Origin
Westminster, CO
Morning in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
6:04 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westminster, CO to Fort Morgan, 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
1h 26m
Distance
79 mi
127 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
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.
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Fort Morgan, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Westminster, CO to Fort Morgan, CO is 79 miles and takes about 1h 26m via Heartland Expressway and Denver–Boulder Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Colorado, transitioning from the Mountain West region to a similar one. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on highways, making it a convenient option for a quick move or a short getaway. With minimal driving time and a low fuel cost, this route is designed for efficiency.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 72.5 mi | 1h 13m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West 76th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Irving Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 74th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Federal Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 72.5 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westminster, CO and Fort Morgan, CO.
1
Start on Newton Street
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
Newton Street
2
Turn left onto West 76th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 76th Avenue
3
Turn right onto Irving Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Irving Street
4
Turn left onto West 74th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
·
West 74th Avenue
5
Turn left onto US 287
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Federal Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
Toward US 36 East: Denver
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto US 36
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 270
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Exit 1
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
11
Merge onto I 76
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
67 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward CO 52: Fort Morgan, New Raymer
14
Turn right onto CO 52
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left onto East Beaver Avenue
369 ft
·
12 sec
·
East Beaver Avenue
16
Turn right onto State Street
364 ft
·
9 sec
·
State Street
17
Arrive at destination
State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.5 miles from Westminster, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Heartland Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 72.5 miles.
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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 10.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West 74th Avenue
Turn left onto West 74th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Turn left onto US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward US 36 East: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 36 East: Denver
8
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
7
10.4 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.90 one way
$23.81 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $12.60 | $25.21 |
| premium | $4.39 | $13.67 | $27.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.44 | $34.88 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.13
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(1.8 mi)
$0.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$0
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.7 | 0 | $8.30 | $3.79 |
| Efficient EV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.91 | $3.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.6 | 0 | $11.06 | $5.06 |
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.
Destination
Fort Morgan, CO
Morning in Fort Morgan on Tuesday
Local time
6:04 AM
MDT
Current temp
31°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
33°F
Brighton, CO
40 mi in
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
5 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
1h 26m 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 trip is predominantly highway driving, with 94% of the route utilizing major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 72.5 miles on the Heartland Expressway, offering a consistent cruising experience for most of the drive. The transition to surface roads, like Main Street in Fort Morgan, will occur towards the end of your trip. Expect plenty of exits and merges as you navigate this predominantly highway profile.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 72.5 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Heartland Expressway and Denver–Boulder Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near West 74th Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 79 miles you will encounter 14 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 (West 74th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Westminster, CO
Full guide →Founded 1859
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.
Top landmarks
- • Bowles House — listed on the NRHP in Colorado
Arriving in Fort Morgan, CO
Full guide →Fort Morgan is a city in Morgan County, 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 1h 26m. Total distance: 79 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 (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 72.5 miles on Heartland Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.13 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 Fort Morgan, 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 0.8 miles (West 74th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Morgan, 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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