Origin
Aurora, CO
Afternoon in Aurora on Thursday
Local time
4:21 PM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Pierce, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 40m
Distance
77.5 mi
125 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 33m
★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 55m
10 AM
1h 46m
12 PM
1h 44m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 55m
8 PM
1h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Pierce, CO
Bobby n Lazy Jim
Trip Overview
The drive from Aurora, CO to Pierce, CO covers 77.5 miles and takes about 1h 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on County Road 49, Heartland Expressway, Highway 85 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22 miles on County Road 49. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.68 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.7 miles from Aurora, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 40m. Total distance: 77.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Aurora, CO to Pierce, CO covers 77.5 miles and takes about 1h 40m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
County Road 49 is the longest continuous segment at about 22 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near East 17th Place.
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 77.5 miles you will encounter 20 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 1.2 miles (East 17th Place): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (Peña Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
East 17th Place
Turn right onto East 17th Place
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70 East: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12B
Toward I 70 East: Limon
8
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
Peña Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto Peña Boulevard toward Denver International Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 284
Toward Denver International Airport
8
10.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
8
11.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward E470 Toll North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Aurora, CO and Pierce, CO, road signs point toward Denver International Airport, E470 Toll: Fort Collins, E470 Toll North: Fort Collins and E470 Toll North.
Denver International Airport
4.1 mi in
|
~7m
|
via Peña Boulevard
E470 Toll: Fort Collins
10.6 mi in
|
~15m
E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
10.7 mi in
|
~15m
E470 Toll North
11.3 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| County Road 49 | 22 mi | 25m |
| Heartland Expressway | 15.4 mi | 15m |
| Highway 85 | 9.5 mi | 15m |
| Peña Boulevard | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| E-470 | 6.4 mi | 6m |
| County Road 47 | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Highway 392 | 4 mi | 7m |
| South Oak Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
County Road 49
— 22 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Pierce, CO.
1
Start on North Vaughn Street
80 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
2
Turn right onto Toledo Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Toledo Street
3
Turn slight right onto East 10th Avenue
257 ft
·
16 sec
·
East 10th Avenue
4
Turn left onto North Potomac Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Potomac Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on North Fitzsimons Parkway
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
North Fitzsimons Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto East 17th Place
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East 17th Place
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 225 North
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 225
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
I 225
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 70 East: Limon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 70
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Peña Boulevard
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Peña Boulevard
Exit 284
Toward Denver International Airport
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 6
Toward E470 Toll: Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North: Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 6B
Toward E470 Toll North
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
16
Merge onto E470
6.4 mi
·
6 min
·
E-470
Use the slight right lane.
17
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 35
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Merge onto I 76
15 mi
·
15 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn left onto CR 49
22 mi
·
25 min
·
County Road 49
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Continue on CR 47
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 47
Use the straight lane.
22
Turn left onto CO 392
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Highway 392
23
Continue on CO 392
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Main Street
24
Turn right onto US 85
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Highway 85
25
Continue on US 85
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Oak Avenue
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on US 85
6.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Highway 85
Use the straight lane.
27
Turn left onto East Main Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Main Avenue
28
Turn right onto 2nd Street
33 ft
·
1 sec
·
2nd Street
29
Arrive at destination
2nd Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.7 miles from Aurora, CO, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22 miles.
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 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.7 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pierce, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Aurora, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Aurora, CO
This is one driving day of about 77.5 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Aurora, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on County Road 49 for about 22 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 38.7 mi from Aurora, CO · 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.7 miles from Aurora, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Pierce, CO
The final approach into Pierce, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.68 one way
$23.35 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $12.36 | $24.73 |
| premium | $4.39 | $13.41 | $26.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.11 | $34.22 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.77
E-470
(6.4 mi)
$0.77
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.14 | $3.72 |
| Efficient EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.78 | $3.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31 | 0 | $10.85 | $4.96 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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
Pierce, CO
Afternoon in Pierce on Thursday
Local time
4:21 PM
MDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Brighton, CO
39 mi in
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
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
1h 40m 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 Aurora, CO to Pierce, CO covers 77.5 miles and takes about 1h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are County Road 49, Heartland Expressway, Highway 85. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 38.7 miles from Aurora, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.68 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.5 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (East 17th Place): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (Peña Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Aurora, CO and Pierce, CO, road signs point toward Denver International Airport, E470 Toll: Fort Collins, E470 Toll North: Fort Collins and E470 Toll North.
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