Origin
Longmont, CO
Late night in Longmont on Tuesday
Local time
2:06 AM
MDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Longmont, 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
36m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Longmont, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 28.4-mile journey from Longmont to Thornton, Colorado, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 36 minutes to complete. You'll navigate primarily on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and Highway 119, with a small portion on North Valley Highway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this drive is quite accessible for most budgets. Given its short distance and quick travel time, no overnight stops are necessary, making it a convenient local excursion within the Mountain West region. Expect a straightforward trip that gets you to your destination efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 11.9 mi | 11m |
| North Valley Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Highway 119 | 3 mi | 3m |
| 3rd Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| East Ken Pratt Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Thornton Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| West I 25 Frontage Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Collyer Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 11.9 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Longmont, CO and Thornton, CO.
1
Start on this road
63 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
5th Avenue
3
Turn right onto Collyer Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Collyer Street
4
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
3rd Avenue
5
Turn left onto CO 119
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Ken Pratt Boulevard
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on CO 119
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 119
7
Take the exit onto West I 25 Frontage Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West I 25 Frontage Road
Toward I 25 South
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 25
12 mi
·
11 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
116 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Thornton Parkway East
13
Turn left onto Thornton Parkway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 28.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
6.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
West I 25 Frontage Road
Take the exit onto West I 25 Frontage Road toward I 25 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 South
6
19.9 mi into trip
|
~24m 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 / slight right lanes.
7
26.9 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward Thornton Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
6
27.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Thornton Parkway East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Thornton Parkway East
6
28.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.28 one way
$8.56 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.53 | $9.06 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.91 | $9.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
2:06 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
36m 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?
You'll find this drive to be quite turn-heavy, characteristic of local travel rather than a long-haul highway experience. Only 16% of the route involves highway driving, with the longest continuous stretch covering 11.9 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a mix of road types as you transition from main arteries to more localized routes. This profile suggests you'll be making frequent adjustments in direction, keeping you engaged behind the wheel without being overly taxing. The drive offers a practical feel, moving you through the Colorado landscape.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.9 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 6.8 miles in near West I 25 Frontage Road.
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 12 decision points packed into just 28.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.8 miles (West I 25 Frontage Road): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 36m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m 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 11.9 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 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 6.8 miles (West I 25 Frontage Road): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 26.9 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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