Origin
Highland Park, CO
Morning in Highland Park on Tuesday
Local time
6:05 AM
MDT
Current temp
31°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Highland Park, CO to Fairplay, 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
1h 13m
Distance
49.3 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Highland Park, CO
Eclipse Chasers
Trip Overview
Highland Park to Fairplay is 49.3 miles and takes about 1h 13m via US 285, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Colorado's Mountain West region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a good option for a quick transfer between locations without a major time commitment. You'll be on main roads for the entire duration, making it a simple and predictable route.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 285 | 41.9 mi | 55m |
| Deer Creek Road | 6.3 mi | 15m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| CR 43A | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| P72 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 285
— 41.9 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Highland Park, CO and Fairplay, CO.
1
Start on P72
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
P72
2
Turn left onto CR 43
6.3 mi
·
15 min
·
Deer Creek Road
3
Turn slight left onto CR 43A
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
CR 43A
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 285
42 mi
·
55 min
·
US 285
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto CO 9
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
6
Arrive at destination
CO 9
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.7 miles from Highland Park, 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
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 6.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 43 / Deer Creek Road
Turn left onto CR 43 / Deer Creek Road
Navigation decision point
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 285
At end of road, turn right onto US 285
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.43 one way
$14.86 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.86 | $15.73 |
| premium | $4.39 | $8.53 | $17.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.88 | $21.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.18 | $2.37 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.90 | $3.16 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Fairplay, CO
Morning in Fairplay on Tuesday
Local time
6:05 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
25°F
Georgetown, CO
25 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
11 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 13m 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?
You'll spend about 85% of this 49.3-mile trip on highways, with the longest continuous stretch on US 285 covering 41.9 miles. The transition to surface roads occurs with about 7.4 miles remaining, primarily on Deer Creek Road and Main Street. Expect mostly highway cruising, with minimal need to navigate complex intersections until you reach your destination.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.9 mi on US 285.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 285 and Deer Creek Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 43 / Deer Creek Road.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Highland Park, CO to Fairplay, CO is easy. At 1h 13m with 85% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 43 / Deer Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (US 285): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 49.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.9 miles on US 285. 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 0.2 miles (CR 43 / Deer Creek Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.9 miles (US 285): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fairplay, 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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