Origin
Frederick, CO
Late night in Frederick on Sunday
Local time
1:48 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, CO to Thornton, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 19.7-mile drive from Frederick to Thornton, Colorado, will only take about 27 minutes, making it a perfect option for a short, efficient trip. You'll primarily navigate using North Valley Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and CO 52. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this route is designed for a single day of travel. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, so you won't experience significant regional shifts. This journey offers a practical and straightforward way to get from point A to point B.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7 mi | 7m |
| CO 52 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Thornton Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Locust Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 7.6 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, CO and Thornton, 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
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
116 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Thornton Parkway East
16
Turn left onto Thornton Parkway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 19.5 — 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.
7
18.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Thornton Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Thornton Parkway East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Thornton Parkway East
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.14 | $6.29 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.41 | $6.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Thornton, CO
Late night in Thornton on Sunday
Local time
1:48 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
27m 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 on this route, with only about 15% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles on North Valley Highway. This means you'll be managing a series of turns and changes in road type rather than settling into a long, steady cruise. The character of the drive will likely shift between more built-up local roads and potentially some faster sections depending on the specific segment of Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway or CO 52 you utilize.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.6 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
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
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 18.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Frederick, CO to Thornton, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Thornton Parkway East along the way.
Thornton Parkway East
18.5 mi in
|
~23m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m 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 7.6 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 Thornton, 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 18.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Thornton, 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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