Origin
Denver, CO
Morning in Denver on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Superior, 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
31m
Distance
21.1 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Superior, CO
Gustavo Galeano Maz
Trip Overview
This short 21.1-mile drive from Denver to Superior, Colorado, is an easy 31-minute trip, perfect for a single day. You'll primarily navigate the Denver–Boulder Turnpike and North Valley Highway, with about 64% of the journey on highways. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $3, this route offers a straightforward and efficient way to travel between these two locations within the Mountain West region. It's a quick hop, so no need to plan for an overnight stay; you can easily complete it in a few hours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 13.5 mi | 15m |
| North Valley Highway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Park Avenue West | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Lincoln Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South McCaslin Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Coal Creek Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 13.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Superior, 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
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
Use the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto US 36
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Toward CO 170 West: McCaslin Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
216 ft
·
6 sec
Toward McCaslin Boulevard South
Use the left lane.
21
Turn slight left onto South McCaslin Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
South McCaslin Boulevard
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto East Coal Creek Drive
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Coal Creek Drive
Use the right lane.
23
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
2nd Avenue
24
Turn right
142 ft
·
10 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 225 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 20.8 — 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
6.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
8
20.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward McCaslin Boulevard South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward McCaslin Boulevard South
7
20.8 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
East Coal Creek Drive
Turn right onto East Coal Creek Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.18 one way
$6.36 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.37 | $6.73 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.65 | $7.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.66 | $9.32 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.94
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(13.5 mi)
$0.94
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.22 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.95 | $1.35 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Superior, CO
Morning in Superior on Tuesday
Local time
6:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
52°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
17 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
31m 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 drive leans heavily towards a highway-focused experience, with 64% of the route utilizing faster roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 13.5 miles on the Denver–Boulder Turnpike, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. While not exclusively highway, the majority of your time will be spent on these types of roads, suggesting a generally smooth and direct travel experience. Expect a practical, efficient drive rather than a winding, scenic exploration.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.5 mi on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and North Valley Highway. 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
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 22 decision points packed into just 21.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
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 6.1 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
5,505 ft
5,157 ft
Total Climb
586 ft
Total Descent
365 ft
Highest Point
5,505 ft
~19.6 mi in
Elevation Range
348 ft
Notable High Points
5,216 ft at ~4.5 miles
+59 ft prominence
5,448 ft at ~12 miles
+38 ft prominence
5,435 ft at ~15.1 miles
+27 ft prominence
5,505 ft at ~19.6 miles
+8 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.
Between Denver, CO and Superior, CO, road signs point toward Limon, Grand Junction and Boulder.
Limon
2.2 mi in
|
~6m
Grand Junction
2.2 mi in
|
~6m
Boulder
6.1 mi in
|
~12m
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 31m. Total distance: 21.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.94 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Superior, 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 6.1 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 Superior, 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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