Trip from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO

Drive Time

54m

Distance

41.1 mi

66 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m

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

Downtown Boulder, CO, CO

Boulder, CO

Dmitriy Piskarev

Trip Overview

The drive from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO covers 41.1 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West Roxbury Place, South Pierce Street, West Ken Caryl Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.23 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

20.5 miles from Columbine, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 27m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 54m drive with frequent turns across 41.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Roxbury Place is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO is easy. At 54m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Roxbury Place Unavailable Refreshing
South Pierce Street Unavailable Refreshing
West Ken Caryl Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
West Mineral Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
South Santa Fe Drive Unavailable Refreshing
I 25 North Unavailable Refreshing
South Valley Highway Unavailable Refreshing
US 36 West Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: West Roxbury Place — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Columbine, CO and Boulder, CO.

1

Start on South Newland Street

0.1 mi · 30 sec · South Newland Street
2

Turn right onto West Roxbury Place

0.1 mi · 33 sec · West Roxbury Place
3

Turn left onto South Pierce Street

0.4 mi · 43 sec · South Pierce Street
4

Turn left onto West Ken Caryl Avenue

1.1 mi · 1 min · West Ken Caryl Avenue
5

Continue on West Mineral Avenue

1.4 mi · 2 min · West Mineral Avenue
6

Turn left onto South Santa Fe Drive

8.8 mi · 11 min · South Santa Fe Drive
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 25 North: Fort Collins

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 25 North: Fort Collins
8

Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway

8.5 mi · 11 min · South Valley Highway
9

Take the exit slight left toward US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder

0.6 mi · 52 sec · US 36 West: Westminster, Boulder
10

Merge slight right onto Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.1 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
11

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

1.7 mi · 1 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
12

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.3 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
13

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

1.9 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
14

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.1 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
15

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.9 mi · 3 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
16

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.4 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
17

Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.2 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
18

Keep slight left to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike

2.3 mi · 2 min · Denver–Boulder Turnpike
19

Continue on 28th Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · 28th Street
20

Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Arapahoe Avenue
21

Turn right onto 19th Street

144 ft · 11 sec · 19th Street
22

Turn left

89 ft · 5 sec
23

Arrive at your destination

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 20.5 miles from Columbine, CO, or about 27m into the drive.

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 41.1 miles or 54m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 20.5 miles or 27m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 46m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Columbine, 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 Columbine, CO

This is one driving day of about 41.1 miles and 54m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Columbine, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.5 mi from Columbine, CO · 27m into the drive

Downtown Denver, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Denver, CO

21 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

Denver, CO to Boulder, CO

27.9 mi · 35m

Pacing Suggestions

Broomfield, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 41.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Denver, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Columbine, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Boulder, CO

The final approach into Boulder, 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 Boulder, 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

$6.23 one way

$12.46 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $6.61 $13.22
premium $4.43 $7.17 $14.35
diesel $5.64 $9.13 $18.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.3 0 $4.32 $1.97
Efficient EV 10.3 0 $3.60 $1.64
EV Truck/SUV 16.4 0 $5.75 $2.63

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 3 days ago

Origin

Columbine, CO

Evening in Columbine on Sunday

Local time

5:15 PM

MDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Boulder, CO

Evening in Boulder on Sunday

Local time

5:15 PM

MDT

Current temp

40°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

25 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

54m 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 Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO covers 41.1 miles and takes about 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Roxbury Place, South Pierce Street, West Ken Caryl Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.5 miles from Columbine, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.23 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.
The drive from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO is easy. At 54m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Columbine, CO to Boulder, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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