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Trip from Colorado Springs, CO to Edwards, CO

Drive Time

3h 24m

Distance

176 mi

283 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$27

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
3h 12m ★
6 AM
3h 24m
8 AM
3h 48m
10 AM
3h 32m
12 PM
3h 30m
3 PM
3h 34m
5 PM
3h 47m
8 PM
3h 17m

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 Edwards, CO, CO

Edwards, CO

RDNE Stock project

Trip Overview

The drive from Colorado Springs, CO to Edwards, CO covers 176 miles and takes about 3h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 70, Ronald Reagan Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 97.7 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.67 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

88 miles from Colorado Springs, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 3h 24m highway drive covering 176 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and Ronald Reagan Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 97.7 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 22 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 97.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Ronald Reagan Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near West Bijou Street.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 176 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 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

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

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Bijou Street

Turn left onto West Bijou Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
67.6 mi into trip | ~1h 14m 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
67.8 mi into trip | ~1h 15m 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
76.8 mi into trip | ~1h 27m 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
6
175.4 mi into trip | ~3h 22m in | I 70 Business / Edwards Access Road

Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business / Edwards Access Road

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Colorado Springs, CO to Edwards, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood along the way.

Lakewood

67.8 mi in | ~1h 15m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 97.7 mi 1h 54m
Ronald Reagan Highway 60.9 mi 1h 5m
West 6th Avenue Freeway 7.6 mi 9m
Monument Valley Freeway 5.7 mi 6m
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway 0.9 mi 1m
Edwards Access Road 0.6 mi 1m
West Bijou Street 0.2 mi <1m
East Pikes Peak Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 97.7 mi, about 1h 54m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Colorado Springs, CO and Edwards, CO.

1

Start on East Pikes Peak Avenue

0.2 mi · 48 sec · East Pikes Peak Avenue
2

Turn right onto North Cascade Avenue

0.2 mi · 43 sec · North Cascade Avenue
3

Turn left onto West Bijou Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · West Bijou Street
4

Take the ramp slight right toward I 25

0.4 mi · 51 sec · I 25
5

Merge slight left onto Monument Valley Freeway

5.7 mi · 6 min · Monument Valley Freeway
6

Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway

61 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Ronald Reagan Highway
7

Take the exit slight right toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue

0.2 mi · 23 sec · US 6 West: 6th Avenue
8

Keep slight right to continue on US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood

0.4 mi · 54 sec · US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
9

Continue on Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway

0.9 mi · 1 min · Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
10

Keep slight left to continue on US 6

0.1 mi · 11 sec · US 6
11

Merge slight left onto West 6th Avenue Freeway

7.6 mi · 9 min · West 6th Avenue Freeway
12

Take the exit slight right toward I 70 West: Grand Junction

0.7 mi · 56 sec · I 70 West: Grand Junction
13

Merge slight left

98 mi · 1 hr 54 min
14

Take the exit slight right toward Edwards

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Edwards
15

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Edwards Access Road

249 ft · 5 sec · Edwards Access Road
16

Exit the roundabout onto Edwards Access Road

315 ft · 6 sec · Edwards Access Road
17

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Edwards Access Road

105 ft · 2 sec · Edwards Access Road
18

Exit the roundabout onto Edwards Access Road

302 ft · 6 sec · Edwards Access Road
19

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Edwards Access Road

75 ft · 2 sec · Edwards Access Road
20

Exit the roundabout onto Edwards Access Road

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Edwards Access Road
21

Turn right

210 ft · 16 sec
22

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 88 miles from Colorado Springs, CO, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.7 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 88 miles or 1h 40m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 46m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Colorado Springs, 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 Springs, CO

This is one driving day of about 176 miles and 3h 24m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Colorado Springs, 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 for about 97.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 88 mi from Colorado Springs, CO · 1h 40m into the drive

Downtown Applewood, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Applewood, CO

88 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

Applewood, CO

Fuel and coffee

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

Applewood, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 88 miles from Colorado Springs, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 70 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.7 miles.

Arriving in Edwards, CO

The final approach into Edwards, 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 Edwards, 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...

25 mi from route ~62 min detour $10 near mile 6.1
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$26.67 one way

$53.34 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 62 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $28.30 $56.60
premium $4.43 $30.72 $61.43
diesel $5.64 $39.10 $78.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$27

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$52–$77

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 61.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 52.8 0 $18.48 $8.45
Efficient EV 44 0 $15.40 $7.04
EV Truck/SUV 70.4 0 $24.64 $11.26

Gas CO2

62 kg

EV CO2

21 kg (66% 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 Springs, CO

Morning in Colorado Springs on Monday

Local time

6:05 AM

MDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Edwards, CO

Morning in Edwards on Monday

Local time

6:05 AM

MDT

Current temp

54°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

8 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

3h 24m 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 Springs, CO to Edwards, CO covers 176 miles and takes about 3h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Ronald Reagan 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 88 miles from Colorado Springs, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.67 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 176 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 0.4 miles (West Bijou Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 67.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Colorado Springs, CO to Edwards, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood along the way.

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Return Trip

Edwards, CO to Colorado Springs, CO

Plan the drive back the other way.

176.9 mi 2h 58m

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