Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 38m
Distance
241.4 mi
388 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Orchard Mesa, CO
Ritvars Garoza
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Orchard Mesa, CO to Lakewood, CO is 241.4 miles and takes about 4h 38m via I 70 BUS, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Colorado, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. Given it's mostly highway driving, expect a straightforward transit. With only one recommended stop, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion when you want to get where you're going efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
120.7 miles from Orchard Mesa, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 21m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 BUS | 230.5 mi | 4h 21m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Pitkin Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| US 50 | 2 mi | 3m |
| North Wadsworth Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Wadsworth Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 27 Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,409 veh/hr typical · worst 2,083
Quietest
2 AM
~77 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Orchard Mesa, CO and Lakewood, CO.
Start on 27
Turn left onto US 50
Turn right onto I 70 BUS
Continue on I 70 BUS
Continue on I 70 BUS; US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 BUS
Take the exit
Merge onto US 6
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto CO 121
Continue on CO 121
Arrive at destination
Given the relatively short 4-hour drive, leaving anytime in the morning should allow you to arrive before evening. Planning for one stop is built into the estimated 4h 38m duration, so consider a quick break around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the majority of the drive is on I 70 BUS where services might be less frequent in certain stretches. The $43 fuel estimate is based on the total mileage, so be sure to factor that into your budget.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 53 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 120.7 miles or 2h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood, CO than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Orchard Mesa, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Orchard Mesa, CO
This is one driving day of about 241.4 miles and 4h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
121 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.
A short stop after about 53 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 120.7 miles from Orchard Mesa, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 70 BUS if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 230.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 239.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 50
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto I 70 BUS / Pitkin Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 BUS toward I 70 East: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$40.73 one way
$81.47 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $42.99 | $85.97 |
| premium | $4.89 | $46.46 | $92.91 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $53.21 | $106.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 72.4 | 0 | $25.35 | $11.59 |
| Efficient EV | 60.4 | 0 | $21.12 | $9.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 96.6 | 1 | $33.80 | $15.45 |
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Orchard Mesa on Wednesday
Local time
1:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
95°F
Mostly Sunny
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued August 26 at 2:32AM MDT until August 26 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
Destination
Late night in Lakewood on Wednesday
Local time
1:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued August 26 at 2:32AM MDT until August 26 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This is a high-speed transit, with 98% of the 241.4 miles on highways. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on I 70 BUS, with the longest continuous stretch covering 230.5 miles. The transition to surface roads, like West 6th Avenue Freeway and Pitkin Avenue, will likely occur as you approach your destination in Lakewood. Expect a lot of exits and traffic merging as you enter the Denver metropolitan area.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 BUS and West 6th Avenue Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 50.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 38m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 50): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (I 70 BUS / Pitkin Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.1 miles (I 70 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Total Climb
6,188 ft
Total Descent
5,314 ft
Highest Point
10,834 ft
~189.6 mi in
Elevation Range
6,188 ft
Notable High Points
Founded 1889
Lakewood is a city of about 160,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Jefferson County, immediately west of Denver and east of the Front Range foothills.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 38m. Total distance: 241.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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