Spanning 169.1 miles across the Colorado plains, this route connects Lamar to Colorado Springs in approximately 3 hours and 47 minutes. Since the entire journey stays within the Mountain West region, you will experience a consistent transition from the high plains toward the front range. It is perfectly manageable as a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. Budgeting around $26 for fuel should cover your needs for the duration of the drive. Whether you are commuting or road-tripping, the straightforward nature of this path makes it a reliable choice for your travel schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84.6 miles from Lamar, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
CO 94
85.7 mi
2h 1m
US 287
68.5 mi
1h 20m
US 24
7.1 mi
12m
US 50
5.7 mi
7m
South Main Street
1.8 mi
3m
North Weber Street
0.3 mi
<1m
West Elm Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Pikes Peak Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
CO 94
— 85.7 mi, about 2h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lamar, CO and Colorado Springs, CO.
1
Start on West Elm Street
436 ft·21 sec·West Elm Street
2
Turn left onto US 287; US 385
1.8 mi·3 min·South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 50; US 287
5.7 mi·7 min·US 50; US 287
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit onto US 287
0.4 mi·32 sec·US 287
Toward US 287 North: LimonUse the slight right lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287
68 mi·1 hr 19 min·US 287
Toward US 287 North: LimonUse the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto CO 94
86 mi·2 hr 1 min·CO 94
7
Turn left onto US 24; CO 4
7.1 mi·12 min·US 24; CO 4
8
Turn left onto North Weber Street
0.3 mi·50 sec·North Weber Street
9
Turn right onto East Pikes Peak Avenue
422 ft·14 sec·East Pikes Peak Avenue
10
Arrive at destination
East Pikes Peak Avenue
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively quick trip, planning for a single stop is ideal to break up the nearly four-hour drive. Leaving early in the day gives you maximum flexibility to manage your fuel stops and adjust for traffic as you approach the Colorado Springs area. Keep in mind that long highway stretches require staying alert, so plan your break around the midway point to keep your energy levels steady. Given the $26 estimated fuel cost, check your gauge before heading onto the longer highway segments to ensure you have plenty of range. Prioritizing your comfort on the 85.7-mile CO 94 segment will make the overall journey much more pleasant.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 84.6 miles from Lamar, CO, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 37 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.6 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colorado Springs, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lamar, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lamar, CO
This is one driving day of about 169.1 miles and 3h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Lamar, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on CO 94 for about 85.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 169 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 287; US 385 / South Main Street
Turn left onto US 287; US 385 / South Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
7.6 mi into trip|~11m in|US 287
Take the exit onto US 287 toward US 287 North: Limon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 287 North: Limon
7
7.9 mi into trip|~11m in|US 287
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287 toward US 287 North: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 287 North: Limon
4
168.8 mi into trip|~3h 46m in|North Weber Street
Turn left onto North Weber Street
Navigation decision point
5
169 mi into trip|~3h 47m in|East Pikes Peak Avenue
Turn right onto East Pikes Peak Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.48 one way
$50.96 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$26.98
$53.95
premium
$4.39
$29.25
$58.51
diesel
$5.61
$37.34
$74.67
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.7
0
$17.76
$8.12
Efficient EV
42.3
0
$14.80
$6.76
EV Truck/SUV
67.6
0
$23.67
$10.82
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Lamar, CO
Late night
in Lamar on Tuesday
Local time
2:51 AM
MDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Colorado Springs, CO
Late night
in Colorado Springs on Tuesday
Local time
2:51 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Limon, CO
85 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
35 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
3h 47m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
$10
near mile 169.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a focused, highway-heavy experience as 99% of this trip takes place on open roads. You will rely primarily on CO 94, US 287, and US 24 to navigate the distance. The route features a significant 85.7-mile stretch on CO 94, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your drive. Because this is a highway-focused itinerary, you can anticipate consistent speeds and a steady pace behind the wheel. It is a practical, efficient drive that prioritizes direct movement between these two points over technical or winding mountain passes.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.7 mi on CO 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CO 94 and US 287. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 287; US 385 / South Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 47m 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 0.1 miles (US 287; US 385 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles (US 287): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (US 287): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Colorado Springs is a city of about 490,000 in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of El Paso County, the city lies 63 miles (101 km) south of Denver at the foot of Pikes Peak in South Central Colorado.
The longest stretch is about 85.7 miles on CO 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 287; US 385 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles (US 287): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (US 287): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Colorado Springs, CO, but most travelers stay overnight.
