Origin
Clifton, CO
Morning in Clifton on Monday
Local time
7:23 AM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clifton, CO to Fort Collins, CO
Drive Time
5h 37m
Distance
298 mi
480 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$45
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 24m
★
6 AM
5h 37m
8 AM
6h 4m
10 AM
5h 47m
12 PM
5h 44m
3 PM
5h 48m
5 PM
6h 2m
8 PM
5h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, CO
Israel Luvhimbi
Fort Collins, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
The drive from Clifton, CO to Fort Collins, CO covers 298 miles and takes about 5h 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70 BUS, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 234.1 miles on I 70 BUS. At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.16 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
149 miles from Clifton, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 48m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 5h 37m highway drive covering 298 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 BUS and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 234.1 miles on I 70 BUS.
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 BUS is the longest continuous segment at about 234.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 BUS and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near I 70 BUS.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 298 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 0.9 miles (I 70 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 234.3 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 239.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 70 BUS
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 BUS toward I 70 East: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 East: Denver
8
234.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 23m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
8
239.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 29m in
Take the exit toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
7
239.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 30m 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.
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
6
241.9 mi into trip
|
~4h 34m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from Clifton, CO to Fort Collins, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
Colorado Springs
239.4 mi in
|
~4h 29m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 BUS | 234.1 mi | 4h 23m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 41.7 mi | 41m |
| North Valley Highway | 10.5 mi | 12m |
| Heartland Expressway | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| East Mulberry Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| West Mulberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| F Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Sherwood Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70 BUS
— 234.1 mi, about 4h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, CO and Fort Collins, CO.
1
Start on US 6
355 ft
·
10 sec
·
F Road
2
Enter roundabout onto US 6
78 ft
·
1 sec
·
F Road
3
Continue on US 6
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
F Road
4
Turn sharp right onto I 70 BUS
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 70 BUS
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 70 BUS
233 mi
·
4 hr 22 min
·
I 70 BUS
Toward I 70 East: Denver
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the left lane.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.4 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 25
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on I 25
42 mi
·
41 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 269B
Toward CO 14 West: Fort Collins
14
Merge onto CO 14
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft
·
29 sec
·
South Meldrum Street
17
Turn left onto West Magnolia Street
476 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Magnolia Street
18
Continue on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Sherwood Street
19
Arrive at destination
South Sherwood Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 149 miles from Clifton, CO, or about 2h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 234.1 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 80 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 149 miles or 2h 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Collins, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clifton, 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 Clifton, CO
This is one driving day of about 298 miles and 5h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Clifton, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 70 BUS for about 234.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 149 mi from Clifton, CO · 2h 48m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
149 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 149 miles from Clifton, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 70 BUS if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 234.1 miles.
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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Fort Collins, CO.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.16 one way
$90.32 round trip
$3.85/gal
25.4 MPG avg
104 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $47.91 | $95.83 |
| premium | $4.43 | $52.01 | $104.02 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $66.21 | $132.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 104.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 89.4 | 1 | $31.29 | $14.30 |
| Efficient EV | 74.5 | 0 | $26.08 | $11.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 119.2 | 1 | $41.72 | $19.07 |
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Morning in Fort Collins on Monday
Local time
7:23 AM
MDT
Current temp
67°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
5 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
5h 37m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Clifton, CO to Fort Collins, CO covers 298 miles and takes about 5h 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70 BUS, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 149 miles from Clifton, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.16 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 298 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 0.9 miles (I 70 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 234.3 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 239.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Clifton, CO to Fort Collins, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
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