Origin
Longmont, CO
Late night in Longmont on Tuesday
Local time
2:31 AM
MDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Longmont, CO to Ken Caryl, 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
1h 9m
Distance
49.7 mi
80 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Longmont, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Ken Caryl, CO
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
Traveling from Longmont to Ken Caryl covers 49.7 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 9 minutes of driving time. Since this trek is easily manageable in a single day, you won't need to worry about overnight logistics or mid-route accommodations. You can expect to spend approximately $8 on fuel for the journey, making this a budget-friendly option for your schedule. The route primarily utilizes 5th Avenue, Main Street, and US 36 East to navigate through the Mountain West. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive, it is best viewed as a straightforward transit between two Colorado communities rather than a leisurely road trip. Its simplicity provides you with a reliable way to get from point A to point B without any complex travel planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | 17.3 mi | 25m |
| CO 470 | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| I 70 | 8.7 mi | 9m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| West Ken Caryl Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Heartland Expressway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— 17.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Longmont, CO and Ken Caryl, CO.
1
Start on this road
63 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
172 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 287
17 mi
·
25 min
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on CO 121
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 121
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 36 East: Denver
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto US 36
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto CO 95
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Sheridan Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 76 West
12
Merge onto I 76
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 70
8.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 260
Toward CO 470 East: Colorado Springs
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto CO 470
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
CO 470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 10
Toward Ken Caryl Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto CR 54
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
West Ken Caryl Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn right onto CR 58
406 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Continental Divide Road
Use the right lane.
19
Turn left onto South Sangre de Cristo Road
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Sangre de Cristo Road
20
Turn right onto South Cottonwood Mountain
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South Cottonwood Mountain
21
Arrive at destination
South Cottonwood Mountain
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Longmont, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 17.9 and 47.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Turn left toward US 36 East: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 36 East: Denver
6
22.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard
Turn right onto CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
37 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward CO 470 East: Colorado Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 260
Toward CO 470 East: Colorado Springs
7
47.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward Ken Caryl Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward Ken Caryl Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.98 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.93 | $15.86 |
| premium | $4.39 | $8.60 | $17.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.97 | $21.95 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.27
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(3.9 mi)
$0.27
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.96 | $3.18 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Ken Caryl, CO
Late night in Ken Caryl on Tuesday
Local time
2:31 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°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
22 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
1h 9m 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 driving experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this 49.7-mile path relies on local roads rather than high-speed highway stretches, which make up 0% of the total journey. You will navigate through various turns as you transition between 5th Avenue, Main Street, and US 36 East. The lack of a long, uninterrupted highway stretch means you should be prepared for frequent maneuvering throughout the 1 hour and 9 minute duration. It is a practical, hands-on drive that requires your full attention as you move through the local terrain.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on Main Street.
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 around 17.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.7 miles you will encounter 18 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 17.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles (CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Longmont, CO
Full guide →Longmont is a city of about 100,000 in North Central Colorado. The city lies in Boulder and Weld counties 30 miles (48 km) north-northwest of the Denver.
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 1h 9m. Total distance: 49.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on Main Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.27 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 Ken Caryl, 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 17.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles (CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ken Caryl, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Ken Caryl, CO
More trips to Ken Caryl, CO
Explore more options from Longmont, CO or browse trips ending in Ken Caryl, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.