Origin
Denver, CO
Evening in Denver on Thursday
Local time
7:48 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Dove Valley, CO
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
26m
Distance
16.5 mi
27 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Dove Valley, CO
Regan Dsouza
Trip Overview
This short 16.5-mile drive from Denver to Dove Valley in Colorado takes about 26 minutes and is best suited as a single-day trip. With a modest fuel cost of around $2, it's an economical option for local travel within the Mountain West region. The route is primarily composed of local roads, with only about 8% of the journey on highways, suggesting a more urban or suburban driving experience. Given its brevity, this trip requires no overnight stays and can easily be completed in a single outing, offering a straightforward way to get from point A to point B.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 16.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m 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' for this 16.5-mile route, as indicated by its profile. You'll navigate through a mix of South Valley Highway, East Arapahoe Road, and Logan Street, with only a small highway share of 8%. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles on South Valley Highway, so be prepared for frequent turns and adjustments. This isn't a high-speed interstate journey; rather, it's a more deliberate path through local infrastructure.
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.
South Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 7.6 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.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles (CO 88): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese 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.
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
7
12.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
CO 88
Take the exit onto CO 88 toward CO 88: Arapahoe Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 197
Toward CO 88: Arapahoe Road
6
12.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
CO 88; CR 42 / East Arapahoe Road
At end of road, turn left onto CO 88; CR 42 / East Arapahoe Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
6
14.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
South Peoria Street
Turn right onto South Peoria Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| East Arapahoe Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Logan Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Grant Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Broncos Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| South Peoria Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Buchtel South Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| CO 88 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 7.6 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Dove Valley, 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
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto CO 88
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
CO 88
Exit 197
Toward CO 88: Arapahoe Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
At end of road, turn left onto CO 88; CR 42
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Arapahoe Road
Use the left / right lanes.
14
Continue on CO 88; CR 42
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
East Arapahoe Road
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto South Peoria Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Peoria Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Continue on Broncos Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broncos Parkway
Use the straight lane.
17
Arrive at destination
South Potomac Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.49 one way
$4.97 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $2.63 | $5.26 |
| premium | $4.39 | $2.85 | $5.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.64 | $7.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.73 | $0.79 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Dove Valley, CO
Evening in Dove Valley on Thursday
Local time
7:48 PM
MDT
Current temp
61°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
15 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
26m 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 Dove Valley, CO covers 16.5 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Valley Highway, East Arapahoe Road, Logan Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.3 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 $2.49 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 12 decision points packed into just 16.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles (CO 88): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Denver, CO to Dove Valley, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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