Origin
Broomfield, CO
Afternoon in Broomfield on Friday
Local time
12:15 PM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Broomfield, CO to Fort Collins, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
55.2 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Broomfield, CO
Owen.outdoors
Fort Collins, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 55.2-mile drive from Broomfield, CO, to Fort Collins, CO, will take you about 1 hour and 4 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and Northwest Parkway, with a final stretch on East Mulberry Street, this route is easily manageable as a single-day trip. Expect a fuel cost of around $8 for this journey, which stays within the Mountain West region. The overall feel is that of a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for frequent adjustments rather than long, straight stretches. It's a convenient option for a quick trip between these two Colorado locales.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 55.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
With a highway share of 13%, this drive is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive.' While there's a significant stretch of 41.2 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the route incorporates numerous local road segments, particularly towards the end. You'll experience a mix of faster highway travel and more intricate, slower-paced driving as you navigate through towns and intersections. This isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; rather, it's a route that requires your attention to various road types and frequent directional changes.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 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 41.2 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 early in the drive near West 3rd Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.2 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (West 3rd Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (West Midway Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (NW / Northwest Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 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
|
West 3rd Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto West 3rd Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Midway Boulevard
Turn left onto West Midway Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
NW / Northwest Parkway
Merge onto NW / Northwest Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 25: Fort Collins, Denver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 47
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Denver
8
8.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 47
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Broomfield, CO and Fort Collins, CO, road signs point toward Northwest Parkway East and Denver.
Northwest Parkway East
3.1 mi in
|
~5m
Denver
8.2 mi in
|
~11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 41.2 mi | 41m |
| Northwest Parkway | 4.7 mi | 4m |
| East Mulberry Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| US 287 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West Dillon Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Mulberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Sherwood Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Nickel Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 41.2 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Broomfield, CO and Fort Collins, CO.
1
Start on this road
192 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft
·
14 sec
·
West 3rd Avenue
3
Turn right onto Nickel Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Nickel Street
4
Turn left onto West Midway Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Midway Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto US 287
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
US 287
6
Turn right onto CR 68
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Dillon Road
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward Northwest Parkway East
8
Merge onto NW
4.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Northwest Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 47
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Denver
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 47
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 25
41 mi
·
41 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 269B
Toward CO 14 West: Fort Collins
13
Merge onto CO 14
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft
·
29 sec
·
South Meldrum Street
16
Turn left onto West Magnolia Street
476 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Magnolia Street
17
Continue on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Sherwood Street
18
Arrive at destination
South Sherwood Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.6 mi from Broomfield, CO · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 27.6 miles from Broomfield, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fort Collins, CO
The final approach into Fort Collins, 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
$8.32 one way
$16.63 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $8.81 | $17.61 |
| premium | $4.39 | $9.55 | $19.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.19 | $24.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.56
Northwest Parkway
(4.7 mi)
$0.56
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
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 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 | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.73 | $3.53 |
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
Fort Collins, CO
Afternoon in Fort Collins on Friday
Local time
12:15 PM
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
31 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
1h 4m 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 Broomfield, CO to Fort Collins, CO covers 55.2 miles and takes about 1h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Northwest Parkway, East Mulberry Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.6 miles from Broomfield, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.32 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 55.2 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (West 3rd Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (West Midway Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (NW / Northwest Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Broomfield, CO and Fort Collins, CO, road signs point toward Northwest Parkway East and Denver.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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