.7 mi into trip|~2h 19m in|I 70 Business / Edwards Access Road
Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business / Edwards Access Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.52 one way
$35.05 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$18.55
$37.11
premium
$4.39
$20.12
$40.24
diesel
$5.61
$25.68
$51.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.9
0
$12.21
$5.58
Efficient EV
29.1
0
$10.18
$4.65
EV Truck/SUV
46.5
0
$16.28
$7.44
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Commerce City, CO
Late night
in Commerce City on Tuesday
Local time
3:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Partly Cloudy
E 8 to 15 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 1:13AM MDT until April 18 at 8:00AM MDT by NWS Goodland KS
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 11:10PM MDT until April 17 at 4:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
Destination
Edwards, CO
Late night
in Edwards on Tuesday
Local time
3:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
24°F
Scattered Snow Showers
WNW 5 to 10 mph35% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 1:13AM MDT until April 18 at 8:00AM MDT by NWS Goodland KS
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 11:10PM MDT until April 17 at 4:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
25°F
Georgetown, CO
58 mi in
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
12 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 20m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise. While the vast majority of your time—roughly 112.9 miles—will be spent on the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway, the route requires your full attention due to its technical nature. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a varied driving experience that shifts away from typical interstate monotony. The road demands focus as you transition from local surface streets like North Vasquez Boulevard into the more winding sections of the trip. You will find that the personality of the drive changes significantly as you move from the urban outskirts into the mountain environment.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 112.9 mi on Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Dexter Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Commerce City, CO to Edwards, CO is easy. At 2h 20m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Dexter Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East 60th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 20m. Total distance: 116.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 112.9 miles on Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 0.1 miles (Dexter Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East 60th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Edwards, CO before heading back.
