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Trip from Clifton, CO to Greeley, CO

Drive Time

5h 36m

Distance

296.4 mi

477 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$45

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
5h 23m ★
6 AM
5h 36m
8 AM
6h 3m
10 AM
5h 45m
12 PM
5h 43m
3 PM
5h 47m
5 PM
6h 1m
8 PM
5h 28m

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 Clifton, CO, CO

Clifton, CO

Israel Luvhimbi

Downtown Greeley, CO, CO

Greeley, CO

Jacob Moore

Trip Overview

The drive from Clifton, CO to Greeley, CO covers 296.4 miles and takes about 5h 36m 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, Heartland Expressway, County Road 49 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 $44.92 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

148.2 miles from Clifton, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 47m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 5h 36m highway drive covering 296.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 BUS and Heartland Expressway. 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 16 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 Heartland Expressway. 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 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 296.4 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 246.8 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These 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
7
246.8 mi into trip | ~4h 38m in | I 76 / Heartland Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
268.6 mi into trip | ~5h in

Take the exit toward Kersey Road

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 34 Toward Kersey Road
7
294.5 mi into trip | ~5h 32m in | US 34 Business; US 85 Business / 8th Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto US 34 Business; US 85 Business / 8th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 BUS 234.1 mi 4h 23m
Heartland Expressway 34.4 mi 36m
County Road 49 22 mi 25m
East 18th Street 3.7 mi 5m
8th Avenue 0.9 mi 1m
9th Street 0.8 mi 1m
F Road 0.2 mi <1m
10th 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 Greeley, CO.

1

Start on F Road

354 ft · 10 sec · F Road
2

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward F Road

79 ft · 1 sec · F Road
3

Exit the roundabout onto F Road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · F Road
4

Turn sharp right

0.7 mi · 1 min
5

Keep slight right to continue on I 70 East: Denver

233 mi · 4 hr 22 min · I 70 East: Denver
6

Keep slight left to continue on Heartland Expressway

13 mi · 14 min · Heartland Expressway
7

Keep slight right to continue on Heartland Expressway

22 mi · 21 min · Heartland Expressway
8

Take the exit slight right toward Kersey Road

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Kersey Road
9

Turn left onto County Road 49

22 mi · 25 min · County Road 49
10

Turn left onto East 18th Street

3.7 mi · 5 min · East 18th Street
11

At the end of the road, turn right onto 8th Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · 8th Avenue
12

Turn left onto 10th Street

0.2 mi · 29 sec · 10th Street
13

Turn right onto 10th Avenue

502 ft · 17 sec · 10th Avenue
14

Turn left onto 9th Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · 9th Street
15

Turn left onto 19th Avenue

262 ft · 12 sec · 19th Avenue
16

Arrive at your destination

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 148.2 miles from Clifton, CO, or about 2h 47m 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 148.2 miles or 2h 47m 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 34m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Greeley, 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 296.4 miles and 5h 36m.

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 148.2 mi from Clifton, CO · 2h 47m into the drive

Downtown Aspen, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Aspen, CO

148 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

Aspen, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Aspen, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 148.2 miles from Clifton, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 70 BUS if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 234.1 miles.

Arriving in Greeley, CO

The final approach into Greeley, 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 Greeley, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument

National Monument

Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panoram...

13 mi from route ~33 min detour $25
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$44.92 one way

$89.83 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 104 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $47.66 $95.31
premium $4.43 $51.73 $103.46
diesel $5.64 $65.85 $131.70

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: 103.7 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 88.9 1 $31.12 $14.23
Efficient EV 74.1 0 $25.93 $11.86
EV Truck/SUV 118.6 1 $41.50 $18.97

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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Clifton, CO

Morning in Clifton on Monday

Local time

7:21 AM

MDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Greeley, CO

Morning in Greeley on Monday

Local time

7:21 AM

MDT

Current temp

37°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

35 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 36m 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 Greeley, CO covers 296.4 miles and takes about 5h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70 BUS, Heartland Expressway, County Road 49. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 148.2 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 $44.92 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 296.4 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 246.8 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Clifton, CO to Greeley, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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