Origin
Mead, CO
Morning in Mead on Tuesday
Local time
9:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mead, CO to Boulder, 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
38m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 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 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mead, CO
Mikhail Nilov
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Mead to Boulder is 25.1 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Diagonal Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Mountain West region, specifically in Colorado. Expect a local drive with several turns, making it feel more like navigating familiar backroads than a long-haul highway. With only 12% highway share, it's a route best suited for a quick, straightforward journey when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Diagonal Highway | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| East Ken Pratt Boulevard | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| County Road 7 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Foothills Parkway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Highway 119 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| County Road 5 1/2 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| County Road 26 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Diagonal Highway
— 9.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mead, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
3rd Street
2
Continue on County Road 7
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road 7
3
Continue on County Road 26
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road 26
4
Turn left onto County Road 5 1/2
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road 5 1/2
5
Turn right onto CO 119
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 119
6
Continue on CO 119
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
East Ken Pratt Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on CO 119
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
Diagonal Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on CO 157
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothills Parkway
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto CO 7
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn left
87 ft
·
4 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 25 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
4.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
County Road 5 1/2
Turn left onto County Road 5 1/2
Navigation decision point
3
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
CO 119 / Highway 119
Turn right onto CO 119 / Highway 119
Navigation decision point
4
23.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue
Turn right onto CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
25 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
19th Street
Turn right onto 19th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
25 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.78 one way
$7.56 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.00 | $8.01 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.34 | $8.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Boulder, CO
Morning in Boulder on Tuesday
Local time
9:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
26°F
Partly Cloudy
W 7 mph
3% chance
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
8 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
38m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by frequent turns, offering a dynamic driving experience rather than a monotonous highway cruise. With only 12% of the journey on highways, you'll spend most of your time on local roads like Diagonal Highway, East Ken Pratt Boulevard, and County Road 7. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.3 miles on Diagonal Highway, so be prepared for a more engaged drive with frequent adjustments. This profile suggests a route that winds through varied terrain, requiring your attention throughout.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Diagonal Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 4.6 miles in near County Road 5 1/2.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (County Road 5 1/2): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (CO 119 / Highway 119): Navigation decision point; at 23.4 miles (CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (12%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Diagonal 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: at 4.6 miles (County Road 5 1/2): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (CO 119 / Highway 119): Navigation decision point; at 23.4 miles (CO 7 / Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Boulder, 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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