Origin
Golden, CO
Late night in Golden on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Golden, CO to Boulder, 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
34m
Distance
20 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Golden, CO
Sergio Arteaga
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Golden to Boulder, this 20-mile trip is a quick, straightforward journey through the Mountain West. You can expect to spend about 34 minutes behind the wheel, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of $3, the route is highly economical for travelers moving between these two Colorado hubs. You will primarily navigate via CO 93, Ford Street, and University Avenue. Because the total duration is so short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your schedule without worrying about long-haul fatigue. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a quick change of scenery, this efficient connection gets you to your destination in under an hour.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CO 93 | 17.5 mi | 27m |
| Ford Street | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| University Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 19th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 17th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 12th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Athens Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pine Ridge Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CO 93
— 17.5 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Golden, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on 12th Street
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
12th Street
2
Turn left onto Ford Street
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Ford Street
3
Continue on Pine Ridge Road
197 ft
·
9 sec
·
Pine Ridge Road
4
Turn right onto CO 93
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
CO 93
5
Continue on CO 93
12 mi
·
19 min
·
CO 93
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto University Avenue
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
University Avenue
7
Continue on 17th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
17th Street
8
Turn right onto Athens Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Athens Street
9
Turn left onto 19th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
19th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn left
87 ft
·
4 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ford Street
Turn left onto Ford Street
Navigation decision point
3
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CO 93
Turn right onto CO 93
Navigation decision point
4
19.7 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
Athens Street
Turn right onto Athens Street
Navigation decision point
7
19.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
19th Street
Turn left onto 19th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
20 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.01 one way
$6.03 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.19 | $6.38 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.46 | $6.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.42 | $8.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7 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 | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
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
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°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
20 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
34m 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 defined by its highway-focused nature, with 87% of the journey spent on high-speed roads. You will find yourself cruising for a longest stretch of 17.5 miles on CO 93, which provides a consistent driving experience as you transition between towns. The character of the road is functional and direct, lacking the stop-and-go intensity of inner-city traffic. While the route begins on local streets like Ford and University, it quickly opens up into a sustained highway run. Expect a steady, uninterrupted pace that keeps the focus on efficiency rather than technical maneuvering.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on CO 93.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CO 93 and Ford Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Ford Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 34m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Ford Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (CO 93): Navigation decision point; at 19.7 miles (Athens Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 20 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on CO 93. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.1 miles (Ford Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (CO 93): Navigation decision point; at 19.7 miles (Athens Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Boulder, 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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