Origin
Boulder, CO
Late night in Boulder on Friday
Local time
12:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
38m
Distance
29 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Brighton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO covers 29 miles and takes about 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 19th Street, Arapahoe Avenue, 28th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 29 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 38m drive with frequent turns across 29 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
19th 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO is easy. At 38m 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 Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 19th Street | — | — |
| Arapahoe Avenue | — | — |
| 28th Street | — | — |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | — | — |
| Northwest Parkway | — | — |
| Interlocken Loop | — | — |
| E-470 | — | — |
| York Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
19th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boulder, CO and Brighton, CO.
1
Start on the route
89 ft
·
7 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right onto 19th Street
144 ft
·
14 sec
·
19th Street
3
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
4
Turn right onto 28th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
5
Turn straight onto Denver–Boulder Turnpike
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
6
Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Take the exit slight right toward Northwest Parkway, Interlocken Loop
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Northwest Parkway, Interlocken Loop
10
Keep slight left to continue on Northwest Parkway, RTD Park-n-Ride, Louisville
220 ft
·
8 sec
·
Northwest Parkway, RTD Park-n-Ride, Louisville
11
Turn left onto Interlocken Loop
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Interlocken Loop
12
Continue on Northwest Parkway
9.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Northwest Parkway
13
Continue on E-470
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
E-470
14
Take the exit slight right toward York Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
York Street
15
Turn left onto York Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
York Street
16
Turn right onto East 160th Avenue
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
East 160th Avenue
17
Continue on West Bridge Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
West Bridge Street
18
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward West Bridge Street
154 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Bridge Street
19
Exit the roundabout onto West Bridge Street
253 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Bridge Street
20
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward West Bridge Street
167 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Bridge Street
21
Exit the roundabout onto West Bridge Street
413 ft
·
14 sec
·
West Bridge Street
22
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
South Main Street
23
Turn left onto Bush Street
413 ft
·
11 sec
·
Bush Street
24
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.37 one way
$8.74 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.63 | $9.25 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.02 | $10.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.40 | $12.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.04 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.06 | $1.86 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Brighton, CO
Late night in Brighton on Friday
Local time
12:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°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
28 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
38m 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 Brighton, CO covers 29 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 19th Street, Arapahoe Avenue, 28th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.5 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 $4.37 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.
The drive from Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO is easy. At 38m 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 Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Boulder, CO to Brighton, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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