Origin
Centennial, CO
Late night in Centennial on Saturday
Local time
2:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Centennial, CO to Idaho Springs, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
44.5 mi
72 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Idaho Springs, CO
Chris F
Trip Overview
The drive from Centennial, CO to Idaho Springs, CO covers 44.5 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, South Valley Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.7 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 44.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 57m highway drive covering 44.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and South Valley Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.7 miles on I 70.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 20.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and South Valley Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 16 decision points packed into just 44.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 25 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 North
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 209A-B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
9
13.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
6
22.6 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
7
44 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward CO 103: Mount Evans
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 240
Toward CO 103: Mount Evans
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 Centennial, CO to Idaho Springs, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood along the way.
Lakewood
13.6 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 20.7 mi | 25m |
| South Valley Highway | 12.5 mi | 15m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 7.6 mi | 9m |
| Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Miner Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| US 6 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 20.7 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Centennial, CO and Idaho Springs, CO.
1
Start on this road
495 ft
·
41 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
118 ft
·
10 sec
3
Turn right onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
4
Turn right onto South Chester Street
384 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Chester Street
5
Turn right onto CR 46
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
6
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 25 North
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto I 25
13 mi
·
15 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 209A-B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 6
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
US 6
Toward US 6
12
Merge onto US 6
7.6 mi
·
9 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 70
21 mi
·
25 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 240
Toward CO 103: Mount Evans
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn right onto CO 103
151 ft
·
3 sec
·
13th Avenue
17
Turn right onto Miner Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Miner Street
18
Turn left onto Riverside Drive
198 ft
·
11 sec
·
Riverside Drive
19
Arrive at destination
Riverside Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.3 mi from Centennial, CO · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.3 miles from Centennial, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Idaho Springs, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Idaho Springs, CO if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.70 one way
$13.41 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.10 | $14.20 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.70 | $15.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.83 | $19.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.67 | $2.14 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.23 | $2.85 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Idaho Springs, CO
Late night in Idaho Springs on Saturday
Local time
2:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°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
15 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
57m 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 Centennial, CO to Idaho Springs, CO covers 44.5 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, South Valley Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.3 miles from Centennial, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.70 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 16 decision points packed into just 44.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Centennial, CO to Idaho Springs, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood along the way.
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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