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Trip from Castle Rock, CO to Manitou Springs, CO

Drive Time

53m

Distance

43.2 mi

70 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Castle Rock, CO, CO

Castle Rock, CO

Peter Mayer

Downtown Manitou Springs, CO, CO

Manitou Springs, CO

gabesdotphotos photographer

Trip Overview

The drive from Castle Rock, CO to Manitou Springs, CO covers 43.2 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 25, Monument Valley Freeway, Midland Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 32.4 miles on I 25. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.55 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.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

21.6 miles from Castle Rock, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 24m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 53m highway drive covering 43.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 25 and Monument Valley Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 32.4 miles on I 25.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 25 is the longest continuous segment at about 32.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and Monument Valley Freeway. 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 3rd Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 43.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (3rd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (North Wilcox Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (South Wilcox Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 3rd Street

Enter roundabout onto 3rd Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

7
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Wilcox Street

Turn left onto North Wilcox Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | South Wilcox Street

Enter roundabout onto South Wilcox Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

7
37 mi into trip | ~40m in

Take the exit toward Fillmore Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 145 Toward Fillmore Street
8
37.1 mi into trip | ~41m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Fillmore Street West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Fillmore Street West

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Castle Rock, CO to Manitou Springs, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fillmore Street West along the way.

Fillmore Street West

37.1 mi in | ~41m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 25 32.4 mi 33m
Monument Valley Freeway 3.3 mi 3m
Midland Expressway 2.2 mi 3m
West Fillmore Street 1.4 mi 2m
North 31st Street 0.7 mi 1m
Fontmore Road 0.6 mi 1m
Washington Avenue 0.3 mi 1m
South Wilcox Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 25 — 32.4 mi, about 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Castle Rock, CO and Manitou Springs, CO.

1

Start on North Cantril Street

90 ft · 8 sec · North Cantril Street
2

Turn left onto 3rd Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · 3rd Street
3

Continue on 3rd Street

442 ft · 20 sec · 3rd Street
4

Turn left onto North Wilcox Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · North Wilcox Street
Use the left lane.
5

Enter roundabout onto South Wilcox Street

40 ft · 0 sec · South Wilcox Street
6

Continue on South Wilcox Street

0.3 mi · 52 sec · South Wilcox Street
7

Turn right onto West Plum Creek Parkway

0.2 mi · 34 sec · West Plum Creek Parkway
Use the straight lane.
8

Turn left onto Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Frontage Road
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 25 South
10

Merge onto I 25

32 mi · 33 min · I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 25

3.3 mi · 3 min · Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 16 sec
Exit 145 Toward Fillmore Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

232 ft · 7 sec
Toward Fillmore Street West Use the slight right lane.
14

Continue on West Fillmore Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · West Fillmore Street
15

Continue on Fontmore Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Fontmore Road
16

Continue on West Fontanero Street

0.3 mi · 33 sec · West Fontanero Street
17

Turn left onto North 31st Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North 31st Street
18

Turn sharp right onto US 24

0.2 mi · 20 sec · West Cimarron Street
19

Continue on US 24

2.2 mi · 3 min · Midland Expressway
20

Turn left onto Sunshine Trail

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Sunshine Trail
21

Turn right onto Washington Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · Washington Avenue
22

Turn right onto Cañon Avenue

146 ft · 7 sec · Cañon Avenue
23

Turn right

88 ft · 6 sec
24

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 21.6 miles from Castle Rock, CO, or about 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.4 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 43.2 miles or 53m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 21.6 miles or 24m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manitou Springs, CO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Castle Rock, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Castle Rock, CO

This is one driving day of about 43.2 miles and 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Castle Rock, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 25 for about 32.4 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 21.6 mi from Castle Rock, CO · 24m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Colorado Springs, CO

22 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

Colorado Springs, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 43.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Colorado Springs, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Castle Rock, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Manitou Springs, CO

The final approach into Manitou Springs, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Manitou Springs, CO.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

National Monument

Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...

20 mi from route ~50 min detour $10 near mile 43.2
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.55 one way

$13.09 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $6.95 $13.89
premium $4.43 $7.54 $15.08
diesel $5.64 $9.60 $19.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$7

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13 0 $4.54 $2.07
Efficient EV 10.8 0 $3.78 $1.73
EV Truck/SUV 17.3 0 $6.05 $2.76

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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 data refreshed 4 hours ago

Origin

Castle Rock, CO

Evening in Castle Rock on Sunday

Local time

5:08 PM

MDT

Current temp

74°F

Sunny

WSW 12 to 16 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 11:50AM MDT until April 12 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 11:50AM MDT until April 12 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO

Destination

Manitou Springs, CO

Evening in Manitou Springs on Sunday

Local time

5:08 PM

MDT

Current temp

67°F

Mostly Sunny

SW 10 to 15 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 11:50AM MDT until April 12 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 11:50AM MDT until April 12 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO

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

53m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Castle Rock, CO to Manitou Springs, CO covers 43.2 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 25, Monument Valley Freeway, Midland Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.6 miles from Castle Rock, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.55 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 43.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (3rd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.2 miles (North Wilcox Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (South Wilcox Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
On the drive from Castle Rock, CO to Manitou Springs, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Fillmore Street West along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Manitou Springs, CO to Castle Rock, CO

Plan the drive back the other way.

43.3 mi 55m

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