Origin
Ken Caryl, CO
Morning in Ken Caryl on Tuesday
Local time
11:07 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ken Caryl, 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
39m
Distance
24.6 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ken Caryl, CO
RDNE Stock project
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 24.6-mile drive from Ken Caryl to Aurora is a quick, straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 39 minutes. It's a perfect one-day excursion, so no overnight stays are necessary. The route primarily utilizes I 225, East Belleview Avenue, and West Ken Caryl Avenue, with a highway share of about 35%. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $4, making it an economical choice for a short haul within Colorado's Mountain West region. Expect a mixed driving experience that's efficient for getting from point A to point B.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 225 | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| East Belleview Avenue | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| West Ken Caryl Avenue | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| South Santa Fe Drive | 3 mi | 4m |
| West Mineral Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Belleview Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 225
— 8.5 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ken Caryl, CO and Aurora, CO.
1
Start on South Cottonwood Mountain
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
South Cottonwood Mountain
2
Turn left onto South Sangre de Cristo Road
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Sangre de Cristo Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto CR 58
410 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Continental Divide Road
4
Turn right onto CR 54
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
West Ken Caryl Avenue
5
Continue on West Mineral Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Mineral Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto US 85
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South Santa Fe Drive
Use the left lane.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward CO 88
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
520 ft
·
14 sec
Toward CO 88
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn straight onto CO 88
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Belleview Avenue
10
Continue on CO 88
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
East Belleview Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward I 25 North
Use the left lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on I 225
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
I 225
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 225
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 225
Toward I 225 North: Limon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
141 ft
·
5 sec
Toward CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue
17
Turn left onto CO 30
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
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 155 decision points cluster between mile 8.3 and 23.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 88
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 88
7
14.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Turn left toward I 25 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 North
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
7
15.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 225
Keep slight left at fork onto I 225 toward I 225 North: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 225 North: Limon
7
23.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.71 one way
$7.41 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.92 | $7.85 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.26 | $8.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| Efficient EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Morning in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
11:07 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
4 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
39m 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?
The journey offers a mixed drive profile, blending highway speeds with more local road navigation. With 35% of the route on highways, you'll experience stretches of faster travel, particularly on I 225, where the longest uninterrupted segment spans 8.5 miles. As you transition to roads like East Belleview Avenue and West Ken Caryl Avenue, the pace will naturally slow, offering a change of scenery and driving feel. This variation keeps the drive engaging without being overly demanding, providing a practical transition between suburban and urban environments.
35% 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: 8.5 mi on I 225.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 8.3 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 15 decision points packed into just 24.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Ken Caryl, CO to Aurora, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Limon along the way.
Limon
14.6 mi in
|
~25m
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 39m. Total distance: 24.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.5 miles on I 225. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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