Origin
Golden, CO
Late night in Golden on Sunday
Local time
1:57 AM
MDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Golden, CO to Greeley, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
70.8 mi
114 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Golden, CO
Sergio Arteaga
Greeley, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 70.8-mile drive from Golden, Colorado to Greeley, Colorado is easily manageable as a day trip, typically taking around 1 hour and 23 minutes. The route utilizes a mix of major roads including the Heartland Expressway and County Road 49, with about 59% of the journey on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, this is an economical option for exploring the Mountain West region further. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, it's well-suited for a single day's travel without the need for an overnight stop.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 34.4 mi | 36m |
| County Road 49 | 22 mi | 25m |
| Golden Freeway | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| East 18th Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| I 70 | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| 8th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 9th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 34.4 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Golden, CO and Greeley, CO.
1
Start on 12th Street
84 ft
·
6 sec
·
12th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue
3
Turn right
61 ft
·
2 sec
Toward CO 58 East
4
Take the ramp
471 ft
·
11 sec
Toward CO 58 East
5
Merge onto CO 58
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 5A
Toward I 70 East: Denver
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 70
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the left lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
22 mi
·
21 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto CR 49
22 mi
·
25 min
·
County Road 49
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto East 18th Street
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 18th Street
Use the left lane.
13
At end of road, turn right onto US 34 Business; US 85 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
8th Avenue
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto US 34 Business
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
10th Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto US 34 Business
503 ft
·
16 sec
·
10th Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto US 34 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto 19th Avenue
262 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
19th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.4 miles from Golden, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 4.7 and 68.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
4.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 70 East: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 5A
Toward I 70 East: Denver
8
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
21.2 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
43 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Kersey Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
7
68.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
US 34 Business; US 85 Business / 8th Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto US 34 Business; US 85 Business / 8th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.67 one way
$21.33 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $11.29 | $22.59 |
| premium | $4.39 | $12.25 | $24.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.63 | $31.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.43 | $3.40 |
| Efficient EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.3 | 0 | $9.91 | $4.53 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Greeley, CO
Late night in Greeley on Sunday
Local time
1:57 AM
MDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Brighton, CO
35 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
37 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 23m 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 mixed driving experience on this route, blending highway speeds with local road navigation. You'll spend a significant portion of your drive, approximately 59%, on faster highway stretches. The longest continuous segment you'll encounter is about 34.4 miles along the Heartland Expressway, offering a chance to settle into a steady pace. As you progress, the road character shifts, moving from the more direct highway corridors to county roads that may involve different speed limits and more varied terrain.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.4 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 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 70.8 miles you will encounter 16 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 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 70.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.4 miles on Heartland Expressway. 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 Greeley, 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 4.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.6 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): 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 Greeley, 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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