Origin
Aurora, CO
Morning in Aurora on Friday
Local time
10:24 AM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, CO to Palmer Lake, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
49.3 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Palmer Lake, CO
PIE
Trip Overview
The drive from Aurora, CO to Palmer Lake, CO covers 49.3 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Valley Highway, I 225, County Line Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 36.1 miles on South Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.43 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 49.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 58m drive with frequent turns across 49.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 36.1 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 0.2 miles in near North Zion Street.
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 13 decision points packed into just 49.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (I 225): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Zion Street
At end of road, turn right onto North Zion Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 225 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 225 South
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 225
Merge onto I 225
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
9.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
7
45.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward County Line Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 163
Toward County Line Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 36.1 mi | 37m |
| I 225 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| County Line Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| CO 105 | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Vaughn Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Pie Corner | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Zion Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 36.1 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, CO and Palmer Lake, CO.
1
Start on North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
26 sec
·
North Zion Street
3
Turn left onto Vaughn Street
257 ft
·
18 sec
·
Vaughn Street
4
Turn left onto CO 30
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 225 South
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 225
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 225
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
9
Merge onto I 25
36 mi
·
37 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 163
Toward County Line Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto County Line Road;West Palmer Divide Avenue
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
County Line Road;West Palmer Divide Avenue
12
At end of road, turn left onto Spruce Mountain Road
234 ft
·
6 sec
·
Spruce Mountain Road
13
Continue on CO 105
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 105
14
Turn right onto Pie Corner
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Pie Corner
15
At end of road, turn left onto Upper Glenway
223 ft
·
9 sec
·
Upper Glenway
16
Arrive at destination
Upper Glenway
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.6 mi from Aurora, CO · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 24.6 miles from Aurora, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Palmer Lake, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Palmer Lake, 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
$7.43 one way
$14.86 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.86 | $15.73 |
| premium | $4.39 | $8.53 | $17.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.88 | $21.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.18 | $2.37 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.90 | $3.16 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Palmer Lake, CO
Morning in Palmer Lake on Friday
Local time
10:24 AM
MDT
Current temp
39°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
8 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
58m 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 Palmer Lake, CO covers 49.3 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Valley Highway, I 225, County Line Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.6 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 $7.43 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 13 decision points packed into just 49.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North Zion Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (I 225): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Aurora, CO to Palmer Lake, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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