Traveling from Northglenn to Colorado Springs covers approximately 80.2 miles, making this an ideal day trip across the Mountain West. You can expect a drive time of about 1 hour and 23 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. Budget around $11 for fuel to complete this one-way journey. Since the route is relatively short, you do not need to plan for an overnight stay; it is perfectly manageable as a single-day excursion. By utilizing a combination of I-25 South, the North Valley Highway, and the Monument Valley Freeway, you can navigate between these two Colorado hubs efficiently. This trip is straightforward and serves as a reliable connection between the northern and southern portions of the region.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40 miles from Northglenn, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Valley Highway
72.7 mi
1h 21m
Monument Valley Freeway
5.9 mi
6m
East Kiowa Street
0.3 mi
1m
West Kiowa Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West Bijou Street
0.2 mi
<1m
North Weber Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Pikes Peak Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
East 104th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 72.7 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northglenn, CO and Colorado Springs, CO.
1
Start on East 104th Avenue
335 ft·15 sec·East 104th Avenue
2
Turn left
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward I 25 SouthUse the left lane.
3
Merge onto I 25
2.5 mi·3 min·North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
70 mi·1 hr 18 min·North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Continue on I 25
5.9 mi·6 min·Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 142Toward Bijou StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
495 ft·14 sec
Toward I 25: DowntownUse the straight / left lanes.
8
Turn left onto West Bijou Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·West Bijou Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Continue on West Kiowa Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·West Kiowa Street
10
Continue on East Kiowa Street
0.3 mi·1 min·East Kiowa Street
11
Turn right onto North Weber Street
490 ft·17 sec·North Weber Street
12
Turn right onto East Pikes Peak Avenue
422 ft·14 sec·East Pikes Peak Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
East Pikes Peak Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 23-minute duration, you have significant flexibility regarding your departure time. However, to avoid the heaviest congestion on these local roads, try to plan your travel outside of typical morning and evening rush hours. You will not need to schedule any formal stops for a trip of only 80.2 miles, allowing you to drive straight through if you prefer. Keep your $11 fuel budget in mind when planning your total travel costs for the day. A helpful tip for this specific route is to stay focused on the transition between the North Valley Highway and the Monument Valley Freeway, as these segments require more navigation than a standard highway drive.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40 miles from Northglenn, CO, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 72.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 18 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40 miles or 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colorado Springs, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Northglenn, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Northglenn, CO
This is one driving day of about 80 miles and 1h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Northglenn, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on North Valley Highway for about 72.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 79.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left toward I 25 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 South
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|I 25 / North Valley Highway
Merge onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
2.8 mi into trip|~4m 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
78.8 mi into trip|~1h 29m in
Take the exit toward Bijou Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 142
Toward Bijou Street
8
79.1 mi into trip|~1h 29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25: Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 25: Downtown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.05 one way
$24.11 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$12.76
$25.52
premium
$4.39
$13.84
$27.68
diesel
$5.61
$17.66
$35.33
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24
0
$8.40
$3.84
Efficient EV
20
0
$7.00
$3.20
EV Truck/SUV
32
0
$11.20
$5.12
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Northglenn, CO
Late night
in Northglenn on Tuesday
Local time
3:40 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Colorado Springs, CO
Late night
in Colorado Springs on Tuesday
Local time
3:40 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
1h 32m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...
24 mi from route
~61 min detour
$10
near mile 77.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. While the route connects via major thoroughfares, the configuration requires your full attention as you transition between local highways and urban corridors. The drive lacks long, uninterrupted stretches on I-25 South, meaning you will frequently navigate changes in road type and flow. Because the highway share is effectively zero for the primary segments, you should prepare for a more active, hands-on driving experience. The road's personality is defined by these technical shifts, requiring you to stay alert as you move through the changing landscape between Northglenn and Colorado Springs.
Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.7 mi on North Valley 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 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 80 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 0.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Colorado Springs is a city of about 490,000 in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of El Paso County, the city lies 63 miles (101 km) south of Denver at the foot of Pikes Peak in South Central Colorado.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 80 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 72.7 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 Colorado Springs, 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 0.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Colorado Springs, CO before heading back.
