Origin
Frederick, CO
Late night in Frederick on Tuesday
Local time
3:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, CO to Fort Collins, 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
50m
Distance
42.1 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Collins, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion within Colorado’s Mountain West, the 42.1-mile journey from Frederick to Fort Collins is an ideal candidate for a simple day trip. You can expect to spend about 50 minutes on the road, making it a highly accessible route for commuters or casual travelers. With a modest fuel budget of just $6, this trip is as economical as it is efficient. You will primarily utilize the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, CO 52, and East Mulberry Street to navigate between these two points. Since the entire drive is designed to be completed in a single day, you won't need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense connection that gets you from town to town with minimal effort.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 33.9 mi | 33m |
| East Mulberry Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| CO 52 | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Street | 0.3 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
— 33.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, CO and Fort Collins, 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
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
CO 52
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 25
34 mi
·
33 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 269B
Toward CO 14 West: Fort Collins
13
Merge onto CO 14
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft
·
29 sec
·
South Meldrum Street
16
Turn left onto West Magnolia Street
476 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Magnolia Street
17
Continue on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Sherwood Street
18
Arrive at destination
South Sherwood Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.1 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 3.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Locust Street
Turn right onto Locust Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Street
Turn right onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Colorado Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto Colorado Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge onto I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.34 one way
$12.69 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.72 | $13.43 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.28 | $14.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.30 | $18.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Fort Collins, CO
Late night in Fort Collins on Tuesday
Local time
3:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Johnstown, CO
21 mi in
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
22 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
50m 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 mix of driving styles as you transition from local roads to major thoroughfares. The route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, requiring your full attention as you maneuver through the early segments. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 33.9 miles. While highway travel makes up only about 4% of the route, these segments provide a necessary boost in speed before you navigate the final local turns. The experience shifts from open pavement to more technical, localized maneuvering as you approach your destination in Fort Collins.
Only 4% 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: 33.9 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Locust Street.
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 42.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Colorado Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 50m. Total distance: 42.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m 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 33.9 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 Fort Collins, 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: near the start (Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Colorado Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Collins, 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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