Origin
Denver, CO
Night in Denver on Friday
Local time
11:00 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Mead, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
35.7 mi
58 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 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Mead, CO
Mikhail Nilov
Trip Overview
The drive from Denver, CO to Mead, CO covers 35.7 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, East Welker Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 35.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m 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 46m drive with frequent turns across 35.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
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.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 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
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 35.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
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...
6
7.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
11.9 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
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 Mead, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 17.3 mi | 17m |
| North Valley Highway | 14.6 mi | 18m |
| East Welker Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Park Avenue West | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Lincoln Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 20th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Colfax Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 17.3 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Mead, 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 left at fork
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
10
Merge onto I 25
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on I 25
17 mi
·
17 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Toward Mead
15
Turn left onto East Welker Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Welker Avenue
16
Turn right onto 3rd Street
27 ft
·
0 sec
·
3rd Street
17
Arrive at destination
3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.9 mi from Denver, CO · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.9 miles from Denver, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Mead, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Mead, CO if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.38 one way
$10.76 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.18 | $12.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.88 | $15.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 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 | 10.7 | 0 | $3.75 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
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
Mead, CO
Night in Mead on Friday
Local time
11:00 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
46m 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 Mead, CO covers 35.7 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, East Welker Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.9 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 $5.38 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 35.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
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 Mead, CO, road signs point toward Limon and Grand Junction.
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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