Ramah to Midway is 79.9 miles and takes about 3h 29m via US 24 and Gold Camp Road, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Colorado, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. Expect a mix of paved highway cruising and unpaved surface travel. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion where you can take your time and enjoy the changing scenery.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
40 miles from Ramah, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 24
38.5 mi
1h 2m
Gold Camp Road
12.8 mi
49m
Old Stage Road
7 mi
26m
Forest Road
3.9 mi
15m
Seven Lakes Road
3.7 mi
15m
Airport Road
3 mi
5m
Lake Avenue
2.8 mi
5m
South Circle Drive
2.8 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US 24
— 38.5 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ramah, CO and Midway, CO.
1
Start on this road
185 ft·15 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Main Street
187 ft·13 sec·Main Street
3
Turn left onto South Cedar Street
0.2 mi·47 sec·South Cedar Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto US 24; CO 4
38 mi·1 hr 1 min·US 24; CO 4
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the exit onto US 24
0.3 mi·44 sec·US 24
Toward US 24 West, CO 21 South: Powers Boulevard
6
Merge onto US 24; CO 21
0.7 mi·56 sec·North Powers Boulevard
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward Airport Road
8
Keep slight right at fork
456 ft·11 sec
Toward Airport Road
9
Turn right onto Airport Road
3.0 mi·5 min·Airport Road
10
Turn left onto South Circle Drive
2.8 mi·5 min·South Circle Drive
11
Continue on Lake Avenue
2.0 mi·3 min·Lake Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12
Enter roundabout onto Lake Avenue
63 ft·1 sec·Lake Avenue
13
Continue on Lake Avenue
0.3 mi·43 sec·Lake Avenue
14
Enter roundabout onto Lake Avenue
51 ft·1 sec·Lake Avenue
15
Continue on Lake Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Lake Avenue
16
Enter roundabout onto Lake Circle
7 ft·0 sec·Lake Circle
17
Continue on Lake Circle
0.2 mi·40 sec·Lake Circle
18
Enter roundabout onto Mesa Avenue
155 ft·2 sec·Mesa Avenue
19
Continue on Mesa Avenue
0.1 mi·16 sec·Mesa Avenue
20
Continue on Park Avenue
0.1 mi·16 sec·Park Avenue
21
Continue on El Pomar Road
0.4 mi·1 min·El Pomar Road
22
Turn left onto Penrose Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·Penrose Boulevard
23
Turn right onto FS 368
7.0 mi·26 min·Old Stage Road
24
Continue on FR 370
13 mi·49 min·Gold Camp Road
25
Turn right onto Seven Lakes Road
3.7 mi·15 min·Seven Lakes Road
26
Continue on City Water Department Roads
2.2 mi·14 min·City Water Department Roads
27
Continue on Forest Road
3.9 mi·15 min·Forest Road
28
Turn straight
0.7 mi·4 min
29
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the drive's 3h 29m estimated duration, departing in the morning allows ample time to reach Midway without feeling rushed. Plan for your single stop to coincide with a need for fuel or a break, as the route doesn't offer many designated rest areas. Be mindful of the shift from highway to surface roads; ensure your vehicle is prepared for unpaved sections, especially if weather conditions are a factor. The relatively low fuel cost of $11 suggests you won't need to worry excessively about finding gas stations along the way, but it's always wise to top off before leaving Ramah.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 40 miles from Ramah, CO, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 38.5 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 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40 miles or 1h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Midway, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ramah, 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 Ramah, CO
This is one driving day of about 79.9 miles and 3h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Ramah, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 24 for about 38.5 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|South Cedar Street
Turn left onto South Cedar Street
Navigation decision point
7
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|US 24; CO 4
At end of road, turn right onto US 24; CO 4
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
38.4 mi into trip|~1h 2m in|US 24
Take the exit onto US 24 toward US 24 West, CO 21 South: Powers Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 24 West, CO 21 South: Powers Boulevar...
6
39.7 mi into trip|~1h 5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Airport Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Airport Road
5
48.5 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|Mesa Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Mesa Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.48 one way
$26.96 round trip
$4.29/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$14.23
$28.46
premium
$4.89
$15.38
$30.75
diesel
$5.60
$17.61
$35.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
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, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24
0
$8.39
$3.84
Efficient EV
20
0
$6.99
$3.20
EV Truck/SUV
32
0
$11.19
$5.11
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 Aug 16, 2026
Origin
Ramah, CO
Morning
in Ramah on Wednesday
Local time
9:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 0 to 5 mph31% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued August 15 at 8:13PM MDT until August 15 at 10:15PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued August 15 at 7:54PM MDT until August 15 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Destination
Midway, CO
Morning
in Midway on Wednesday
Local time
9:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
49°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 0 to 5 mph25% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued August 15 at 8:13PM MDT until August 15 at 10:15PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued August 15 at 7:54PM MDT until August 15 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Denver 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 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
3h 29m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
$10
near mile 74.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 79.9-mile drive features 48% highway, meaning you'll spend roughly 1.7 hours on faster roads like US 24 before transitioning to surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 38.5 miles on US 24. Once you leave the main highway, expect a significant change in road conditions and speed as you navigate Gold Camp Road and Old Stage Road.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.5 mi on US 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Cedar Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 29m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 24; CO 4): Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles (US 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.5 miles on US 24. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (US 24; CO 4): Lane positioning matters here; at 38.4 miles (US 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Midway, CO, but most travelers stay overnight.
