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Trip from Colorado City, CO to Pueblo, CO

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

30m

Distance

26.8 mi

43 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 28m ★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m

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

Downtown Colorado City, CO, CO

Colorado City, CO

gabesdotphotos photographer

city in and county seat of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States

Pueblo, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Colorado City, CO to Pueblo, CO covers 26.8 miles and takes about 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, South Freeway, CO 165 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.4 miles on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.04 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

13.4 miles from Colorado City, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 15m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 30m drive with frequent turns across 26.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 18.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Bent Brothers Boulevard.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 26.8 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Bent Brothers Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CO 165): Navigation decision point; at 26 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Bent Brothers Boulevard

At end of road, turn left onto Bent Brothers Boulevard

Navigation decision point

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | CO 165

Turn left onto CO 165

Navigation decision point

5
26 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the exit toward US 50 Business: Santa Fe Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 98A Toward US 50 Business: Santa Fe Avenue
5
26.4 mi into trip | ~30m in | US 50 Business / South Santa Fe Avenue

Turn left onto US 50 Business / South Santa Fe Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
26.8 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward Abriendo Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward Abriendo Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 18.4 mi 18m
South Freeway 4.9 mi 5m
CO 165 2.6 mi 4m
US 50 Business 0.2 mi <1m
South Santa Fe Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Bent Brothers Boulevard <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway — 18.4 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Colorado City, CO and Pueblo, CO.

1

Start on this road

166 ft · 17 sec · this road
2

At end of road, turn left onto Bent Brothers Boulevard

169 ft · 13 sec · Bent Brothers Boulevard
3

Turn left onto CO 165

2.6 mi · 4 min · CO 165
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward I 25 North: Pueblo
5

Merge onto I 25

18 mi · 18 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
6

Continue on I 25

4.7 mi · 5 min · South Freeway
Use the straight lane.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 98A Toward US 50 Business: Santa Fe Avenue
8

Continue on US 50 Business

0.2 mi · 22 sec · US 50 Business
9

Turn left onto US 50 Business

436 ft · 16 sec · South Santa Fe Avenue
10

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 16 sec
11

Merge onto I 25

0.2 mi · 16 sec · South Freeway
12

Take the exit

107 ft · 2 sec
Toward Abriendo Avenue
13

Arrive at destination

Toward Abriendo Avenue

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 13.4 miles from Colorado City, CO, or about 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 18.4 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 26.8 miles or 30m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 13.4 miles or 15m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 25m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Colorado City, 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 Colorado City, CO

This is one driving day of about 26.8 miles and 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Colorado City, 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 John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway for about 18.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 13.4 mi from Colorado City, CO · 15m into the drive

United States Army installation in El Paso County, Colorado, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fort Carson, CO

13 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.

Popular next leg

Fort Carson, CO to Pueblo, CO

37.5 mi · 44m

Pacing Suggestions

Fort Carson, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fort Carson, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 13.4 miles from Colorado City, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Pueblo, CO

The final approach into Pueblo, 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 Pueblo, CO.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.04 one way

$8.08 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $4.28 $8.55
premium $4.39 $4.64 $9.27
diesel $5.61 $5.92 $11.83

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$4

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8 0 $2.81 $1.29
Efficient EV 6.7 0 $2.34 $1.07
EV Truck/SUV 10.7 0 $3.75 $1.72

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 days ago

Origin

Colorado City, CO

Late night in Colorado City on Wednesday

Local time

12:09 AM

MDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Pueblo, CO

Late night in Pueblo on Wednesday

Local time

12:09 AM

MDT

Current temp

81°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

10 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

30m 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 Colorado City, CO to Pueblo, CO covers 26.8 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, South Freeway, CO 165. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.4 miles from Colorado City, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.04 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 26.8 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start (Bent Brothers Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (CO 165): Navigation decision point; at 26 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Colorado City, CO to Pueblo, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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