Origin
Hudson, CO
Late night in Hudson on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hudson, CO to Aurora, 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
40m
Distance
33.6 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hudson, CO
Renan Tagliaferro
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 33.6-mile drive from Hudson to Aurora, Colorado, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, typically taking around 40 minutes. The route primarily utilizes the Heartland Expressway, E-470, and Peña Boulevard, with 44% of the journey on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, this is an economical option for getting between the Mountain West regions. You'll find the drive offers a mixed experience, making it a convenient and practical choice for your travel needs. Given its short duration, no overnight stays are necessary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 12.7 mi | 12m |
| E-470 | 6.9 mi | 6m |
| Peña Boulevard | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| I 225 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Bison Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 12.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hudson, CO and Aurora, CO.
1
Start on Hudson Drive
214 ft
·
8 sec
·
Hudson Drive
2
Turn right onto CO 52
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Main Street
3
Continue on CO 52
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
East Bison Highway
4
Enter roundabout
274 ft
·
4 sec
Toward I 76 West
5
Continue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 76 West
6
Merge onto I 76
13 mi
·
12 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Exit 18
Toward E470 Toll South: Limon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto E470
6.9 mi
·
6 min
·
E-470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 28
Toward Denver International Airport, Pena Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 28B
Toward Peña Boulevard West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto Peña Boulevard
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Peña Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 70
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs, Peoria Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
15
Continue on I 225
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto CO 30
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto Vaughn Street
257 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vaughn Street
19
Turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
27 sec
·
North Zion Street
20
Turn left onto North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
21
Arrive at destination
North Vaughn Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 13.3 and 29.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
13.3 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward E470 Toll South: Limon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 18
Toward E470 Toll South: Limon
8
21.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Denver International Airport, Pena Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28
Toward Denver International Airport, Pena Boule...
8
21.4 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Peña Boulevard West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28B
Toward Peña Boulevard West
8
28.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs, Peoria Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs, ...
7
29.2 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.06 one way
$10.12 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.36 | $10.72 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.81 | $11.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.42 | $14.84 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.83
E-470
(6.9 mi)
$0.83
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.70 | $2.15 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Aurora, CO
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
22 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
40m 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 drive on this route, blending efficient highway travel with other road types. Almost half of the 33.6 miles, specifically 44%, will be on highways, offering stretches of consistent speed. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 12.7 miles along the Heartland Expressway, allowing for a good pace. As you progress, the road character will likely shift, moving from open expressways towards more developed areas as you approach Aurora. This dynamic offers a varied driving experience over the relatively short distance.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.7 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 13.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 33.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Hudson, CO and Aurora, CO, road signs point toward E470 Toll South: Limon, Denver International Airport, Peña Boulevard West and Colorado Springs.
E470 Toll South: Limon
13.3 mi in
|
~14m
Denver International Airport
21.2 mi in
|
~23m
Peña Boulevard West
21.4 mi in
|
~23m
Colorado Springs
28.8 mi in
|
~32m
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Founded 1891
Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
Top landmarks
- • DeLaney Barn
- • Blanche A. Wilson House — house
- • Plains Conservation Center — park in Colorado, United States of America
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 33.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.7 miles on Heartland Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.83 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Aurora, 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 13.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.4 miles: 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 Aurora, 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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