Origin
Lochbuie, CO
Late night in Lochbuie on Tuesday
Local time
3:15 AM
MDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lochbuie, CO to Thornton, 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
26m
Distance
19.6 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lochbuie, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lochbuie, CO to Thornton, CO is 19.6 miles and takes about 26 minutes via Heartland Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Mountain West region, specifically within Colorado. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on well-maintained expressways, making it ideal for a quick transit or an easy day trip. You won't encounter much variation in scenery, but the efficiency of the route is its main appeal for getting from point A to point B quickly.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 14 mi | 14m |
| Thornton Parkway | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| East 88th Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| County Road 37 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| I-76 Frontage Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 168th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 14 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lochbuie, CO and Thornton, CO.
1
Start on County Road 37
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
County Road 37
2
At end of road, turn right onto I-76 Frontage Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
I-76 Frontage Road
3
Enter roundabout onto East 168th Avenue
252 ft
·
5 sec
·
East 168th Avenue
4
Continue on East 168th Avenue
109 ft
·
2 sec
·
East 168th Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 76 West
6
Merge onto I 76
14 mi
·
14 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 10
Toward 88th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn right onto East 88th Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East 88th Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Colorado Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Colorado Boulevard
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto Thornton Parkway
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 19.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East 168th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto East 168th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Merge onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
15 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward 88th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10
Toward 88th Avenue
6
16.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
Colorado Boulevard
Turn right onto Colorado Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
19.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn left onto Dorothy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.95 one way
$5.91 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.13 | $6.25 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.39 | $6.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 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 | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
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
Thornton, CO
Late night in Thornton on Tuesday
Local time
3:15 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
18 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
26m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of the route utilizing major expressways. You'll spend most of your time on Heartland Expressway, experiencing an uninterrupted stretch of 14 miles. The character is that of a swift, direct transit, with Thornton Parkway and East 88th Avenue serving as your final approach. Expect a consistent driving experience without significant changes in road type or speed limits, designed for efficient travel.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Heartland Expressway and Thornton Parkway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near East 168th Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 19.6 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (East 168th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 19.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14 miles on Heartland Expressway. 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 Thornton, 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 0.5 miles (East 168th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.9 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15 miles: 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 Thornton, 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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