Spanning 112.2 miles across Colorado's Mountain West, this trip from Edwards to Westminster typically takes about 2 hours and 17 minutes. Since the entire route is easily manageable in a single day, you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. Budgeting approximately $17 for fuel will cover your transit across the state. You will primarily utilize the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway, eventually transitioning through local connectors like Sheridan Boulevard. It serves as a straightforward transition between the high-altitude mountain region and the suburban landscape of Westminster.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
56.1 miles from Edwards, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
106 mi
2h 6m
Sheridan Boulevard
2.7 mi
4m
Heartland Expressway
1.3 mi
1m
West 76th Avenue
0.8 mi
2m
Edwards Access Road
0.5 mi
<1m
Newton Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
— 106 mi, about 2h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Edwards, CO and Westminster, 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
106 mi·2 hr 6 min·Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76
1.3 mi·1 min·Heartland Expressway
Exit 269BToward I 76 East: Fort MorganUse the left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Exit 1BToward CO 95: Sheridan BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto CO 95
2.7 mi·4 min·Sheridan Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn right onto West 76th Avenue
0.8 mi·2 min·West 76th Avenue
13
Turn left onto Newton Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·Newton Street
14
Arrive at destination
Newton Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 2-hour-and-17-minute journey, you have the flexibility to depart whenever it suits your schedule. You won't face the pressure of mandatory overnight stops, allowing you to complete the 112.2-mile trek in one go. Keep in mind that the transition from the highway to the turn-heavy local roads near the end of your trip may increase your travel time depending on traffic density. Plan to fuel up before you hit the road to keep your $17 estimate accurate. Pay close attention to your speed as you exit the highway sections and move toward the local thoroughfares like Sheridan Boulevard.
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 56.1 miles from Edwards, CO, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 56.1 miles or 1h 7m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Westminster, 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 112.2 miles and 2h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 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 106 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 108.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Edwards Access Road
Turn right onto Edwards Access Road
Navigation decision point
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
106.9 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
108.2 mi into trip|~2h 9m in
Take the exit toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.91 one way
$33.81 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$17.90
$35.80
premium
$4.39
$19.41
$38.82
diesel
$5.61
$24.77
$49.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.7
0
$11.78
$5.39
Efficient EV
28.1
0
$9.82
$4.49
EV Truck/SUV
44.9
0
$15.71
$7.18
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Edwards, CO
Late night
in Edwards on Tuesday
Local time
2:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
28°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Westminster, CO
Late night
in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
2:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
25°F
Georgetown, CO
56 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
8 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 17m 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?
Expect a trip defined by a significant highway-heavy profile, with the Gerald R. Ford Memorial Highway accounting for the vast majority of your time behind the wheel. You’ll settle into a rhythm during the longest stretch of 106 miles, which keeps the drive consistent before the final transition. As you approach your destination, the character of the road shifts from a high-speed highway to a turn-heavy local drive. This change requires you to stay alert as you navigate the final segments of the route.
Only 1% 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: 106 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 early in the drive 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 17m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Edwards Access Road): Navigation decision point; 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.
Westminster is a city of about 115,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies northwest of Denver in Adams and Jefferson counties.
The longest stretch is about 106 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: near the start (Edwards Access Road): Navigation decision point; 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Westminster, CO before heading back.
