Origin
Johnstown, CO
Late night in Johnstown on Tuesday
Local time
3:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Johnstown, CO to Boulder, 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
50m
Distance
37 mi
60 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Johnstown, CO
Brady Wilson
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Johnstown and Boulder, this 37-mile trip is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. Because of the short distance, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will navigate via the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, East Ken Pratt Boulevard, and the Diagonal Highway to complete the transit. Budget approximately $6 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Mountain West locations. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a quick change of scenery, this route offers a practical and efficient connection.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 11.5 mi | 11m |
| Diagonal Highway | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| East Ken Pratt Boulevard | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| West South 1st Street | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Highway 119 | 3 mi | 3m |
| Foothills Parkway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North Estes Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 11.5 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Johnstown, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on North Estes Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Estes Avenue
2
Turn right onto CO 60
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
West South 1st Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
4
Merge onto I 25
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 240
Toward CO 119 West
Use the slight right lane.
6
Turn right onto CO 119
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 119
7
Continue on CO 119
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
East Ken Pratt Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on CO 119
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
Diagonal Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on CO 157
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothills Parkway
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto CO 7
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left
87 ft
·
4 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.5 miles from Johnstown, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 37 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CO 60 / West South 1st Street
Turn right onto CO 60 / West South 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
15.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward CO 119 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 240
Toward CO 119 West
4
35.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue
Turn right onto CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
37 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
19th Street
Turn right onto 19th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
37 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.57 one way
$11.15 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.90 | $11.81 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.40 | $12.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.17 | $16.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.18 | $2.37 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
3:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°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
5 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
50m 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 turn-heavy local driving experience as you navigate your way toward Boulder. Only about 13% of this 37-mile route consists of highway driving, meaning you will spend the majority of your time on local roads. The longest uninterrupted segment you will encounter is an 11.5-mile stretch along the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The road’s personality shifts from highway speeds to more technical, localized maneuvering as you transition between the two cities. You should be prepared to stay alert and manage frequent turns throughout this 50-minute trek.
Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.5 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CO 60 / West South 1st Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 50m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CO 60 / West South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.4 miles (CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 37 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (13%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 (CO 60 / West South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.4 miles (CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Boulder, 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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