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Trip from Silverthorne, CO to Denver, CO

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 26m

Distance

67.4 mi

108 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 20m ★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Silverthorne, CO, CO

Silverthorne, CO

Jacob Moore

consolidated city-county and capital of Colorado, United States

Denver, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Silverthorne to Denver is 67.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via I 70, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive connects two points within Colorado's Mountain West region, offering a straightforward transition from the high country to the plains. You'll mostly stick to major highways, making it a practical choice for a quick trip between these two destinations. Given its short duration and minimal stops, it's ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing ample time for activities at either end.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 55.1 mi 1h 6m
West 6th Avenue Freeway 10.1 mi 14m
North Lincoln Street 0.9 mi 2m
Blue River Parkway 0.4 mi <1m
CO 9 0.3 mi <1m
US 6 0.1 mi <1m
East 14th Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 55.1 mi, about 1h 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Silverthorne, CO and Denver, CO.

1

Start on CO 9

0.4 mi · 59 sec · Blue River Parkway
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on US 6

0.1 mi · 25 sec · US 6
3

Take the exit onto CO 9

0.3 mi · 24 sec · CO 9
Toward I 70 East Use the left lane.
4

Merge onto I 70

55 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 261 Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood Use the slight right lane.
6

Merge onto US 6

10 mi · 14 min · West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Turn left onto North Lincoln Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · North Lincoln Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
8

Turn right onto East 14th Avenue

353 ft · 17 sec · East 14th Avenue
Use the right lane.
9

Turn left

358 ft · 27 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
10

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Idaho Springs, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Idaho Springs, CO

34 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

Georgetown, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Idaho Springs, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.7 miles from Silverthorne, 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 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 67.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | CO 9

Take the exit onto CO 9 toward I 70 East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 70 East
5
0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in | I 70

Merge onto I 70

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
55.9 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in

Take the exit toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood

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 261 Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
6
67.2 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in | East 14th Avenue

Turn right onto East 14th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
67.3 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.16 one way

$20.31 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $10.75 $21.50
premium $4.39 $11.66 $23.32
diesel $5.61 $14.88 $29.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.2 0 $7.08 $3.24
Efficient EV 16.9 0 $5.90 $2.70
EV Truck/SUV 27 0 $9.44 $4.31

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (67% 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 Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Silverthorne, CO

Late night in Silverthorne on Tuesday

Local time

4:09 AM

MDT

Current temp

63°F

Mostly Sunny

W 1 to 7 mph 8% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 12:16AM MDT until April 20 at 7:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 12:16AM MDT until April 23 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO

Destination

Denver, CO

Late night in Denver on Tuesday

Local time

4:09 AM

MDT

Current temp

80°F

Mostly Sunny

SE 3 to 7 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 12:16AM MDT until April 20 at 7:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 20 at 12:16AM MDT until April 23 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO

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

17 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

1h 26m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 98% of the 67.4 miles spent on major roads like I 70 and West 6th Avenue Freeway. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 55.1 miles on I 70, which generally provides a smooth and efficient journey. The road's personality is predominantly that of a high-speed corridor, designed for covering distance quickly. As you approach Denver, the urban freeway environment becomes more pronounced.

98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 55.1 mi on I 70.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and West 6th Avenue Freeway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near CO 9.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 67.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.6 miles (CO 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.9 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.

On the drive from Silverthorne, CO to Denver, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood along the way.

Lakewood

55.9 mi in | ~1h 8m

About the Cities

Arriving in Denver, CO

Full guide →

“Mile High City” · Founded 1858

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.

Top landmarks

  • • Denver Art Museum — museum in Denver, Colorado, United States
  • • Denver Mint — United States Mint branch in Denver, Colorado
  • • Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception — church in Colorado, United States

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 26m. Total distance: 67.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 55.1 miles on I 70. 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 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 0.6 miles (CO 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 70): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.9 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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