Origin
Florence, CO
Late night in Florence on Tuesday
Local time
3:09 AM
MDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Florence, CO to Thornton, 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
2h 28m
Distance
119.5 mi
192 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 18m
★
6 AM
2h 28m
8 AM
2h 48m
10 AM
2h 35m
12 PM
2h 33m
3 PM
2h 36m
5 PM
2h 47m
8 PM
2h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Florence, CO
Efrem Efre
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Florence, CO to Thornton, CO is 119.5 miles and takes about 2h 28m via Ronald Reagan Highway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Mountain West region, offering a mixed driving experience. You'll encounter a blend of highway speeds and potentially some slower sections as you make your way north. Given the relatively short distance and duration, this is a straightforward, same-day journey, ideal for when you need to get from point A to point B without a major time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.8 miles from Florence, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 70.1 mi | 1h 18m |
| CO 115 | 33.2 mi | 45m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| West Main Street | 5.3 mi | 9m |
| North Valley Highway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Thornton Parkway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 70.1 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Florence, CO and Thornton, CO.
1
Start on CO 115
5.3 mi
·
9 min
·
West Main Street
2
Enter roundabout onto CO 115
121 ft
·
2 sec
·
CO 115
3
Continue on CO 115
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 115
4
Continue on CO 115
32 mi
·
43 min
·
CO 115
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 25; US 24
7.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
70 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto Thornton Parkway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a 2h 28m estimated drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Consider departing Florence, CO in the morning to take advantage of daylight and allow for any unexpected delays. While there are no designated stops in the data, keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before embarking on the longest stretch of 70.1 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway, as services can be spaced out. The $18 fuel cost suggests that keeping your tank topped off will be an economical choice for this journey.
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 59.8 miles from Florence, CO, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.1 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 26 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.8 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Thornton, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Florence, 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 Florence, CO
This is one driving day of about 119.5 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Florence, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Ronald Reagan Highway for about 70.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 59.8 miles from Florence, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Ronald Reagan Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 38.5 and 119.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
38.5 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Turn left toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
7
38.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the ramp toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
6
116.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
118 mi into trip
|
~2h 24m in
Take the exit toward Thornton Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
6
119.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 27m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.00 one way
$36.01 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $19.06 | $38.13 |
| premium | $4.39 | $20.67 | $41.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.38 | $52.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.9 | 0 | $12.55 | $5.74 |
| Efficient EV | 29.9 | 0 | $10.46 | $4.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.8 | 0 | $16.73 | $7.65 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Destination
Thornton, CO
Late night in Thornton on Tuesday
Local time
3:09 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 28m 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 119.5-mile drive presents a mixed profile, with 35% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 70.1 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway, which should feel like a consistent, faster-paced section. The remaining portions of the route will likely involve navigating CO 115 and Monument Valley Freeway, offering a change of pace and potentially more varied road conditions. Expect a drive that transitions between open highway cruising and more typical road travel.
35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.1 mi on Ronald Reagan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 38.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 119.5 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 38.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.7 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 119.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.1 miles on Ronald Reagan 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 38.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.7 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Thornton, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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