Origin
Loveland, CO
Late night in Loveland on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Loveland, CO to Brighton, 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
50m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Loveland, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Brighton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Loveland to Brighton, you are looking at a straightforward 40.9-mile journey across Colorado’s Mountain West. Expect to spend about 50 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, CO 7, and 14th Street Southeast. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, this is an economical route for commuters or casual travelers. Since the entire trip takes less than an hour, it offers the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows without needing extensive logistical planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 25.4 mi | 25m |
| CO 7 | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| 14th Street Southeast | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| North Cleveland Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Lincoln Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East State Highway 402 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Bridge Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 25.4 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Loveland, CO and Brighton, CO.
1
Start on East 6th Street
131 ft
·
9 sec
·
East 6th Street
2
Turn right onto US 287
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Cleveland Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 287
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Lincoln Avenue
4
Turn left onto CO 402
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
14th Street Southeast
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on CO 402
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
East State Highway 402
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 25 South
7
Merge onto I 25
25 mi
·
25 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 229
Toward CO 7: Lafayette, Brighton
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto CO 7
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
CO 7
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
10
Enter roundabout onto CO 7
154 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Bridge Street
11
Continue on CO 7
251 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Bridge Street
12
Enter roundabout onto West Bridge Street
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Bridge Street
13
Continue on West Bridge Street
413 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Bridge Street
14
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South Main Street
15
Turn left onto Bush Street
414 ft
·
11 sec
·
Bush Street
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
Bush Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Loveland, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 40.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue
Turn right onto US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
31.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward CO 7: Lafayette, Brighton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 229
Toward CO 7: Lafayette, Brighton
5
40.5 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
CO 7 / West Bridge Street
Enter roundabout onto CO 7 / West Bridge Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
40.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
West Bridge Street
Enter roundabout onto West Bridge Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
40.8 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
Bush Street
Turn left onto Bush Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.16 one way
$12.32 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.52 | $13.05 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.08 | $14.15 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Brighton, CO
Late night in Brighton on Tuesday
Local time
4:12 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°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
50m 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 40.9-mile trek is a turn-heavy local drive that balances highway efficiency with more technical segments. You will spend about 22% of your time on highways, with your longest uninterrupted stretch covering 25.4 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The experience shifts from faster highway speeds to more concentrated maneuvering as you transition onto CO 7 and 14th Street Southeast. It is not a monotonous interstate grind; rather, it requires your full attention as the road profile changes from open highway to local road segments. You should be prepared for a drive that demands consistent engagement rather than simple highway cruising.
Only 22% 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: 25.4 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 50m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 31.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.5 miles (CO 7 / West Bridge Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,206 ft
4,853 ft
Total Climb
816 ft
Total Descent
814 ft
Highest Point
5,206 ft
~30.7 mi in
Elevation Range
353 ft
Notable High Points
5,035 ft at ~8.5 miles
+25 ft prominence
5,068 ft at ~13.6 miles
+77 ft prominence
4,994 ft at ~17 miles
+28 ft prominence
5,206 ft at ~30.7 miles
+38 ft prominence
5,179 ft at ~35.8 miles
+70 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Loveland, CO
Full guide →Loveland is a city in the region of Colorado. There is a large population of artists in Loveland, which has drawn three foundries, an art museum, and the annual sculpture shows in August. The city lies on the Big Thompson River in Larimer County 26 miles (42 km) east of Rocky Mountain National Park and 46 miles (74 km) north of Denver. In 2020, the population of the City of Loveland was 78,000. The city is a popular retirement haven and a major business center.
Arriving in Brighton, CO
Full guide →Founded 1887
Brighton is a city of about 42,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Adams County and also extending into adjacent Weld County, the city lies northeast of Denver along the South Platte River. A former farming community, Brighton is now a residential suburb of 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 50m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (22%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 31.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.5 miles (CO 7 / West Bridge Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brighton, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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