Origin
Superior, CO
Late night in Superior on Tuesday
Local time
4:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Superior, CO to Arvada, 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
23m
Distance
13.9 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 27m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Superior, CO
Gustavo Galeano Maz
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Superior, CO to Arvada, CO is 13.9 miles and takes about 23 minutes via Denver–Boulder Turnpike and Wadsworth Parkway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Mountain West region, transitioning from the Boulder area towards Denver's northern suburbs. It's a straightforward hop that most drivers can complete with minimal planning. Consider this route for its convenience when connecting these two Colorado communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 4 mi | 4m |
| Wadsworth Parkway | 4 mi | 6m |
| Wadsworth Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Wadsworth Bypass | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Ralston Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Interlocken Loop | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Marshall Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 4 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Superior, CO and Arvada, CO.
1
Start on this road
142 ft
·
15 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
2nd Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto CO 170
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Marshall Road
4
Turn left onto CO 170
368 ft
·
23 sec
·
McCaslin Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward US 36 East: Denver
6
Merge onto US 36
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto CO 121
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Interlocken Loop
11
Continue on CO 121
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Wadsworth Parkway
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on CO 121
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on CO 121
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Wadsworth Bypass
14
Turn right onto Ralston Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto Ammons Street
227 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ammons Street
16
Turn left
41 ft
·
3 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 13.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CO 170 / Marshall Road
At end of road, turn right onto CO 170 / Marshall Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CO 170 / McCaslin Boulevard
Turn left onto CO 170 / McCaslin Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
4.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
6
13.3 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Ralston Road
Turn right onto Ralston Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
13.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.09 one way
$4.19 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $2.22 | $4.43 |
| premium | $4.39 | $2.40 | $4.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.07 | $6.14 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.27
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(3.8 mi)
$0.27
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.46 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Arvada, CO
Late night in Arvada on Tuesday
Local time
4:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°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
17 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
23m 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 13.9-mile trip features a 57% highway share, with the longest stretch on the Denver–Boulder Turnpike covering 4 miles. You'll experience highway driving for a significant portion before transitioning to surface streets. Expect a mix of faster-paced travel on the turnpike and more suburban cruising as you approach Arvada. Keep an eye out for the transition points between these road types.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4 mi on Denver–Boulder Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CO 170 / Marshall Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 13.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CO 170 / Marshall Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CO 170 / McCaslin Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Arvada, CO
Full guide →Founded 1859
Arvada is a city of about 125,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the U.S. state of Colorado. A former farming community in Jefferson and Adams counties, the city is now a residential suburb of Denver. Olde Town Arvada lies 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the Colorado State Capitol and 9 miles (14 km) east of the Front Range foothills.
Top landmarks
- • Arvada Flour Mill — historic mill in Arvada, Colorado, USA
- • Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities — art center in Arvada, Colorado
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 23m. Total distance: 13.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4 miles on Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.27 in tolls one way, starting with Denver–Boulder Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Arvada, 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 0.2 miles (CO 170 / Marshall Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CO 170 / McCaslin Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles: 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 Arvada, 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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