Origin
Frederick, CO
Late night in Frederick on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, CO to Castle Rock, 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 12m
Distance
57.3 mi
92 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Castle Rock, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 70.5 miles across Colorado's Mountain West, this trip from Frederick to Castle Rock is a straightforward journey typically taking about 1 hour and 7 minutes. Since this is a local drive, you can easily complete the entire trek in a single day, making it an ideal choice for a quick excursion. Budgeting approximately $10 for fuel should be sufficient for the round trip depending on your vehicle's efficiency. You will navigate primarily through local roads, including Locust Street, 5th Street, and Colorado Boulevard, rather than relying on major interstates. Because this route stays within the Mountain West region, you will notice a consistent regional character from start to finish. It is a practical, no-fuss option for travelers looking to get between these two points without the complexity of a multi-day itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 45.5 mi | 54m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7 mi | 7m |
| CO 52 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Wilcox Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Cantril Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Wolfensberger Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 45.5 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, CO and Castle Rock, CO.
1
Start on this road
175 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Locust Street
168 ft
·
9 sec
·
Locust Street
3
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
4
Enter roundabout onto Colorado Boulevard
252 ft
·
10 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
5
Continue on Colorado Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
6
Enter roundabout onto Colorado Boulevard
177 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
7
Continue on Colorado Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
8
Turn slight right
293 ft
·
10 sec
9
Turn straight onto CO 52
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
CO 52
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 25 South: Denver
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto I 25
7.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
36 mi
·
43 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 182
Toward Wilcox Street, Wolfensberger Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto East Wolfensberger Road
432 ft
·
20 sec
·
East Wolfensberger Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
17
Continue on North Wilcox Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wilcox Street
18
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
5th Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto North Cantril Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Cantril Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Cantril Street
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 28.6 miles from Frederick, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 56.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Turn left toward I 25 South: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 South: Denver
6
11.3 mi into trip
|
~15m 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.
6
20.1 mi into trip
|
~25m 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 left lanes.
8
56.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward Wilcox Street, Wolfensberger Road
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 182
Toward Wilcox Street, Wolfensberger Road
6
56.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.63 one way
$17.27 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
| premium | $4.39 | $9.91 | $19.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.65 | $25.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20 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 | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.9 | 0 | $8.02 | $3.67 |
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
Castle Rock, CO
Late night in Castle Rock on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
55°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
1 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 12m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate through various local corridors, meaning your focus will be on maneuverability rather than high-speed cruising. The longest stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on Locust Street, highlighting the frequent turns and shifts in direction required to complete the journey. Behind the wheel, this means you should prepare for a more engaged driving experience that prioritizes navigating city streets over open-road travel. The road's personality is defined by its local nature, requiring you to remain alert as you transition between the various streets that make up this 70.5-mile path.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.5 mi on North Valley Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 3.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Castle Rock, CO
Full guide →Castle Rock is a town of about 81,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Douglas County, the town lies 26 miles (42 km) south-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 12m. Total distance: 57.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m 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 45.5 miles on North Valley 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 Castle Rock, 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 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.1 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 Castle Rock, 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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