Origin
Fort Collins, CO
Morning in Fort Collins on Tuesday
Local time
6:10 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Collins, CO to Aurora, 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
1h 23m
Distance
70.2 mi
113 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Collins, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fort Collins to Aurora is 70.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, transitioning from northern Colorado to the Denver metro area. Expect a local feel with frequent turns rather than a straightforward highway journey. Given its short duration, it’s ideal for a single-day trip with plenty of flexibility for departure times.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 48.1 mi | 50m |
| North Valley Highway | 10.2 mi | 12m |
| East Mulberry Street | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| I 225 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Mulberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 48.1 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Collins, CO and Aurora, CO.
1
Start on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Sherwood Street
2
Continue on West Magnolia Street
476 ft
·
20 sec
·
West Magnolia Street
3
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft
·
29 sec
·
South Meldrum Street
4
Turn left onto West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
West Mulberry Street
5
Continue on East Mulberry Street
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 25 South: Denver
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 25
41 mi
·
41 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 217B
Toward I 270 East: Aurora, Limon
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Merge onto I 270
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 70
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 225
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto CO 30
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto Vaughn Street
257 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vaughn Street
19
Turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
27 sec
·
North Zion Street
20
Turn left onto North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
21
Arrive at destination
North Vaughn Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.1 miles from Fort Collins, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 69.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 25 South: Denver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 South: Denver
6
46.8 mi into trip
|
~51m 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 straight / slight right lanes.
8
56.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward I 270 East: Aurora, Limon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 217B
Toward I 270 East: Aurora, Limon
8
66.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
7
69.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.58 one way
$21.15 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $11.20 | $22.40 |
| premium | $4.39 | $12.14 | $24.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.50 | $31.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 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 | 21.1 | 0 | $7.37 | $3.37 |
| Efficient EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.14 | $2.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.1 | 0 | $9.83 | $4.49 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Aurora, CO
Morning in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
6:10 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
4 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 23m 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 is characterized as a "turn-heavy local drive," indicating it's not a simple interstate cruise. With a highway share of only 3, you'll experience a significant amount of local road navigation. The longest stretch without a major turn is 48.1 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent driving. As you progress, the roads will likely shift from more open highway sections to the intricate network of local streets as you approach Aurora.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.1 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.2 miles you will encounter 15 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 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fort Collins, CO and Aurora, CO, road signs point toward Limon and Colorado Springs.
Limon
56.4 mi in
|
~1h 3m
Colorado Springs
66.1 mi in
|
~1h 16m
About the Cities
Starting in Fort Collins, CO
Full guide →Fort Collins is a city of about 170,000 in north central region of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Larimer County, the city lies 59 miles (95 km) north of Denver on the Cache La Poudre River at the eastern edge of the Front Range foothills. Fort Collins is the home of Colorado State University and is a major research center.
Arriving in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Founded 1891
Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
Top landmarks
- • DeLaney Barn
- • Blanche A. Wilson House — house
- • Plains Conservation Center — park in Colorado, United States of America
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 23m. Total distance: 70.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m 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 48.1 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 Aurora, 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 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.4 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 Aurora, 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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