Origin
Commerce City, CO
Morning in Commerce City on Friday
Local time
8:28 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Commerce City, CO to Black Forest, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
67.6 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Commerce City, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Black Forest, CO
Justin Wolfert
Trip Overview
The drive from Commerce City, CO to Black Forest, CO covers 67.6 miles and takes about 1h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Valley Highway, North Colorado Boulevard, Shoup Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.7 miles on South Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 67.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (4%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 27m drive with frequent turns across 67.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 50.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Dexter Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 27m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Dexter Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East 60th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Dexter Street
At end of road, turn right onto Dexter Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East 60th Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto East 60th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 6; US 85; CO 2 / North Vasquez Boulevard
Turn right onto US 6; US 85; CO 2 / North Vasquez Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
59.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Interquest Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 153
Toward Interquest Parkway
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 50.7 mi | 53m |
| North Colorado Boulevard | 7.8 mi | 16m |
| Shoup Road | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Interquest Parkway | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Dexter Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Colorado Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 60th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 50.7 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Commerce City, CO and Black Forest, CO.
1
Start on this road
0.1 mi
·
55 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Dexter Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dexter Street
3
Turn right
148 ft
·
16 sec
4
Turn left
96 ft
·
12 sec
5
At end of road, turn left onto East 60th Avenue
200 ft
·
14 sec
·
East 60th Avenue
6
Turn right onto US 6; US 85; CO 2
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
Use the right lane.
7
Turn slight right onto CO 2
7.8 mi
·
16 min
·
North Colorado Boulevard
Toward CO 2
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on CO 2
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
South Colorado Boulevard
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 25 South: Colo Springs
10
Merge onto I 25
51 mi
·
53 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 153
Toward Interquest Parkway
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on Interquest Parkway
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Interquest Parkway
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Shoup Road
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Shoup Road
14
Turn left onto CR 189
82 ft
·
1 sec
·
Black Forest Road
15
Arrive at destination
CR 189
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.8 mi from Commerce City, CO · 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.8 miles from Commerce City, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Black Forest, CO
The final approach into Black Forest, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.19 one way
$20.37 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $10.78 | $21.57 |
| premium | $4.39 | $11.69 | $23.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.93 | $29.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.10 | $3.24 |
| Efficient EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27 | 0 | $9.46 | $4.33 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Black Forest, CO
Morning in Black Forest on Friday
Local time
8:28 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
1h 27m 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 Commerce City, CO to Black Forest, CO covers 67.6 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Valley Highway, North Colorado Boulevard, Shoup Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.8 miles from Commerce City, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.19 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 is a straightforward 1h 27m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Dexter Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (East 60th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
The route from Commerce City, CO to Black Forest, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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