Origin
Fort Collins, CO
Late night in Fort Collins on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Collins, CO to Twin Lakes, 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 7m
Distance
58.5 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Collins, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Twin Lakes, CO
Giulia Gasparrini
Trip Overview
Fort Collins, CO to Twin Lakes, CO is 58.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 7 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Mountain West region, traveling between two points in Colorado. The route primarily utilizes surface roads for most of the drive, offering a more local feel. With a short duration and minimal stops recommended, this is a straightforward option for a quick excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 41.4 mi | 41m |
| North Valley Highway | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| East Mulberry Street | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Pecos Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Mulberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Sherwood Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Meldrum Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 41.4 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Collins, CO and Twin Lakes, 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
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
189 ft
·
6 sec
Toward CO 224
13
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
this road
Toward US 36 West
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Merge onto US 36
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward Pecos Street
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto Pecos Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Pecos Street
17
Turn left onto West 70th Place
240 ft
·
10 sec
·
West 70th Place
18
Arrive at destination
West 70th Place
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.3 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 57.8 — 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
56.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
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 217A
Toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
6
56.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CO 224
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward CO 224
6
57.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Pecos Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Pecos Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.81 one way
$17.63 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $9.33 | $18.66 |
| premium | $4.39 | $10.12 | $20.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.92 | $25.83 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.04
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(0.6 mi)
$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.14 | $2.81 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.19 | $3.74 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Twin Lakes, CO
Late night in Twin Lakes on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°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
26 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 7m 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 drive is mostly surface roads, with only a small portion on highways. You'll spend the majority of your time on local streets, covering 58.5 miles in just over an hour. The longest stretch on a highway is 41.4 miles along the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect to navigate through more developed areas with frequent intersections rather than long stretches of uninterrupted highway cruising.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.4 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 58.5 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 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 56.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The Crooked Cup
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Hours: Mo-Sa 07:00-18:00; Su 08:00-18:00
Visit websiteMugs Coffee Lounge
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
0.4 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Su 06:00-21:00
Visit websiteRoots & Leaves
Cafe
Near the start, right off the route
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-01:00, Sa,Su 08:00-02:00
Visit websiteGenoa Espresso & Wine
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
8min in
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Hours: Mo 06:00-14:00; Tu-Th 06:00-20:30; Fr-Sa...
Visit websiteBeantrees Drive-Thru Coffee Cafe
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
1.6 mi from route
~4 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Starbucks
Cafe
Near the start, short detour
8min in
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteLucile's Creole Cafe
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Cuisine: cajun;creole
Visit websiteSlyce Pizza Co.
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins
Cuisine: pizza
Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-03:00; S...
Visit websiteTaj Mahal
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins, CO
Cuisine: indian
Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-14:30,17:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:...
Visit websiteUno Mas Taqueria
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins
Cuisine: mexican
Visit websiteRestaurant 415
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins
Cuisine: pizza;burger;american;sandwich
Hours: Tu-Su 11:00-20:00+
Visit websiteAustin's
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
0.4 mi from route
~1 min detour
Fort Collins
Cuisine: american
Visit websiteCharles Winburn Park
Park
Near the end, right off the route
1h in
0.4 mi from route
~1 min detour
Livingston Park
Park
Near the end, right off the route
1h in
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Fort Collins City Park
Park
Near the start, right off the route
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
Rotary Park
Park
Near the end, short detour
1h in
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Thomas Park
Park
Near the end, short detour
1h in
1.2 mi from route
~3 min detour
Municipal Court Park
Park
Near the end, short detour
1h 8m in
1.3 mi from route
~3 min detour
Annie's Grave
Memorial
Near the start, right off the route
0.4 mi from route
~1 min detour
Visit website
Highland Memorial Gardens
Monument
Near the end, short detour
1h in
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Washington Mine
Mine
Later in the drive, short detour
53min in
2.8 mi from route
~7 min detour
CO
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
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.
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 7m. Total distance: 58.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m 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 41.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.04 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Twin Lakes, 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 56.7 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 Twin Lakes, 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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