Origin
Arvada, CO
Night in Arvada on Friday
Local time
10:59 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arvada, CO to Mead, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
36.3 mi
58 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 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Mead, CO
Mikhail Nilov
Trip Overview
The drive from Arvada, CO to Mead, CO covers 36.3 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, Heartland Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.47 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 36.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 36.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.1 miles in near Allison Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 15 decision points packed into just 36.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Allison Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Ralston Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Allison Street
At end of road, turn right onto Allison Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ralston Road
Turn left onto Ralston Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward I 76 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 76 East
8
5.6 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
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m 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
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 Arvada, CO to Mead, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
Colorado Springs
5.6 mi in
|
~9m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 17.3 mi | 17m |
| North Valley Highway | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| Heartland Expressway | 3 mi | 3m |
| Ralston Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| East Welker Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Allison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Ammons Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 17.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arvada, CO and Mead, CO.
1
Start on this road
41 ft
·
5 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Ammons Street
58 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ammons Street
3
Turn left
313 ft
·
25 sec
4
At end of road, turn right onto Allison Street
172 ft
·
13 sec
·
Allison Street
5
Turn left onto Ralston Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn right onto CO 95
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Sheridan Boulevard
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 76 East
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 76
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 25
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on I 25
17 mi
·
17 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward Mead
16
Turn left onto East Welker Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Welker Avenue
17
Turn right onto 3rd Street
27 ft
·
0 sec
·
3rd Street
18
Arrive at destination
3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.1 mi from Arvada, CO · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from Arvada, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Mead, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Mead, CO if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.94 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.79 | $11.58 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.28 | $12.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.01 | $16.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Mead, CO
Night in Mead on Friday
Local time
10:59 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
45m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arvada, CO to Mead, CO covers 36.3 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, Heartland Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.1 miles from Arvada, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.47 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 36.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Allison Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Ralston Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Arvada, CO to Mead, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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