Origin
Parker, CO
Late night in Parker on Sunday
Local time
1:34 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Parker, CO to Denver, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
23.5 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Parker, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Driving the 23.5 miles from Parker to Denver is a straightforward commute that typically takes about 33 minutes. Because of the short distance, this trip is perfectly suited as a quick day outing rather than an overnight excursion. You will navigate a mixed drive that utilizes a combination of I-25, E-470, and South Logan Street. Budgeting roughly $4 for fuel should be plenty for this quick jaunt through the Mountain West. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, the route is efficient and predictable. It is an ideal distance for those who prefer to keep their travel time minimal while staying within Colorado.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 10.8 mi | 12m |
| E-470 | 4.9 mi | 4m |
| South Logan Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| South Parker Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| East Buchtel North Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Mainstreet | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 13th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Sherman Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 10.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Parker, CO and Denver, CO.
1
Start on South Pikes Peak Drive
100 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Pikes Peak Drive
2
Turn right onto East Mainstreet
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East Mainstreet
3
Turn right onto CO 83
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
South Parker Road
Use the right lane.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward E470 Toll South, I 25: Colorado Springs
5
Merge onto E470
4.9 mi
·
4 min
·
E-470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 1A
Toward I 25: Denver, Colorado Springs
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 1A
Toward I 25 North: Denver
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 1A; 26
Toward I 25 North: Denver
9
Merge onto I 25
11 mi
·
12 min
·
I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 206
Toward Downing Street, Washington Street, Emerson Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Emerson Street, Washington Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on East Buchtel North Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Buchtel North Boulevard
13
Turn right onto South Logan Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
South Logan Street
14
Turn left onto East 13th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
East 13th Avenue
15
Turn right onto Sherman Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Sherman Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
At end of road, turn right
298 ft
·
21 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 7.9 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
7.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 25: Denver, Colorado Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1A
Toward I 25: Denver, Colorado Springs
9
8.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 25 North: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 25 North: Denver
8
19.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Downing Street, Washington Street, Emerson Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 206
Toward Downing Street, Washington Street, Emers...
9
19.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Emerson Street, Washington Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Emerson Street, Washington Street
7
23.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Sherman Street
Turn right onto Sherman Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.54 one way
$7.08 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.75 | $7.50 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.07 | $8.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.19 | $10.38 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.59
E-470
(4.9 mi)
$0.59
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.47 | $1.13 |
| Efficient EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.06 | $0.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Late night in Denver on Sunday
Local time
1:34 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
31 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
33m 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 varied experience behind the wheel, as this route is composed of 46% highway driving. You will encounter a mix of fast-paced interstate travel and slower local road navigation. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will face is 10.8 miles while cruising on I-25. As you transition from the suburban feel of Parker toward the density of Denver, the road character shifts from open highway segments to more urbanized surface streets. The drive maintains a functional pace throughout, allowing you to settle into a rhythm before reaching your destination.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.8 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 23.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 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.
Between Parker, CO and Denver, CO, road signs point toward E470 Toll South and Colorado Springs.
E470 Toll South
2.6 mi in
|
~4m
Colorado Springs
7.9 mi in
|
~10m
About the Cities
Arriving in Denver, CO
Full guide →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.
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 33m. Total distance: 23.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.8 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.59 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.5 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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