Origin
Hudson, CO
Late night in Hudson on Tuesday
Local time
5:42 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hudson, CO to Westminster, 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
35m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hudson, CO
Renan Tagliaferro
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hudson to Westminster is 29.9 miles and takes about 35m via Heartland Expressway, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Colorado, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. It's primarily a highway route, making it a straightforward and quick transit. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion, offering minimal time commitment for a change of scenery or a quick errand.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 24.3 mi | 25m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West 80th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lowell Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Federal Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 77th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Bison Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 24.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hudson, CO and Westminster, 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
24 mi
·
25 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
9
Merge onto I 270
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on US 36
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward US 287: Federal Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward US 287 North: Federal Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto US 287
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Federal Boulevard
14
Turn left onto West 80th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West 80th Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto Lowell Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Lowell Boulevard
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto West 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
West 77th Avenue
17
Turn right onto Newton Street
114 ft
·
5 sec
·
Newton Street
18
Arrive at destination
Newton Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 28.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Enter roundabout toward I 76 West
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 76 West
8
24.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
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 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
6
25 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
6
28 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward US 287: Federal Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 287: Federal Boulevard
8
28.2 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 287 North: Federal Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 287 North: Federal Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.51 one way
$9.01 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.17 | $10.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(2.1 mi)
$0.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Westminster, CO
Late night in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
5:42 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
35m 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 be on the highway for about 89% of this 29.9-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch on highways is 24.3 miles along the Heartland Expressway. Expect to merge onto urban-style traffic patterns as you approach Westminster. The drive transitions from highway cruising to surface streets as you near your destination.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.3 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Heartland Expressway and Denver–Boulder Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 29.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 24.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
On the drive from Hudson, CO to Westminster, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
Boulder
24.9 mi in
|
~26m
About the Cities
Arriving in Westminster, CO
Full guide →Founded 1859
Westminster is a city of about 115,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies northwest of Denver in Adams and Jefferson counties.
Top landmarks
- • Bowles House — listed on the NRHP in Colorado
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 35m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.3 miles on Heartland Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.15 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. 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 Westminster, 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 0.3 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 24.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Westminster, 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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