Origin
Fort Carson, CO
Late night in Fort Carson on Sunday
Local time
1:48 AM
MDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Carson, CO to Centennial, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
63.2 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Carson, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a trip from Fort Carson, CO to Centennial, CO? This 63.2-mile drive should take about 1 hour and 14 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll mostly navigate via Ronald Reagan Highway and Monument Valley Freeway, with a portion on CO 115. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, and with no specific stops recommended, you can focus on getting to your destination efficiently. Both locations are within the Mountain West region, so you won't be crossing state lines on this relatively short journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 47.8 mi | 49m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| CO 115 | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Chiles Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| O'Connell Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Prussman Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 47.8 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Carson, CO and Centennial, CO.
1
Start on Prussman Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Prussman Avenue
2
Turn right onto Chiles Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Chiles Avenue
3
Turn left onto O'Connell Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
O'Connell Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
5
Merge onto CO 115
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
CO 115
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 24 West: Denver
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 25; US 24
7.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 25
48 mi
·
49 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto CR 46
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chester Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
14
Turn left
133 ft
·
11 sec
15
Turn right
472 ft
·
34 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.6 miles from Fort Carson, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 62.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CO 115
Merge onto CO 115
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
6.3 mi into trip
|
~11m 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
6.4 mi into trip
|
~12m 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
5
6.7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 25; US 24 / Monument Valley Freeway
Merge onto I 25; US 24 / Monument Valley Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
62.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward Dry Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.52 one way
$19.04 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $10.08 | $20.16 |
| premium | $4.39 | $10.93 | $21.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.95 | $27.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19 | 0 | $6.64 | $3.03 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.3 | 0 | $8.85 | $4.04 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Centennial, CO
Late night in Centennial on Sunday
Local time
1:48 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°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
32 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
1h 14m 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 route has a "Turn-heavy local drive" profile, meaning you can expect a fair amount of maneuvering rather than sustained highway cruising. With only 19% of the drive on highways, much of your time will be spent on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 47.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway, offering a brief period of consistent travel before transitioning back to more varied road conditions. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed limits as you navigate through different communities.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.8 mi on Ronald Reagan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near CO 115.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 63.2 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.9 miles (CO 115): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Fort Carson, CO
Full guide →Colorado Springs is a city of about 490,000 in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of El Paso County, the city lies 63 miles (101 km) south of Denver at the foot of Pikes Peak in South Central Colorado.
Arriving in Centennial, CO
Full guide →Centennial is a suburban city of about 106,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Arapahoe County southeast of Denver.
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 1h 14m. Total distance: 63.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Centennial, 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 1.9 miles (CO 115): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.4 miles: 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 Centennial, 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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