Origin
Sheridan, CO
Late night in Sheridan on Tuesday
Local time
3:27 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sheridan, CO to Thornton, 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
28m
Distance
18.9 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sheridan, CO
RDNE Stock project
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sheridan, CO to Thornton, CO is 18.9 miles and takes about 28 minutes via South Valley Highway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip within the Mountain West region. Given its short distance and duration, it's a practical drive for local errands or connecting between these two Colorado communities. You'll primarily navigate local roads, making it a convenient option for a quick journey without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 10 mi | 13m |
| South Santa Fe Drive | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| North Valley Highway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| West Hampden Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Thornton Parkway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 85 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Federal Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 10 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sheridan, CO and Thornton, CO.
1
Start on CO 88
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Federal Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 285 North
3
Merge onto US 285
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Hampden Avenue
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 85
5
Keep slight left at fork
248 ft
·
14 sec
Toward US 85 North
6
Turn left
106 ft
·
6 sec
Toward US 85 North
7
Merge onto US 85
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
South Santa Fe Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Take the exit onto US 85
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 85
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 25
10 mi
·
13 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto Thornton Parkway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 85 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 85 North
6
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 85 / South Santa Fe Drive
Merge onto US 85 / South Santa Fe Drive
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
5.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 85
Take the exit onto US 85 toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
6
16 mi into trip
|
~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 slight right lane.
7
17.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Thornton Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.85 one way
$5.70 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.02 | $6.03 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.27 | $6.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.17 | $8.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.98 | $0.91 |
| Efficient EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Thornton, CO
Late night in Thornton on Tuesday
Local time
3:27 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
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
28m 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?
This route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a 'turn-heavy local drive.' With only a 9% highway share, expect a predominantly local road experience rather than an open highway cruise. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10 miles on South Valley Highway. As you progress, you'll transition from South Valley Highway to South Santa Fe Drive and then North Valley Highway, indicating a shift through different local road networks rather than a consistent highway feel.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10 mi on South Valley 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 1.5 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 18.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.6 miles (US 85 / South Santa Fe Drive): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (US 85): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 18.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10 miles on South Valley 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 Thornton, 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 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 1.6 miles (US 85 / South Santa Fe Drive): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (US 85): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Thornton, 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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