Origin
Loveland, CO
Night in Loveland on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Loveland, CO to Centennial, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
65.2 mi
105 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Loveland, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Loveland to Centennial is 65.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via North Valley Highway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This journey stays within the Mountain West region, specifically Colorado, making it a straightforward local drive. Expect a route that involves frequent turns and local road segments, rather than a long stretch of open highway. It's a manageable trip, ideal for a single-day excursion without needing to plan for overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 31.2 mi | 39m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 27.2 mi | 27m |
| 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 |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 31.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Loveland, CO and Centennial, 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
27 mi
·
27 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
22 mi
·
27 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 46
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
13
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chester Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
15
Turn left
133 ft
·
11 sec
16
Turn right
472 ft
·
34 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.6 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 64.4 — 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.
5
6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge onto I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
33.7 mi into trip
|
~39m 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.
6
42.5 mi into trip
|
~49m 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 left lanes.
7
64.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward Dry Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.82 one way
$19.65 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
| premium | $4.39 | $11.28 | $22.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.40 | $28.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.85 | $3.13 |
| Efficient EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.1 | 0 | $9.13 | $4.17 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Centennial, CO
Night in Centennial on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
77°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
33 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 20m 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 characterized by its turn-heavy local feel, with only a 100% highway share indicated, suggesting a mix of highway and local road navigation. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 31.2 miles on North Valley Highway. While the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway offers faster travel, be prepared for numerous transitions and changes in road type as you move through different communities. The profile indicates a route that requires your attention due to frequent directional changes.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.2 mi on North Valley Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive near US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.2 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.7 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Centennial, CO
Full guide →Centennial is a suburban city of about 106,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Arapahoe County southeast 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 1h 20m. Total distance: 65.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m 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 31.2 miles on North Valley 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 Centennial, 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: near the start (US 287 / North Cleveland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6 miles (I 25 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.7 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Centennial, 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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