Traveling from Edwards to Lakewood covers 105.8 miles of Colorado terrain, typically taking about 2 hours and 8 minutes of drive time. This straightforward trek is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. Budgeting around $16 for fuel should comfortably cover your transit between these two Mountain West locations. Because the route is relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule, allowing you to easily complete the journey in one push. Whether you are heading toward the Denver metro area for business or returning home, this path provides a reliable link across the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.9 miles from Edwards, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
98 mi
1h 56m
West 6th Avenue Freeway
4.9 mi
5m
North Wadsworth Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
Edwards Access Road
0.5 mi
<1m
South Wadsworth Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
— 98 mi, about 1h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Edwards, CO and Lakewood, CO.
1
Start on this road
211 ft·17 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Edwards Access Road
151 ft·3 sec·Edwards Access Road
3
Enter roundabout onto Edwards Access Road
321 ft·6 sec·Edwards Access Road
4
Continue on Edwards Access Road
0.4 mi·42 sec·Edwards Access Road
5
Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business
126 ft·2 sec·Edwards Access Road
6
Continue on I 70 Business
150 ft·3 sec·Edwards Access Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
8
Merge onto I 70
98 mi·1 hr 56 min·Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 261Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, LakewoodUse the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto US 6
4.9 mi·5 min·West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn slight right onto CO 121
1.4 mi·2 min·North Wadsworth Boulevard
13
Continue on CO 121
369 ft·15 sec·South Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
CO 121
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable 2-hour drive, you have the advantage of choosing a departure time that avoids peak traffic hours near Lakewood. While there are no required stops on this 105.8-mile journey, keeping your tank topped off before leaving Edwards is a smart move to stay within your $16 fuel budget. Pay close attention to your speed as you transition from the open highway segments onto the local roads of the final approach. Because this is a turn-heavy route, consider giving yourself a buffer in your schedule to navigate the changing road types comfortably. Taking the drive in one go is the most efficient approach, as the short duration makes frequent stops unnecessary.
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 52.9 miles from Edwards, CO, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98 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 23 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.9 miles or 1h 3m 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 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Edwards, 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 Edwards, CO
This is one driving day of about 105.8 miles and 2h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Edwards, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway for about 98 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 104.1 — 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|Edwards Access Road
Enter roundabout onto Edwards Access Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|I 70 / Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 70 / Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
98.9 mi into trip|~1h 58m in
Take the exit toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 261
Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
5
99.2 mi into trip|~1h 59m in|US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway
Merge onto US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
104.1 mi into trip|~2h 5m in
Take the exit toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.94 one way
$31.88 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$16.88
$33.76
premium
$4.39
$18.30
$36.61
diesel
$5.61
$23.36
$46.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.7
0
$11.11
$5.08
Efficient EV
26.5
0
$9.26
$4.23
EV Truck/SUV
42.3
0
$14.81
$6.77
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Edwards, CO
Morning
in Edwards on Tuesday
Local time
7:53 AM
MDT
Current temp
28°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lakewood, CO
Morning
in Lakewood on Tuesday
Local time
7:53 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
25°F
Georgetown, CO
53 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
6 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
2h 8m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You will spend the vast majority of your time on the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 98 miles. The route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, requiring your full attention as you transition off the major highway onto the West 6th Avenue Freeway and eventually North Wadsworth Boulevard. With highways making up only 5% of the total distance, you should be prepared for a more technical experience behind the wheel compared to a standard interstate cruise. The character of the road shifts noticeably as you move away from the mountain corridor and navigate toward the suburban environment of Lakewood.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98 mi on Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Edwards Access Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 8m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Edwards Access Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (I 70 / Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 98.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Lakewood is a city of about 160,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Jefferson County, immediately west of Denver and east of the Front Range foothills.
The longest stretch is about 98 miles on Gerald R. Ford 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 (Edwards Access Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (I 70 / Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 98.9 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 Lakewood, CO before heading back.
