Origin
Westminster, CO
Late night in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
3:21 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westminster, CO to Lochbuie, 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
30m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Lochbuie, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 23.8-mile drive from Westminster, Colorado, to Lochbuie, Colorado, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 30 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be on highways, with 81% of the journey utilizing major roads like the Heartland Expressway, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this route is an economical option. The straightforward nature of this trip makes it ideal for a quick commute or a simple transfer within the Mountain West region. No overnight stops are necessary, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Expressway | 17.5 mi | 18m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West 76th Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| County Road 37 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Irving Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 74th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 168th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Heartland Expressway
— 17.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westminster, CO and Lochbuie, 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
12 mi
·
12 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 25
Toward Lochbuie
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto East 168th Avenue;County Road 2
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
East 168th Avenue;County Road 2
15
Enter roundabout onto I-76 Frontage Road
12 ft
·
0 sec
·
I-76 Frontage Road
16
Continue on I-76 Frontage Road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I-76 Frontage Road
17
Turn left onto County Road 37
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
County Road 37
18
Arrive at destination
County Road 37
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 23.3 — 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
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
7
22.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Lochbuie
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25
Toward Lochbuie
6
23.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I-76 Frontage Road
Enter roundabout onto I-76 Frontage Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.59 one way
$7.17 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.80 | $7.59 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.12 | $8.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
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
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Lochbuie, CO
Late night in Lochbuie on Tuesday
Local time
3:21 AM
MDT
Current temp
54°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
18 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
30m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 30-minute drive. With 81% of the route on major highways, you'll encounter relatively fast-paced travel. The longest continuous stretch you'll navigate is 17.5 miles on the Heartland Expressway, offering a sustained period of highway driving. This route prioritizes efficient travel over varied scenery, making it a predictable and direct journey. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained, high-speed roads connecting these two Colorado locations.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on Heartland Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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
9/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (West 74th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Westminster, CO to Lochbuie, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Collins along the way.
Fort Collins
2.3 mi in
|
~5m
|
via US 36
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
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 30m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 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 Lochbuie, 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 2.3 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.4 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lochbuie, 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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