Origin
Lakewood, CO
Morning in Lakewood on Tuesday
Local time
6:04 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, CO to Mead, 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
52m
Distance
42.1 mi
68 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 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Mead, CO
Mikhail Nilov
Trip Overview
Lakewood, CO to Mead, CO is 42.1 miles and takes about 52m via North Valley Highway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, connecting two points in Colorado. It's a relatively short trip, best suited for a single day, offering a straightforward journey without significant time commitments. Consider this route if you're looking for a quick transit between these two areas, prioritizing efficiency over extensive sightseeing.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 18.1 mi | 23m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 17.3 mi | 17m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| South Wadsworth Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| US 6 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East Welker Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 3rd Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 18.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, CO and Mead, 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
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
US 6
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 25
8.5 mi
·
11 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
17 mi
·
17 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward Mead
10
Turn left onto East Welker Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Welker Avenue
11
Turn right onto 3rd Street
27 ft
·
0 sec
·
3rd Street
12
Arrive at destination
3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Lakewood, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 18.3 — 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
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway
Merge onto US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
6
14 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
18.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.34 one way
$12.69 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.72 | $13.43 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.28 | $14.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.30 | $18.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Mead, CO
Morning in Mead on Tuesday
Local time
6:04 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
52m 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?
This trip is characterized by its frequent turns, making it more of a local drive than a highway cruise, despite some time on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Only about 10% of the journey involves highway travel, with the longest uninterrupted stretch measuring 18.1 miles on North Valley Highway. Expect a varied driving experience, transitioning between more open highway sections and tighter, more complex local road segments. The 'turn-heavy' profile means you'll be actively navigating for a good portion of the 52-minute drive.
Only 10% 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: 18.1 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 9 decision points packed into just 42.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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 Mead, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
Colorado Springs
4.3 mi in
|
~6m
|
via US 6
About the Cities
Starting in Lakewood, CO
Full guide →Lakewood is a city of about 160,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Jefferson County, immediately west of Denver and east of the Front Range foothills.
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 52m. Total distance: 42.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m 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 18.1 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 Mead, 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 1.5 miles (US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mead, 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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