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 Denver, 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
46m
Distance
35.7 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mead, CO
Mikhail Nilov
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 35.8-mile drive from Mead to Denver, Colorado, is estimated to take about 41 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll navigate primarily on local roads, including Welker Avenue and Dwight D, with no highway mileage, so expect a more engaged driving experience. The estimated fuel cost for this short journey is around $5, which is quite budget-friendly. Since it's a quick trip within the Mountain West region, you won't need an overnight stay, allowing for a flexible schedule. This route offers a straightforward connection between two points in Colorado.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 17.3 mi | 17m |
| North Valley Highway | 14.2 mi | 17m |
| North Broadway | 1 mi | 3m |
| Welker Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Park Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Park Avenue West | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 22nd Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East 14th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 17.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mead, CO and Denver, CO.
1
Start on 3rd Street
27 ft
·
6 sec
·
3rd Street
2
Turn left onto Welker Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Welker Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
4
Merge onto I 25
17 mi
·
17 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 213
Toward 38th Avenue, Park Avenue, Downtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Toward Park Avenue, Downtown
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Park Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Park Avenue
11
Turn straight onto Park Avenue West
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Park Avenue West
12
Continue on West 22nd Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 22nd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto North Broadway
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
North Broadway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto East 14th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
East 14th Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left
358 ft
·
27 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.8 miles from Mead, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 19 and 35.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
19 mi into trip
|
~20m 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
27.8 mi into trip
|
~31m 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.
8
32.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward 38th Avenue, Park Avenue, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 213
Toward 38th Avenue, Park Avenue, Downtown
9
32.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Park Avenue, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Park Avenue, Downtown
7
35.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.38 one way
$10.76 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.18 | $12.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.88 | $15.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Denver, CO
Morning in Denver on Tuesday
Local time
9:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°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
1 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
46m 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 route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll be making frequent adjustments rather than settling into long stretches of highway. With a 0% highway share, you can anticipate a more intimate and possibly slower-paced journey through local landscapes. The absence of a longest uninterrupted stretch indicates a continuous series of turns and road changes. This kind of drive often involves navigating through communities and varied terrain, requiring your full attention to the road ahead.
Only 0% 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: 17.3 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 19 miles in near I 25 / North Valley Highway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 35.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 19 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Mead, CO to Denver, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
32.6 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Arriving in Denver, CO
Full guide →“Mile High City” · Founded 1858
Denver is the capital of the western U.S. state of Colorado and the dominant city of the Rocky Mountain Region. Founded in 1858 as the placer gold mining camp known as the Cherry Creek Diggings, the "Mile-High City" is today the most populous city within a 560-mile (900 km) radius and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor of more than five million residents. Denver embraces its cowboy and mining past but also looks toward the future with a vibrant arts and performing arts scene, dozens of great outdoor festivals, and distinct neighborhoods each offering a unique experience. You'll find everything a cosmopolitan city has to offer including a spectacular view of and easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, which arise only 12 miles (19 km) west of the Colorado State Capitol.
Top landmarks
- • Denver Art Museum — museum in Denver, Colorado, United States
- • Denver Mint — United States Mint branch in Denver, Colorado
- • Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception — church in Colorado, United States
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 46m. Total distance: 35.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m 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 17.3 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 Denver, 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 19 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Denver, 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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