Origin
Bennett, CO
Afternoon in Bennett on Thursday
Local time
4:51 PM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bennett, CO to Boulder, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
54.3 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bennett, CO
RDNE Stock project
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Bennett, CO to Boulder, CO covers 54.3 miles and takes about 1h 6m 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, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.6 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 54.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Bennett, CO to Boulder, CO covers 54.3 miles and takes about 1h 6m, 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 26 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 24.6 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 0.2 miles in near CO 79 / Palmer Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.3 miles you will encounter 21 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 0.2 miles (CO 79 / Palmer Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CO 36; CO 79 / East Colfax Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (CO 79 / South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 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
|
CO 79 / Palmer Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto CO 79 / Palmer Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CO 36; CO 79 / East Colfax Avenue
Turn right onto CO 36; CO 79 / East Colfax Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CO 79 / South 1st Street
Turn left onto CO 79 / South 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
23.3 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 70 / Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 / Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
26.1 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 270 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway toward I 270 West: Boulder
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 279A
Toward I 270 West: Boulder
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 24.6 mi | 26m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 20.1 mi | 23m |
| Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| South 1st Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Colfax Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 24.6 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bennett, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on this road
73 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
184 ft
·
15 sec
3
Turn right onto 6th Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
6th Street
4
At end of road, turn right onto CO 79
121 ft
·
2 sec
·
Palmer Avenue
5
Turn left onto CO 79
511 ft
·
11 sec
·
Adams Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn right onto CO 36; CO 79
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
East Colfax Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto CO 79
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South 1st Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 70 West
9
Merge onto I 70
18 mi
·
18 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 70
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 270
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Exit 279A
Toward I 270 West: Boulder
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
21
Keep slight left at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on US 36
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
23
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
25
Turn left
87 ft
·
4 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.2 mi from Bennett, CO · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.2 miles from Bennett, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Boulder, CO
The final approach into Boulder, 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
$8.18 one way
$16.36 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $8.66 | $17.32 |
| premium | $4.39 | $9.39 | $18.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.99 | $23.98 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.41
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(20.1 mi)
$1.41
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.60 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Boulder, CO
Afternoon in Boulder on Thursday
Local time
4:51 PM
MDT
Current temp
72°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
25 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 6m 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 Bennett, CO to Boulder, CO covers 54.3 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.2 miles from Bennett, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.18 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 54.3 miles you will encounter 21 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 0.2 miles (CO 79 / Palmer Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (CO 36; CO 79 / East Colfax Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (CO 79 / South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bennett, CO to Boulder, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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