Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
15.2 mi
24 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Granby, CO
Daniel Żabiński
Grand Lake, CO
Alex Moliski
This short 15.2-mile drive from Granby to Grand Lake, Colorado, takes about 25 minutes and is perfect as a single-day trip. You'll mainly be on the Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway, with a brief stint on North 2nd Street and Grand Avenue. With a low fuel cost estimated at $2, this route offers a quick and easy transition between two points within the Mountain West region. Since there are no designated stops and the drive is so brief, you have plenty of flexibility for when you want to depart and how you want to spend your time upon arrival.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway | 12.8 mi | 18m |
| North 2nd Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Portal Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Agate Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Diamond Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Vine Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Step-by-step road directions between Granby, CO and Grand Lake, CO.
Start on this road
Turn right onto North 2nd Street
Turn right onto US 40
Turn right onto 1st Street
At end of road, turn right onto East Diamond Avenue
Turn left onto CR 61
Turn right onto US 34
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto West Portal Road
Keep slight right at fork onto Grand Avenue
Turn right onto Vine Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 0.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto North 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto US 40 / East Agate Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto 1st Street
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto East Diamond Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn left onto CR 61 / North 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$2.60 one way
$5.21 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.59 | $2.75 | $5.49 |
| premium | $4.93 | $2.95 | $5.90 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $3.20 | $6.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| Efficient EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.33 | $0.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Granby on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 PM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in Grand Lake on Wednesday
Local time
4:54 PM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Partly Cloudy
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 15.2-mile journey. With a 0% highway share, you'll be navigating local roads for the full 25 minutes. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.8 miles along the Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway. This route is characterized by frequent turns and a more intimate connection with the local landscape rather than long, open highway stretches.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 2nd Street.
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 15.2 miles you will encounter 8 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 (North 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 40 / East Agate Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (1st Street): Navigation decision point.
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Total Climb
567 ft
Total Descent
154 ft
Highest Point
8,435 ft
~14.1 mi in
Elevation Range
499 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Granby, CO to Grand Lake, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Portal Road East along the way.
Portal Road East
Founded 1904
Granby is a town in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. It is home to the ski resort, SolVista.
Founded 1879
Grand Lake is a small town of 400 people (2020) in the Northwestern region of the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado. Grand Lake sits at the southwest entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a tourist destination adjacent to the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, which surrounds the lake and the town on three sides.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 15.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
