Origin
Monument, CO
Morning in Monument on Tuesday
Local time
8:13 AM
MDT
Current temp
31°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monument, CO to Thornton, 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
1h 13m
Distance
61.5 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monument, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 61.5-mile drive from Monument, Colorado, to Thornton, Colorado, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 13 minutes. Designed as a 1-day journey, it's a practical option for a quick excursion. You'll primarily navigate via Ronald Reagan Highway and North Valley Highway, with Thornton Parkway serving as your final approach. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $9, making it an economical choice. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, so you won't be crossing state lines or experiencing dramatic environmental shifts.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 57.4 mi | 1h 5m |
| North Valley Highway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Thornton Parkway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 2nd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| CO 105 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Highway
— 57.4 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monument, CO and Thornton, CO.
1
Start on Washington Street
53 ft
·
7 sec
·
Washington Street
2
Turn left onto 2nd Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street
3
Continue on CO 105
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
CO 105
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 25: I 25 North, Denver
5
Merge onto I 25
57 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn right onto Thornton Parkway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 30.7 miles from Monument, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 61.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 25: I 25 North, Denver
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 25: I 25 North, Denver
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge onto I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
58.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m 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 slight right lane.
7
59.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward Thornton Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
6
61.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.27 one way
$18.53 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $9.81 | $19.62 |
| premium | $4.39 | $10.64 | $21.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.58 | $27.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.46 | $2.95 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.6 | 0 | $8.61 | $3.94 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Thornton, CO
Morning in Thornton on Tuesday
Local time
8:13 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
5 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 13m 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 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 61.5-mile journey. While 57.4 miles of your trip will be on Ronald Reagan Highway, indicating some sustained driving, the overall profile suggests a route that incorporates more local road navigation. With a highway share of only 2, the majority of your time will be spent on roads that require more attention to turns and local traffic patterns. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a drive that keeps you engaged with the changing local landscape as you progress.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.4 mi on Ronald Reagan Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.5 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.7 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 61.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m 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 57.4 miles on Ronald Reagan 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 Thornton, 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 0.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.7 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 Thornton, 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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