Origin
Denver, CO
Night in Denver on Saturday
Local time
10:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to La Salle, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
56.8 mi
91 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
La Salle, CO
Miguel Cuenca
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion from Denver to La Salle, expect a straightforward journey covering 56.8 miles. You can easily complete this drive in about 1 hour and 13 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Budgeting approximately $9 for fuel covers the trip comfortably for most vehicles. You will be traveling entirely within the Mountain West region, moving from the state capital into a more rural setting. Because this route is short and manageable, it offers a great deal of scheduling flexibility for your weekend plans.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 28.3 mi | 29m |
| County Road 49 | 14.1 mi | 16m |
| County Road 44 | 5 mi | 7m |
| North Valley Highway | 3 mi | 4m |
| County Road 39 | 2.3 mi | 5m |
| Park Avenue West | 1 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| North Lincoln Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 28.3 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and La Salle, 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 left at fork
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
10
Merge onto I 25
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
Exit 216A-B
Toward I 76: Grand Junction, Fort Morgan, 70th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 216A
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
13
Merge onto I 76
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
22 mi
·
21 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn left onto CR 49
14 mi
·
16 min
·
County Road 49
17
Turn left onto County Road 44
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
County Road 44
18
Turn right onto County Road 39
2.3 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 39
19
Continue on Main Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.4 miles from Denver, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 34.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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...
8
5.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 76: Grand Junction, Fort Morgan, 70th Avenue
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 216A-B
Toward I 76: Grand Junction, Fort Morgan, 70th...
7
12.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
34.4 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Kersey Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.56 one way
$17.12 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $9.06 | $18.12 |
| premium | $4.39 | $9.83 | $19.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.54 | $25.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.96 | $2.73 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.97 | $2.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.7 | 0 | $7.95 | $3.64 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
La Salle, CO
Night in La Salle on Saturday
Local time
10:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
80°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
34 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 13m 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?
This trip offers a mixed driving profile, balancing highway travel with local road navigation. You will spend about 50% of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stint spanning 28.3 miles on the Heartland Expressway. As you transition off the main expressway, you will navigate via County Road 49 and County Road 44. Expect a shift in pace as you move from high-speed transit to the more localized feel of the county roads. The drive is functional and direct, providing a clear path between the urban environment of Denver and the destination in La Salle.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.3 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near Park Avenue West.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 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; at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,276 ft
4,679 ft
Total Climb
236 ft
Total Descent
833 ft
Highest Point
5,276 ft
Elevation Range
597 ft
Notable High Points
5,210 ft at ~4.7 miles
+47 ft prominence
5,113 ft at ~11.8 miles
+13 ft prominence
5,120 ft at ~21.3 miles
+35 ft prominence
4,913 ft at ~37.9 miles
+9 ft prominence
4,849 ft at ~45 miles
+4 ft prominence
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.
On the drive from Denver, CO to La Salle, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Morgan along the way.
Fort Morgan
5.5 mi in
|
~11m
About the Cities
Starting in Denver, CO
Full guide →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.
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 1h 13m. Total distance: 56.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.3 miles on Heartland Expressway. 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 La Salle, 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 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; at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 La Salle, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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