Origin
Denver, CO
Late night in Denver on Tuesday
Local time
4:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Derby, CO
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
9.9 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Derby, CO
@coldbeer
Trip Overview
This quick 9.9-mile trip from Denver, CO to Derby, CO will take you about 18 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward drive that's perfect as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You'll navigate primarily via North Vasquez Boulevard, I-70, and Park Avenue West, with about 15% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $1, making it very budget-friendly. This route stays within the Mountain West region, connecting two points in Colorado. It's a convenient local drive for those needing to travel between these two areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| I 70 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Park Avenue West | 1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Army of the Republic Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Lincoln Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| US 6 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kimberly Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Vasquez Boulevard
— 4.3 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Derby, CO.
1
Start on this road
379 ft
·
29 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
62 ft
·
11 sec
3
Turn left onto I 70 Business; US 40; US 287
362 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Colfax Avenue
4
Turn right onto North Lincoln Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lincoln Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on 20th Street
500 ft
·
18 sec
·
20th Street
6
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broadway
7
Turn left onto Park Avenue West
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue West
Toward I 25
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
458 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, Grand Junction
Use the right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
10
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Toward I 70
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
12
Merge onto I 70
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 70
13
Take the exit onto US 6; US 85
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 6; US 85
Exit 276A
Toward US 6, US 85: Vasquez Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 6; US 85
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto East 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East 77th Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto Kimberly Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimberly Street
17
Arrive at destination
Kimberly Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 4.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue
Turn left onto I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Park Avenue West
Turn left onto Park Avenue West toward I 25
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, Grand Junction
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, G...
7
2.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
8
4.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 6; US 85
Take the exit onto US 6; US 85 toward US 6, US 85: Vasquez Boulevard
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 276A
Toward US 6, US 85: Vasquez Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.49 one way
$2.98 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.58 | $3.16 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.71 | $3.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.19 | $4.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Derby, CO
Late night in Derby on Tuesday
Local time
4:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
23 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
18m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a monotonous highway cruise. While 15% of the journey involves highway travel, you'll spend most of your time on city streets and local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.3 miles on North Vasquez Boulevard. This suggests a driving experience punctuated by traffic lights and intersections, requiring your attention for navigation and smooth transitions between different road types.
Only 15% 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: 4.3 mi on North Vasquez Boulevard.
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 0.1 miles in near I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 9.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Park Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Denver, CO and Derby, CO, road signs point toward Limon and Grand Junction.
Limon
2.2 mi in
|
~6m
Grand Junction
2.2 mi in
|
~6m
About the Cities
Starting in Denver, CO
Full guide →“Mile High City” · Founded 1858
Denver is the capital of the western U.S. state of Colorado and the dominant city of the Rocky Mountain Region. Founded in 1858 as the placer gold mining camp known as the Cherry Creek Diggings, the "Mile-High City" is today the most populous city within a 560-mile (900 km) radius and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor of more than five million residents. Denver embraces its cowboy and mining past but also looks toward the future with a vibrant arts and performing arts scene, dozens of great outdoor festivals, and distinct neighborhoods each offering a unique experience. You'll find everything a cosmopolitan city has to offer including a spectacular view of and easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, which arise only 12 miles (19 km) west of the Colorado State Capitol.
Top landmarks
- • Denver Art Museum — museum in Denver, Colorado, United States
- • Denver Mint — United States Mint branch in Denver, Colorado
- • Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception — church in Colorado, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 9.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.3 miles on North Vasquez Boulevard. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Derby, 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 0.1 miles (I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Park Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Derby, CO before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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