Trip from Del Norte, CO to Aurora, CO

Drive Time

3h 56m

Distance

225 mi

362 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$34

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 44m ★
6 AM
3h 57m
8 AM
4h 22m
10 AM
4h 6m
12 PM
4h 3m
3 PM
4h 7m
5 PM
4h 21m
8 PM
3h 49m

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

Downtown Del Norte, CO, CO

Del Norte, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Aurora, CO, CO

Aurora, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Del Norte, CO to Aurora, CO covers 225 miles and takes about 3h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Oak Street, Gunbarrel Road, 8th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.10 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

112.5 miles from Del Norte, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 58m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 56m drive with frequent turns across 225 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Oak Street 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 56m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Oak Street Unavailable Refreshing
Gunbarrel Road Unavailable Refreshing
8th Street Unavailable Refreshing
US 285 North Unavailable Refreshing
West Hampden Drive Unavailable Refreshing
East Jefferson Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
East Hampden Bypass Unavailable Refreshing
East Hampden Avenue Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: Oak Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Del Norte, CO and Aurora, CO.

1

Start on Grand Avenue

436 ft · 22 sec · Grand Avenue
2

Turn left onto Oak Street

13 mi · 19 min · Oak Street
3

Turn left onto Gunbarrel Road

23 mi · 33 min · Gunbarrel Road
4

Continue on 8th Street

0.3 mi · 43 sec · 8th Street
5

Turn straight

0.3 mi · 41 sec
6

Turn straight

40 mi · 50 min
7

Continue straight

11 mi · 18 min
8

Continue straight

9.7 mi · 15 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward US 285 North

0.2 mi · 22 sec · US 285 North
10

Merge slight left

74 mi · 1 hr 33 min
11

Continue straight

38 mi · 52 min
12

Continue on West Hampden Drive

0.2 mi · 30 sec · West Hampden Drive
13

Continue on East Jefferson Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Jefferson Avenue
14

Continue on East Hampden Bypass

0.3 mi · 34 sec · East Hampden Bypass
15

Continue on East Hampden Avenue

2.6 mi · 4 min · East Hampden Avenue
16

Take the exit straight toward I 25 South

0.3 mi · 45 sec · I 25 South
17

Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway

0.7 mi · 50 sec · South Valley Highway
18

Take the exit slight right toward I 225 North: Aurora, Limon

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
19

Keep slight left to continue on I 225 North: Limon

0.4 mi · 28 sec · I 225 North: Limon
20

Continue straight

7.9 mi · 9 min
21

Take the exit slight right toward CO 30: 6th Avenue

0.3 mi · 30 sec · CO 30: 6th Avenue
22

Keep slight left to continue on CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue

141 ft · 5 sec · CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue
23

Turn left onto East 6th Avenue

0.4 mi · 54 sec · East 6th Avenue
24

Turn right onto Vaughn Street

256 ft · 13 sec · Vaughn Street
25

Turn right onto North Zion Street

509 ft · 28 sec · North Zion Street
26

Turn left onto North Vaughn Street

0.2 mi · 43 sec · North Vaughn Street
27

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 112.5 miles from Del Norte, CO, or about 1h 58m 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 80 miles or 1h 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 112.5 miles or 1h 58m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 13m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Del Norte, 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 Del Norte, CO

This is one driving day of about 225 miles and 3h 56m.

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

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 112.5 mi from Del Norte, CO · 1h 58m into the drive

Downtown Applewood, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Applewood, CO

113 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

Applewood, CO to Aurora, CO

23.3 mi · 33m

Pacing Suggestions

Cripple Creek, 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 112.5 miles from Del Norte, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Aurora, CO

The final approach into Aurora, 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 Aurora, 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

$34.10 one way

$68.19 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 79 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $36.18 $72.35
premium $4.43 $39.27 $78.54
diesel $5.64 $49.99 $99.97

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$34

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$59–$84

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 78.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 67.5 0 $23.63 $10.80
Efficient EV 56.3 0 $19.69 $9.00
EV Truck/SUV 90 1 $31.50 $14.40

Gas CO2

79 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

Del Norte, CO

Afternoon in Del Norte on Monday

Local time

1:17 PM

MDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Aurora, CO

Afternoon in Aurora on Monday

Local time

1:17 PM

MDT

Current temp

66°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

4 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

3h 56m 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 Del Norte, CO to Aurora, CO covers 225 miles and takes about 3h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Oak Street, Gunbarrel Road, 8th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 112.5 miles from Del Norte, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $34.10 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 straightforward 3h 56m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Del Norte, CO to Aurora, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Del Norte, CO to Aurora, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Aurora, CO to Del Norte, CO

Plan the drive back the other way.

224.6 mi 5h 8m

Explore more options from Del Norte, CO or browse trips ending in Aurora, CO.

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