Origin
Boulder, CO
Evening in Boulder on Thursday
Local time
5:25 PM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boulder, CO to Derby, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
34m
Distance
25.4 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Derby, CO
@coldbeer
Trip Overview
This straightforward 25.4-mile drive from Boulder, CO, to Derby, CO, is easily manageable in about 34 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate the Denver–Boulder Turnpike and 28th Street, with a short stint on East 74th Avenue. With an estimated fuel cost of just $4, this route is incredibly budget-friendly for a quick hop within the Mountain West region. The drive is predominantly highway-focused, so expect a consistent pace. Given its brevity and minimal stops, you won't need to worry about overnight stays.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 25.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for 80% of this 25.4-mile journey. The Denver–Boulder Turnpike will likely provide the most substantial stretch, covering 19.9 miles of uninterrupted driving. This means you'll spend the majority of your time on faster roads designed for efficient travel. While the profile suggests a consistent highway feel, be aware that transitions onto and off of the main thoroughfares, like 28th Street and East 74th Avenue, will introduce more local road characteristics. Overall, it’s a functional drive built for covering ground.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Denver–Boulder Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 19.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Denver–Boulder Turnpike and 28th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Arapahoe Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 19 decision points packed into just 25.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Arapahoe Avenue
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
18 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
20 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
7
23.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward CO 224
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8
Toward CO 224
9
23.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CO 224: Commerce City, 74th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 224: Commerce City, 74th Avenue
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 Boulder, CO to Derby, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Collins along the way.
Fort Collins
20 mi in
|
~25m
|
via US 36
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 19.9 mi | 23m |
| 28th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 74th Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Arapahoe Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Heartland Expressway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Kimberly Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
— 19.9 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boulder, CO and Derby, CO.
1
Start on this road
87 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 19th Street
143 ft
·
13 sec
·
19th Street
3
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Turn right onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
5
Turn straight onto US 36
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Toward I 25: Denver, Fort Collins
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 270
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Exit 1
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
16
Merge onto I 76
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
Heartland Expressway
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 8
Toward CO 224
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward CO 224: Commerce City, 74th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn straight onto CO 224
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East 74th Avenue
20
At end of road, turn left onto US 6; US 85
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto East 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East 77th Avenue
Use the right lane.
22
Turn left onto Kimberly Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimberly Street
23
Arrive at destination
Kimberly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.83 one way
$7.65 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.05 | $8.10 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.39 | $8.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.61 | $11.22 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.39
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(19.9 mi)
$1.39
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.22 | $1.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Derby, CO
Evening in Derby on Thursday
Local time
5:25 PM
MDT
Current temp
79°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
7 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
34m 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 Boulder, CO to Derby, CO covers 25.4 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Denver–Boulder Turnpike, 28th Street, East 74th Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.7 miles from Boulder, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.83 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 19 decision points packed into just 25.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Arapahoe Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (US 36 / Denver–Boulder Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Boulder, CO to Derby, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Collins along the way.
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