Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
9.8 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Federal Heights, CO
Mark Stebnicki
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Federal Heights to Denver is 9.8 miles and takes about 20 minutes via North Valley Highway, West 84th Avenue, and North Broadway, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays entirely within Colorado's Mountain West region. Expect a turn-heavy local drive that's more about navigating city streets than covering long distances. It's a quick trip, perfect for a single day, offering a straightforward connection between two points without requiring extensive planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| West 84th Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Broadway | 1 mi | 3m |
| Park Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Park Avenue West | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 85th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West 22nd Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Pecos Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Federal Heights, CO and Denver, CO.
Start on West 85th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Pecos Street
Turn left onto West 84th Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 25
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on Park Avenue
Turn straight onto Park Avenue West
Continue on West 22nd Street
Turn right onto North Broadway
Turn left onto East 14th Avenue
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 9.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto Pecos Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto West 84th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 38th Avenue, Park Avenue, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward Park Avenue, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$1.48 one way
$2.95 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.56 | $3.13 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.70 | $3.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.16 | $4.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Federal Heights on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Denver on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is characterized as a "turn-heavy local drive," with a 0% highway share. You'll be navigating primarily on surface streets, so be prepared for frequent turns. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.8 miles on North Valley Highway. The drive progresses through local roads, requiring constant attention to traffic signals and intersections rather than sustained high-speed travel. It's a drive that demands engagement with your surroundings.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Pecos Street.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 9.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Pecos Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (West 84th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Federal Heights, CO to Denver, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 9.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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