Origin
Westminster, CO
Late night in Westminster on Sunday
Local time
1:55 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westminster, CO to Parker, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
31.4 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Parker, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Westminster and Parker covers 31.4 miles, a short trek that typically takes about 46 minutes to complete. Because this is a quick journey within the Mountain West region, you can easily handle the entire trip in a single day. You will primarily navigate via North Valley Highway, Federal Boulevard, and E-470, keeping your travel costs efficient with a fuel budget of just $5. This route functions perfectly as a direct transit rather than a multi-day excursion. Whether you are commuting or visiting friends, the simplicity of the trip allows for total flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 16.4 mi | 20m |
| Federal Boulevard | 4.6 mi | 9m |
| E-470 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| South Parker Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Lowell Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North Speer Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West 72nd Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Mainstreet | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 16.4 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westminster, CO and Parker, CO.
1
Start on Newton Street
114 ft
·
11 sec
·
Newton Street
2
Turn left onto West 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
West 77th Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto Lowell Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Boulevard
4
Turn left onto West 72nd Avenue
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West 72nd Avenue
5
Turn right onto US 287
4.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Federal Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto North Speer Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Speer Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 25
16 mi
·
20 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand Junction
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North: Limon
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto E470
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
E-470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 5
Toward CO 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward CO 83 South: Parker Road
14
Merge onto CO 83
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Parker Road
15
Turn left onto East Mainstreet
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Mainstreet
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn left onto South Pikes Peak Drive
100 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Pikes Peak Drive
17
Arrive at destination
South Pikes Peak Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.7 miles from Westminster, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West 77th Avenue
Turn left onto West 77th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Turn right onto US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
23.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand J...
8
23.3 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward E-470 North: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North: Limon
7
28.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward CO 83
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward CO 83
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.73 one way
$9.46 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.43 | $10.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.93 | $13.87 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.53
E-470
(4.4 mi)
$0.53
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Parker, CO
Late night in Parker on Sunday
Local time
1:55 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Glendale, CO
16 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
31 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
46m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features no highway share. You will spend your time navigating through local arteries, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being a 16.4-mile segment on North Valley Highway. The road's personality shifts as you transition between these local roads, requiring your full attention behind the wheel. Because you are not logging long hours on a major highway, the driving experience feels more like a series of connected local segments. Be prepared for a hands-on drive that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on North Valley Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 early in the drive near West 77th Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 31.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 77th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Westminster, CO and Parker, CO, road signs point toward E-470 North, Grand Junction and E-470 North: Limon.
E-470 North
23.2 mi in
|
~34m
Grand Junction
23.2 mi in
|
~34m
E-470 North: Limon
23.3 mi in
|
~34m
About the Cities
Starting in Westminster, CO
Full guide →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.
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 46m. Total distance: 31.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m 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 16.4 miles on North Valley Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.53 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. 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 Parker, 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: near the start (West 77th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 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 Parker, 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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