Origin
Wheat Ridge, CO
Late night in Wheat Ridge on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wheat Ridge, CO to Loveland, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
52.1 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wheat Ridge, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Loveland, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head north from Wheat Ridge to Loveland, expect a straightforward 52.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. This trip sits entirely within the Mountain West region of Colorado, making it a quick and efficient transit between the two cities. You will navigate via the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the North Valley Highway, and the Heartland Expressway. Because the entire drive is easily manageable in a single day, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics. Budgeting around $8 for fuel should cover your travel costs, leaving you plenty of flexibility to plan your day as you see fit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 27.3 mi | 27m |
| North Valley Highway | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| Heartland Expressway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| 14th Street Southeast | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| South Lincoln Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Wadsworth Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| East State Highway 402 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Teller Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 27.3 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wheat Ridge, CO and Loveland, CO.
1
Start on this road
24 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Teller Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Teller Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto CR 180
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West 38th Avenue
4
Turn right onto CO 121
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Wadsworth Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 70 East, I 76 East: Denver, Fort Morgan
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the left / right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 76
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 25
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on I 25
27 mi
·
27 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 255
Toward SH 402: Loveland and Greeley Canal
15
Keep slight left at fork
214 ft
·
5 sec
Exit 255
Toward SH 402: Loveland and Greeley Canal
16
Enter roundabout onto CO 402
252 ft
·
14 sec
·
East State Highway 402
17
Continue on CO 402
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
East State Highway 402
18
Enter roundabout onto CO 402
144 ft
·
8 sec
·
East State Highway 402
19
Continue on CO 402
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
East State Highway 402
20
Continue on CO 402
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
14th Street Southeast
21
Take the ramp
183 ft
·
5 sec
22
Merge onto US 287
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Lincoln Avenue
23
Turn left onto East 6th Street
501 ft
·
23 sec
·
East 6th Street
24
Arrive at destination
East 6th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Wheat Ridge, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 46.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 70 East, I 76 East: Denver, Fort Morgan
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 70 East, I 76 East: Denver, Fort Morga...
7
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
8
6.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
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 5
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
7
46.3 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SH 402: Loveland and Greeley Canal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 255
Toward SH 402: Loveland and Greeley Canal
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.85 one way
$15.70 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $8.31 | $16.62 |
| premium | $4.39 | $9.01 | $18.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.50 | $23.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.29 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Loveland, CO
Late night in Loveland on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Partly Sunny
SSW 7 to 18 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 16 at 2:53AM MDT until April 16 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Goodland KS
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued April 16 at 2:37AM MDT until April 18 at 8:00AM MDT by NWS Denver 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
29 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 4m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged rather than lulling you into a monotonous interstate trance. While you will utilize main thoroughfares, only 10% of this trip consists of highway driving, meaning you should be prepared for frequent transitions and local road navigation. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 27.3 miles spent on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. As you move away from Wheat Ridge, the road's personality shifts from major highway transit to the more technical, winding local segments that define the latter portion of your 52.1-mile trek.
Only 10% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.3 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 around 1.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.1 miles you will encounter 17 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 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 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 Wheat Ridge, CO and Loveland, CO, road signs point toward Colorado Springs and Sh 402: Loveland And Greeley Canal.
Colorado Springs
6.7 mi in
|
~9m
Sh 402: Loveland And Greeley Canal
46.1 mi in
|
~52m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 52.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m 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 27.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 Loveland, 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 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 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 Loveland, 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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