Origin
Lakewood, CO
Late night in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
5:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, CO to Dove Valley, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
20.9 mi
34 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Dove Valley, CO
Regan Dsouza
Trip Overview
This 20.9-mile drive from Lakewood, CO to Dove Valley, CO is a straightforward, one-day trip, taking approximately 30 minutes. Primarily utilizing North Valley Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway, and East Arapahoe Road, this route stays within the Mountain West region of Colorado. With a modest fuel cost estimate of $3, it's an economical option for a short journey. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local route rather than a long-haul interstate experience. It's perfect for a quick local excursion or a short leg of a larger trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 11.3 mi | 13m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| East Arapahoe Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Wadsworth Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Broncos Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Peoria Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 6 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| CO 88 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 11.3 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, CO and Dove Valley, CO.
1
Start on CO 121
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Wadsworth Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward US 6 East: Denver
Use the slight right lane.
3
Merge onto US 6
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit onto US 6
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
US 6
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
6
Merge onto I 25
11 mi
·
13 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto CO 88
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
CO 88
Exit 197
Toward CO 88: Arapahoe Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
At end of road, turn left onto CO 88; CR 42
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Arapahoe Road
Use the left / right lanes.
9
Continue on CO 88; CR 42
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
East Arapahoe Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto South Peoria Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Peoria Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on Broncos Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broncos Parkway
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
South Potomac Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 19 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 6 East: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 6 East: Denver
7
4.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward I 25: Fort Collins, 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.
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
7
16.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
CO 88
Take the exit onto CO 88 toward CO 88: Arapahoe Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 197
Toward CO 88: Arapahoe Road
6
17 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
CO 88; CR 42 / East Arapahoe Road
At end of road, turn left onto CO 88; CR 42 / East Arapahoe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
6
19 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
South Peoria Street
Turn right onto South Peoria Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.15 one way
$6.30 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.33 | $6.67 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.62 | $7.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.61 | $9.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.19 | $1.00 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Dove Valley, CO
Late night in Dove Valley on Sunday
Local time
5:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
61°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
17 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
30m 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 drive on this route, with only 22% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.3 miles on North Valley Highway. This means you'll be navigating a series of local roads and intersections, requiring your attention to be on changing speed limits and turning signals rather than simply cruising. The road profile suggests a dynamic driving experience, moving from one type of local thoroughfare to another as you progress towards Dove Valley.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on North Valley Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 20.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles (CO 88): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Lakewood, CO to Dove Valley, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
Colorado Springs
4.3 mi in
|
~6m
|
via US 6
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 20.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on North Valley Highway. 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 Dove Valley, 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 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles (CO 88): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dove Valley, 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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