Origin
Loveland, CO
Late night in Loveland on Tuesday
Local time
3:20 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Loveland, CO to Estes Park, 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
54m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Loveland, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Estes Park, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
This quick 29.9-mile drive from Loveland to Estes Park, Colorado, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking about 54 minutes. You'll primarily be on West Highway 34 and West Eisenhower Boulevard, with about 76% of the journey being highway driving. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop is around $5, making it an economical choice. Given its proximity and short duration, it's perfect for a scenic excursion without needing an overnight stay. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, so you'll be immersed in the high-altitude beauty throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Highway 34 | 22.8 mi | 39m |
| West Eisenhower Boulevard | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Big Thompson Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Big Thompson Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Grant Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 12th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Elkhorn Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Garfield Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Highway 34
— 22.8 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Loveland, CO and Estes Park, CO.
1
Start on East 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
East 6th Street
2
Turn right onto North Garfield Avenue
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Garfield Avenue
3
Turn left onto West 8th Street
358 ft
·
17 sec
·
West 8th Street
4
Turn right onto Grant Avenue
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Grant Avenue
5
Turn left onto West 12th Street
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
West 12th Street
6
At end of road, turn left onto US 34
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
West Eisenhower Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 34
23 mi
·
39 min
·
West Highway 34
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 34
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Big Thompson Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 34
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Big Thompson Avenue
10
Continue on US 34
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Big Thompson Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on US 36; US 34 BUS
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
East Elkhorn Avenue
12
Turn right onto Virginia Drive
219 ft
·
7 sec
·
Virginia Drive
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
Park Lane
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 29.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Garfield Avenue
Turn right onto North Garfield Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West 8th Street
Turn left onto West 8th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Grant Avenue
Turn right onto Grant Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 34 / West Eisenhower Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto US 34 / West Eisenhower Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
29.9 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
Virginia Drive
Turn right onto Virginia Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.51 one way
$9.01 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.17 | $10.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 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 | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
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
Estes Park, CO
Late night in Estes Park on Tuesday
Local time
3:20 AM
MDT
Current temp
27°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
6 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
54m 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 highway-focused drive for the majority of this route, with 76% of the mileage on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.8 miles along West Highway 34. While largely a highway experience, the transition on roads like Big Thompson Road will likely offer a different feel as you approach your destination. This route prioritizes efficient travel, allowing you to cover the distance quickly on well-maintained roadways.
76% 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: 22.8 mi on West Highway 34.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on West Highway 34 and West Eisenhower Boulevard. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North Garfield 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 54m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North Garfield Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (West 8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Grant Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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.
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 54m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.8 miles on West Highway 34. 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: at 0.2 miles (North Garfield Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (West 8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Grant Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Estes Park, 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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