Ridgway to Westminster is 324.9 miles and takes about 6h 28m via I 70 BUS, US 50, and US 550, with a fuel budget near $56 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Colorado, traversing the Mountain West region. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it a straightforward trip. With a recommended single day of driving, this route is ideal for those looking to cover ground efficiently. Plan for a smooth transition from mountain landscapes to the Denver metro area.
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
162.5 miles from Ridgway, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 70 BUS
234.5 mi
4h 24m
US 50
43.5 mi
52m
US 550
29.9 mi
40m
32 Road
5.4 mi
9m
Sheridan Boulevard
2.7 mi
4m
G Road
2.3 mi
4m
G50 Road
2.1 mi
3m
Heartland Expressway
1.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 70 BUS
— 234.5 mi, about 4h 24m
Traffic on I-70
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,734 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,394
Quietest
2 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ridgway, CO and Westminster, CO.
1
Start on this road
83 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto North Charlotte Street
0.1 mi·37 sec·North Charlotte Street
3
Turn left onto CO 62
0.7 mi·2 min·Sherman Street
4
Turn left onto US 550
30 mi·40 min·US 550
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on US 50
17 mi·20 min·US 50
6
Turn left onto Confluence Drive
0.8 mi·1 min·Confluence Drive
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·West 5th Street
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on G Road
1.6 mi·3 min·G Road
9
Continue on G Road
0.7 mi·1 min·G Road
10
Continue on G50 Road
2.1 mi·3 min·G50 Road
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 50
15 mi·17 min·US 50
12
Continue on US 50
12 mi·14 min·US 50
13
Continue on CO 141
5.4 mi·9 min·32 Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn right onto I 70 BUS; US 6
0.3 mi·34 sec·I 70 BUS; US 6
15
Continue on I 70 BUS; US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·I 70 BUS; US 6
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 BUS
233 mi·4 hr 22 min·I 70 BUS
Toward I 70 East: DenverUse the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76
1.3 mi·1 min·Heartland Expressway
Exit 269BToward I 76 East: Fort MorganUse the left lane.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Exit 1BToward CO 95: Sheridan BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto CO 95
2.7 mi·4 min·Sheridan Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Turn right onto West 76th Avenue
0.8 mi·2 min·West 76th Avenue
21
Turn left onto Newton Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·Newton Street
22
Arrive at destination
Newton Street
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 28m estimated duration, leaving Ridgway in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Westminster with daylight to spare. The route is efficient enough that you might only need one planned stop for fuel or a break, though you have flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before heading into longer stretches like the 234.5 miles on I 70 BUS. Since this is a manageable one-day drive, you can adjust your pace as needed based on traffic or personal preference.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 162.5 miles from Ridgway, CO, or about 3h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 234.5 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 71 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 162.5 miles or 3h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Westminster, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ridgway, 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 Ridgway, CO
This is one driving day of about 324.9 miles and 6h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 miles from Ridgway, 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 I 70 BUS for about 234.5 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 320.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|US 550
Turn left onto US 550
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
48.7 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|West 5th Street
Turn left onto West 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
86.3 mi into trip|~1h 57m in|I 70 BUS
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 BUS toward I 70 East: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 East: Denver
8
319.6 mi into trip|~6h 19m in|I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
320.9 mi into trip|~6h 21m in
Take the exit toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$55.35 one way
$110.70 round trip
$4.33/gal25.4 MPG avg114 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.58
$58.53
$117.07
premium
$4.90
$62.73
$125.46
diesel
$6.18
$79.04
$158.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
97.5
1
$34.11
$15.60
Efficient EV
81.2
0
$28.43
$13.00
EV Truck/SUV
130
1
$45.49
$20.79
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Ridgway, CO
Late night
in Ridgway on Saturday
Local time
4:29 AM
MDT
Current temp
29°F
Patchy Fog
ESE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 12:33AM MDT until October 16 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 12:33AM MDT until October 16 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
Destination
Westminster, CO
Late night
in Westminster on Saturday
Local time
4:29 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Mostly Clear
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 12:33AM MDT until October 16 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 12:33AM MDT until October 16 at 9:00AM 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
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 28m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
National Park
Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the G...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
$30
near mile 33.6
Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panoram...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
$25
near mile 78.4
Three reservoirs and surrounding lands make up this recreation area in western Colorado. It is a landscape of tradeoffs; natural and human made features exist together. Geologic wonders are abundant f...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 11.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused trip, with 95% of the 324.9 miles on major roads. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway at 234.5 miles on I 70 BUS. The transition to surface roads will occur near the end of your drive. Expect mostly rural cruising for the majority of this route, punctuated by more developed areas as you approach Westminster.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 234.5 mi on I 70 BUS.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 BUS and US 50. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near US 550.
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 324.9 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.8 miles (US 550): Lane positioning matters here; at 48.7 miles (West 5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 86.3 miles (I 70 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Westminster is a city of about 115,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies northwest of Denver in Adams and Jefferson counties.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 28m. Total distance: 324.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 28m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 234.5 miles on I 70 BUS. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Westminster, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (US 550): Lane positioning matters here; at 48.7 miles (West 5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 86.3 miles (I 70 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Colorado National Monument and Curecanti National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.5 hours each way, a round trip means 13.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Westminster, CO before the return drive.
