Origin
Denver, CO
Late night in Denver on Friday
Local time
4:17 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Derby, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
9.9 mi
16 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Derby, CO
@coldbeer
Trip Overview
This quick 9.9-mile trip from Denver, CO to Derby, CO will take you about 18 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward drive that's perfect as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You'll navigate primarily via North Vasquez Boulevard, I-70, and Park Avenue West, with about 15% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $1, making it very budget-friendly. This route stays within the Mountain West region, connecting two points in Colorado. It's a convenient local drive for those needing to travel between these two areas.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 9.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, rather than a monotonous highway cruise. While 15% of the journey involves highway travel, you'll spend most of your time on city streets and local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.3 miles on North Vasquez Boulevard. This suggests a driving experience punctuated by traffic lights and intersections, requiring your attention for navigation and smooth transitions between different road types.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Vasquez Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 4.3 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 0.1 miles in near I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 9.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Park Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue
Turn left onto I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
Park Avenue West
Turn left onto Park Avenue West toward I 25
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, Grand Junction
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, G...
7
2.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
8
4.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 6; US 85
Take the exit onto US 6; US 85 toward US 6, US 85: Vasquez Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 276A
Toward US 6, US 85: Vasquez Boulevard
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Denver, CO and Derby, CO, road signs point toward Limon and Grand Junction.
Limon
2.2 mi in
|
~6m
Grand Junction
2.2 mi in
|
~6m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| I 70 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Park Avenue West | 1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Army of the Republic Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Lincoln Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| US 6 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kimberly Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
North Vasquez Boulevard
— 4.3 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Derby, CO.
1
Start on this road
379 ft
·
29 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
62 ft
·
11 sec
3
Turn left onto I 70 Business; US 40; US 287
362 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Colfax Avenue
4
Turn right onto North Lincoln Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Lincoln Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on 20th Street
500 ft
·
18 sec
·
20th Street
6
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broadway
7
Turn left onto Park Avenue West
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue West
Toward I 25
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
458 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, Grand Junction
Use the right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
10
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Toward I 70
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
12
Merge onto I 70
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 70
13
Take the exit onto US 6; US 85
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 6; US 85
Exit 276A
Toward US 6, US 85: Vasquez Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto US 6; US 85
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn right onto East 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
East 77th Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto Kimberly Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimberly Street
17
Arrive at destination
Kimberly Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.49 one way
$2.98 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $1.58 | $3.16 |
| premium | $4.39 | $1.71 | $3.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.19 | $4.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.04 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.87 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Derby, CO
Late night in Derby on Friday
Local time
4:17 AM
MDT
Current temp
79°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
33 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
18m 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 Derby, CO covers 9.9 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Vasquez Boulevard, I 70, Park Avenue West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5 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 $1.49 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 short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 9.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 18m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (I 70 Business; US 40; US 287 / East Colfax Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (Park Avenue West): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Denver, CO and Derby, CO, road signs point toward Limon and Grand Junction.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Derby, CO
More trips to Derby, CO
Explore more options from Denver, CO or browse trips ending in Derby, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.