The drive from Brush, CO to Broomfield, CO covers 94.7 miles and takes about 1h 41m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 76, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, Colorado Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 82.4 miles on I 76.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.3 miles from Brush, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 41m. Total distance: 94.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 41m highway drive covering 94.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 76 and Denver–Boulder Turnpike. The longest continuous stretch is about 82.4 miles on I 76.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 76 is the longest continuous segment at about 82.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 76 and Denver–Boulder Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CO 71 / Colorado Avenue.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 94.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.1 miles (CO 71 / Colorado Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 83.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 83.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|CO 71 / Colorado Avenue
Turn left onto CO 71 / Colorado Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
83.6 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
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 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
6
83.7 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
6
91 mi into trip|~1h 35m 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.
6
93.6 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth Parkway
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 Brush, CO to Broomfield, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
Boulder
83.6 mi in|~1h 26m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 76
82.4 mi
1h 23m
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9 mi
10m
Colorado Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
0.5 mi
<1m
CO 121
0.2 mi
<1m
West Midway Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Nickel Street
0.1 mi
<1m
West Emerson Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 76
— 82.4 mi, about 1h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brush, CO and Broomfield, CO.
1
Start on Clayton Street
185 ft·12 sec·Clayton Street
2
Turn left onto West Emerson Street
418 ft·25 sec·West Emerson Street
3
Turn left onto CO 71
0.8 mi·1 min·Colorado Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
5
Merge onto I 76
82 mi·1 hr 23 min·I 76
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi·11 sec
Exit 6Toward I 270: Limon, BoulderUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·41 sec
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
8
Merge onto I 270
0.5 mi·42 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
9
Continue on US 36
2.4 mi·2 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.7 mi·1 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
2.3 mi·2 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi·2 min·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi·52 sec·Denver–Boulder Turnpike
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·42 sec
Toward CO 121: Wadsworth ParkwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto CO 121
0.2 mi·30 sec·CO 121
16
Continue on US 287
204 ft·5 sec·US 287
17
Turn right onto West Midway Boulevard
0.2 mi·31 sec·West Midway Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right onto Nickel Street
0.1 mi·22 sec·Nickel Street
Use the right lane.
19
Turn left onto West 3rd Avenue
273 ft·17 sec·West 3rd Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Turn left
192 ft·14 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 47.3 miles from Brush, CO, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 21 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.3 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Broomfield, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brush, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brush, CO
This is one driving day of about 94.7 miles and 1h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Brush, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 76 for about 82.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.27 one way
$28.54 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$15.11
$30.21
premium
$4.39
$16.38
$32.76
diesel
$5.61
$20.91
$41.82
Estimated Tolls: $0.63
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(9 mi)$0.63
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.4
0
$9.94
$4.55
Efficient EV
23.7
0
$8.29
$3.79
EV Truck/SUV
37.9
0
$13.26
$6.06
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Brush, CO
Late night
in Brush on Saturday
Local time
3:26 AM
MDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Broomfield, CO
Late night
in Broomfield on Saturday
Local time
3:26 AM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 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 41m 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 Brush, CO to Broomfield, CO covers 94.7 miles and takes about 1h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 76, Denver–Boulder Turnpike, Colorado 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 47.3 miles from Brush, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.27 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 94.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.1 miles (CO 71 / Colorado Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 83.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 83.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Brush, CO to Broomfield, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
