Origin
Denver, CO
Afternoon in Denver on Saturday
Local time
2:10 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Idaho Springs, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
33.3 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Idaho Springs, CO
Chris F
Trip Overview
The drive from Denver, CO to Idaho Springs, CO covers 33.3 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, West 6th Avenue Freeway, East 8th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.7 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 20.7 mi | 25m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 9.5 mi | 11m |
| East 8th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Grant Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Miner Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Kalamath Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Colfax Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Riverside Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 20.7 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Idaho Springs, 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
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Grant Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East 8th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on North Kalamath Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
North Kalamath Street
7
Continue on 6
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Toward West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 70
21 mi
·
25 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 240
Toward CO 103: Mount Evans
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto CO 103
151 ft
·
3 sec
·
13th Avenue
12
Turn right onto Miner Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Miner Street
13
Turn left onto Riverside Drive
198 ft
·
11 sec
·
Riverside Drive
14
Arrive at destination
Riverside Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.7 miles from Denver, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 32.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Grant Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
East 8th Avenue
Turn right onto East 8th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
5
12.1 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 70
Merge onto I 70
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
32.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward CO 103: Mount Evans
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 240
Toward CO 103: Mount Evans
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.02 one way
$10.03 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.31 | $10.62 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.76 | $11.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.35 | $14.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.50 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Idaho Springs, CO
Afternoon in Idaho Springs on Saturday
Local time
2:10 PM
MDT
Current temp
62°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
16 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
45m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
33.3 mi in 45m, mostly highway — 20.7 mi of that is on I 70.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.7 mi on I 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and West 6th Avenue Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Grant Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 33.3 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (East 8th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Denver, CO
Full guide →Denver is the capital of the western U.S. state of Colorado and the dominant city of the Rocky Mountain Region. Founded in 1858 as the placer gold mining camp known as the Cherry Creek Diggings, the "Mile-High City" is today the most populous city within a 560-mile (900 km) radius and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor of more than five million residents. Denver embraces its cowboy and mining past but also looks toward the future with a vibrant arts and performing arts scene, dozens of great outdoor festivals, and distinct neighborhoods each offering a unique experience. You'll find everything a cosmopolitan city has to offer including a spectacular view of and easy access to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, which arise only 12 miles (19 km) west of the Colorado State Capitol.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 33.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.7 miles on I 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Idaho Springs, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Grant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles (East 8th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Idaho Springs, CO before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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