Origin
Lafayette, CO
Late night in Lafayette on Tuesday
Local time
2:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lafayette, 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
41m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 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 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lafayette, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 28.4 miles across the Mountain West, this trip from Lafayette to Aurora is a straightforward commute that typically takes about 41 minutes. You can easily complete this drive in a single day, as it is designed for efficiency rather than a multi-day excursion. Budgeting around $4 for fuel will cover your transit across the Colorado landscape. Since the origin and destination are both located within the Mountain West, the transition is seamless and familiar. Whether you are heading to Aurora for work or a visit, this route offers a reliable, no-fuss connection between these two cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 6.9 mi | 9m |
| South 112th Street | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| I 225 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| South Public Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| CO 121 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 8.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, CO and Aurora, CO.
1
Start on this road
206 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
50 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left onto South Public Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Public Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Enter roundabout onto South 112th Street
74 ft
·
2 sec
·
South 112th Street
5
Continue on South 112th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 112th Street
6
Turn left onto US 287
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
South 112th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Continue on CO 121
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 121
8
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 36 East: Denver
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto US 36
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 270
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 70
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 282
Toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 225
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn right onto CO 30
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
Use the right lane.
20
Turn right onto Vaughn Street
257 ft
·
12 sec
·
Vaughn Street
21
Turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
27 sec
·
North Zion Street
22
Turn left onto North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
23
Arrive at destination
North Vaughn Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Public Road
Turn left onto South Public Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
5.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Turn left toward US 36 East: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 36 East: Denver
8
13.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
8
24.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
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
27.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.28 one way
$8.56 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.53 | $9.06 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.91 | $9.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.62
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(8.8 mi)
$0.62
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 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 | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
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
Aurora, CO
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
2:46 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
20 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
41m 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 driving experience that balances local roads with faster highway segments. You will spend roughly 41% of your journey on major thoroughfares, including the Denver–Boulder Turnpike and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is an 8.8-mile run on the Denver–Boulder Turnpike, which provides a consistent pace before you transition into other sections. Navigating through South 112th Street helps round out the route, ensuring you experience a blend of speeds as you move from Lafayette toward your destination.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.8 mi on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
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 early in the drive near South Public Road.
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 28.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Public Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): 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.
Between Lafayette, CO and Aurora, CO, road signs point toward Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.
Fort Collins
13.7 mi in
|
~20m
|
via US 36
Colorado Springs
24.4 mi in
|
~34m
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 41m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.8 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.62 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 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: near the start (South Public Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): 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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