Trip from Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO

Drive Time

3h 29m

Distance

156.5 mi

252 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$24

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min

4 AM

3h 17m ★

6 AM

3h 29m

8 AM

3h 54m

10 AM

3h 38m

12 PM

3h 35m

3 PM

3h 39m

5 PM

3h 53m

8 PM

3h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

Spanning 156.5 miles through the heart of the Mountain West, this trip from Aspen to Colorado Springs is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 3 hours and 29 minutes. Because the drive is relatively short, you can comfortably complete it as a one-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $21 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Colorado cities. Navigating out of Aspen involves local streets like East Main, South Original, and East Cooper Avenue before you transition toward your destination. It is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a direct route that avoids the complexity of multi-day planning.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

78.3 miles from Aspen, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate haul, as this route features 0% highway travel. Because the path relies on local roads, you will find that there is no long-distance, uninterrupted stretch; in fact, the longest segment is 0 miles on East Main Street. The road requires your full attention as you transition through the local infrastructure of the Mountain West. Driving this way offers a different experience than a high-speed interstate, emphasizing a slower, more deliberate pace behind the wheel. Prepare for frequent adjustments and turns rather than long, straight cruise-control stretches.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO is easy. At 3h 29m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
South Original Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
East Cooper Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
8th Street North	Unavailable	Refreshing
South 8th Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
West Colorado Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
East Colorado Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
South Weber Street	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Aspen, CO and Colorado Springs, CO.

1

Start on the route

240 ft · 20 sec · the route

2

Turn left onto East Main Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · East Main Street

3

Continue on South Original Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · South Original Street

4

Turn left onto East Cooper Avenue

43 mi · 1 hr 38 min · East Cooper Avenue

5

Turn right

22 mi · 25 min

6

Turn left

14 mi · 17 min

7

Turn right

76 mi · 1 hr 36 min

8

Take the exit slight left toward 8th Street North

374 ft · 11 sec · 8th Street North

9

Turn straight onto South 8th Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · South 8th Street

10

At the end of the road, turn right onto West Colorado Avenue

0.7 mi · 2 min · West Colorado Avenue

11

Continue on East Colorado Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · East Colorado Avenue

12

Turn left onto South Weber Street

0.1 mi · 23 sec · South Weber Street

13

Turn left onto East Pikes Peak Avenue

423 ft · 14 sec · East Pikes Peak Avenue

14

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Since this is a compact 156.5-mile journey, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule, though planning for at least one dedicated stop is recommended to break up the technical driving. Leaving early in the day allows you to navigate the local road segments before traffic patterns shift. Keep your eyes on the road, as the lack of highway miles means you will be navigating local intersections and turns for the duration of the trip. With a fuel budget of $21, make sure your tank is ready before you depart Aspen to avoid unnecessary stops. Taking advantage of the single planned stop will help you stay refreshed for the duration of the drive.

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 78.3 miles from Aspen, CO, or about 1h 44m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 47m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 78.3 miles or 1h 44m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 51m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colorado Springs, CO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Aspen, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Aspen, CO

This is one driving day of about 156.5 miles and 3h 29m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Aspen, CO.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 78.3 mi from Aspen, CO · 1h 44m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cripple Creek, CO

78 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.

Popular next leg

Cripple Creek, CO to Colorado Springs, CO

44.7 mi · 1h 14m

Pacing Suggestions

Cripple Creek, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Cripple Creek, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 78.3 miles from Aspen, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Colorado Springs, CO

The final approach into Colorado Springs, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Colorado Springs, CO.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$23.72 one way

$47.43 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 55 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.08	$25.16	$50.33
premium	$4.43	$27.31	$54.63
diesel	$5.64	$34.77	$69.54

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$24

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$49–$74

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 54.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	46.9	$16.43	$7.51
Efficient EV	39.1	$13.69	$6.26
EV Truck/SUV	62.6	$21.91	$10.02

Gas CO2

55 kg

EV CO2

18 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Aspen, CO

Afternoon in Aspen on Sunday

Local time

4:03 PM

MDT

Current temp

26°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Colorado Springs, CO

Afternoon in Colorado Springs on Sunday

Local time

4:03 PM

MDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

36 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

3h 29m 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 Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO covers 156.5 miles and takes about 3h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East Main Street, South Original Street, East Cooper Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 78.3 miles from Aspen, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.72 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO is easy. At 3h 29m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Aspen, CO to Colorado Springs, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.