Origin
Pierce, CO
Late night in Pierce on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pierce, CO to Lakewood, 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 44m
Distance
82.2 mi
132 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 37m
★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 49m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pierce, CO
Bobby n Lazy Jim
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Pierce to Lakewood is 82.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 44 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, and Highway 14, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Colorado, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. The route primarily utilizes surface roads, offering a more grounded travel experience compared to constant highway cruising. With a recommended single day of travel, you'll find this drive offers a straightforward passage with minimal time commitment, making it ideal for a quick transition between locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.1 miles from Pierce, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 41.6 mi | 41m |
| North Valley Highway | 18.2 mi | 23m |
| Highway 14 | 10 mi | 16m |
| County Road 29 | 3 mi | 4m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| County Road 88 | 1.7 mi | 5m |
| North Wadsworth Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| US 6 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 41.6 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pierce, CO and Lakewood, CO.
1
Start on 2nd Street
33 ft
·
3 sec
·
2nd Street
2
Turn right onto West Main Avenue
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Main Avenue
3
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto County Road 88
1.7 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 88
5
Turn left onto County Road 29
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 29
6
Turn right onto CO 14
10.0 mi
·
16 min
·
Highway 14
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on CO 14
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 25 South: Denver
9
Merge onto I 25
42 mi
·
41 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Take the exit onto US 6
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 6
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
US 6
Toward US 6
15
Merge onto US 6
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the right lane.
17
Turn straight onto CO 121
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Wadsworth Boulevard
18
Continue on CO 121
369 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
CO 121
Trip Plan
Given this is a 1 hour 44 minute drive, it's perfectly manageable in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to take advantage of daylight and less traffic, especially on the surface road portions. You can complete this trip without needing to split it, offering flexibility in your timing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $12, and plan to refuel before you leave Pierce or upon arrival in Lakewood if needed. Since there are no specific stops recommended, you have the freedom to make brief pauses as you see fit.
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 41.1 miles from Pierce, CO, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.6 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 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.1 miles or 54m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pierce, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Pierce, CO
This is one driving day of about 82.2 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Pierce, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 41.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 41.1 miles from Pierce, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 5.6 and 80.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
CO 14 / Highway 14
Turn right onto CO 14 / Highway 14
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
59 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m 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
67.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m 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
76.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
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 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
6
80.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.39 one way
$24.77 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $13.11 | $26.23 |
| premium | $4.39 | $14.22 | $28.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.15 | $36.30 |
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: 28.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.63 | $3.95 |
| Efficient EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.19 | $3.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.9 | 0 | $11.51 | $5.26 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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
Lakewood, CO
Late night in Lakewood on Tuesday
Local time
5:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°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
22 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 44m 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?
You'll spend about 17% of the 82.2 miles on highways. The longest stretch on a highway is 41.6 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. After this, expect to transition to surface roads for the remainder of your 1 hour 44 minute drive. This shift means you'll notice more local traffic and potentially more intersections as you move through populated areas.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.6 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 5.6 miles in near CO 14 / Highway 14.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 82.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 5.6 miles (CO 14 / Highway 14): Lane positioning matters here; at 59 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Lakewood, CO
Full guide →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.
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 1h 44m. Total distance: 82.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.6 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 Lakewood, 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 5.6 miles (CO 14 / Highway 14): Lane positioning matters here; at 59 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.8 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 Lakewood, 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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