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Trip from Denver, CO to Colorado City, CO

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

2h 33m

Distance

137.9 mi

222 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
2h 23m ★
6 AM
2h 34m
8 AM
2h 54m
10 AM
2h 41m
12 PM
2h 39m
3 PM
2h 42m
5 PM
2h 53m
8 PM
2h 27m

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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consolidated city-county and capital of Colorado, United States

Denver, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Colorado City, CO, CO

Colorado City, CO

gabesdotphotos photographer

Trip Overview

The drive from Denver, CO to Colorado City, CO covers 137.9 miles and takes about 2h 33m 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, John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Ronald Reagan Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 56.9 miles on South Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.78 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

69 miles from Denver, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 33m drive with frequent turns across 137.9 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.
South Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 56.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Grant Street.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 137.9 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 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (East Speer Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

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

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Grant Street

Turn right onto Grant Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
1.3 mi into trip | ~3m in | East Speer Boulevard

Turn left onto East Speer Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
4.5 mi into trip | ~9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Toward I 25 South
6
70.5 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
110.2 mi into trip | ~2h 1m in

Take the exit toward 13th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 99B Toward 13th Street

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Valley Highway 56.9 mi 1h
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 31.3 mi 31m
Ronald Reagan Highway 22.9 mi 23m
North Freeway 9.7 mi 11m
Monument Valley Freeway 8.8 mi 10m
CO 165 2.5 mi 4m
Logan Street 1.8 mi 3m
Grant Street 1.1 mi 2m
Longest stretch: South Valley Highway — 56.9 mi, about 1h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on this road

379 ft · 29 sec · this road
2

Turn right

62 ft · 8 sec
3

Turn right onto I 70 Business; US 40; US 287

358 ft · 14 sec · East Colfax Avenue
4

Turn right onto Grant Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · Grant Street
Use the right lane.
5

Turn left onto East Speer Boulevard

451 ft · 13 sec · East Speer Boulevard
Use the left lane.
6

Turn right onto Logan Street

1.8 mi · 3 min · Logan Street
Use the right lane.
7

Turn left onto East Buchtel South Boulevard

0.3 mi · 39 sec · East Buchtel South Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8

Continue on East Buchtel South Boulevard

0.2 mi · 17 sec · East Buchtel South Boulevard
9

Take the ramp

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 25 South
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 25 South Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11

Merge onto I 25

57 mi · 1 hr · South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 25

8.8 mi · 10 min · Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on I 25; US 24

0.2 mi · 12 sec · Ronald Reagan Highway
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 25

23 mi · 23 min · Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on I 25

13 mi · 12 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 25

2.6 mi · 2 min · North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 32 sec
Exit 100B Toward 29th Street
18

Merge onto I 25; US 50

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Freeway
19

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 12 sec
Exit 99B Toward 13th Street Use the slight right lane.
20

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 18 sec · this road
21

Merge onto I 25; US 50 Bus

6.1 mi · 7 min · North Freeway
Use the straight lane.
22

Continue on I 25

18 mi · 18 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
23

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward CO 165 West: Colorado City, Rye
24

Turn right onto CO 165

2.5 mi · 4 min · CO 165
25

Turn right onto Bent Brothers Boulevard

169 ft · 9 sec · Bent Brothers Boulevard
26

Turn right

166 ft · 12 sec
27

Arrive at 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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 69 miles from Denver, CO, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.9 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 69 miles or 1h 19m 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 5m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Denver, 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 Denver, CO

This is one driving day of about 137.9 miles and 2h 33m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Denver, 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 South Valley Highway for about 56.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 69 mi from Denver, CO · 1h 19m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Colorado Springs, CO

69 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

Fort Carson, CO

Fuel and coffee

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

Colorado Springs, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 69 miles from Denver, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Colorado City, CO

The final approach into Colorado City, 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 Colorado City, 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...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour $10 near mile 66.6
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.78 one way

$41.55 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $22.00 $44.00
premium $4.39 $23.86 $47.71
diesel $5.61 $30.45 $60.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 48.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 41.4 0 $14.48 $6.62
Efficient EV 34.5 0 $12.07 $5.52
EV Truck/SUV 55.2 0 $19.31 $8.83

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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 1 hour ago

Origin

Denver, CO

Night in Denver on Tuesday

Local time

9:03 PM

MDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Colorado City, CO

Night in Colorado City on Tuesday

Local time

9:03 PM

MDT

Current temp

71°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 warmer at arrival

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

Road read

2h 33m 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 Denver, CO to Colorado City, CO covers 137.9 miles and takes about 2h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Valley Highway, John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, Ronald Reagan Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 69 miles from Denver, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.78 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.
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 18 significant decision points across 137.9 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 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (East Speer Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Denver, CO to Colorado City, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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