The drive from Denver, CO to Paonia, CO covers 228.8 miles and takes about 5h 4m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, CO 133, Glen Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 144.9 miles on I 70.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
114.4 miles from Denver, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70
144.9 mi
2h 45m
CO 133
58.1 mi
1h 36m
Glen Avenue
9.8 mi
15m
West 6th Avenue Freeway
9.5 mi
11m
Midland Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
Grand Avenue
1 mi
2m
East 8th Avenue
0.9 mi
2m
Grant Street
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 144.9 mi, about 2h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Paonia, CO.
1
Start on this road
379 ft·29 sec·this road
2
Turn right
62 ft·8 sec
3
Turn right onto I 70 Business; US 40; US 287
358 ft·14 sec·East Colfax Avenue
4
Turn right onto Grant Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Grant Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·East 8th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on North Kalamath Street
0.1 mi·22 sec·North Kalamath Street
7
Continue on 6
9.5 mi·11 min·West 6th Avenue Freeway
Toward West 6th Avenue FreewayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·55 sec
Toward I 70 West: Grand JunctionUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 70
145 mi·2 hr 45 min·I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
Toward CO 82 East: Glenwood Springs, Aspen
11
Continue on CO 82
390 ft·15 sec·Laurel Street
12
Continue on CO 82
0.2 mi·45 sec·Grand Avenue
13
Turn right onto 8th Street
0.4 mi·48 sec·8th Street
14
At end of road, turn left onto Midland Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·Midland Avenue
15
Enter roundabout onto 27th Street
178 ft·3 sec·27th Street
16
Continue on 27th Street
0.1 mi·12 sec·27th Street
17
Enter roundabout onto 27th Street
84 ft·2 sec·27th Street
18
Continue on 27th Street
0.1 mi·18 sec·27th Street
19
Turn right onto CO 82
9.8 mi·15 min·Glen Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto CO 133
1.1 mi·2 min·CO 133
21
Enter roundabout onto CO 133
110 ft·1 sec·CO 133
22
Continue on CO 133
1.3 mi·2 min·CO 133
23
Continue on CO 133
56 mi·1 hr 31 min·CO 133
Use the left lane.
24
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
0.8 mi·2 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
25
Turn left onto 3rd Street
0.3 mi·47 sec·3rd Street
26
Turn right onto Orchard Avenue
53 ft·2 sec·Orchard Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
Orchard Avenue
Trip Plan
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 114.4 miles from Denver, CO, or about 2h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 144.9 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 50 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.4 miles or 2h 14m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Paonia, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Denver, 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 Denver, CO
This is one driving day of about 228.8 miles and 5h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 miles from Denver, 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 I 70 for about 144.9 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 157 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Grant Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|East 8th Avenue
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11.4 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
5
12.1 mi into trip|~18m in|I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
157 mi into trip|~3h 3m in
Take the exit toward CO 82 East: Glenwood Springs, Aspen
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CO 82 East: Glenwood Springs, Aspen
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.47 one way
$68.95 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$36.50
$73.00
premium
$4.39
$39.58
$79.16
diesel
$5.61
$50.52
$101.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
4 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Whole Foods - Union Station
Denver, CO
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
Five Points Parking Lot
Denver, CO
eVgo Network
4 DCFC
National Western Complex
Denver, CO
EVIUM
4 DCFC
REI Denver
Denver, CO
eVgo Network
2 DCFC
eVgo Network: 3
EVIUM: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.6
0
$24.02
$10.98
Efficient EV
57.2
0
$20.02
$9.15
EV Truck/SUV
91.5
1
$32.03
$14.64
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Denver, CO
Morning
in Denver on Sunday
Local time
6:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Paonia, CO
Morning
in Paonia on Sunday
Local time
6:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
28 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
5h 4m 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.
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
National Park
Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the G...
21 mi from route
~53 min detour
$30
near mile 228.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
228.8 mi in 5h 4m, mostly highway — 144.9 mi of that is on I 70.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 144.9 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and CO 133. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Grant Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 4m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (East 8th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Paonia, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Aspen along the way.
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.
The longest stretch is about 144.9 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (East 8th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Paonia, CO before the return drive.
