Origin
Denver, CO
Evening in Denver on Friday
Local time
5:53 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Denver, CO to Ponderosa Park, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
35.4 mi
57 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 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Ponderosa Park, CO
Dianna Sarmiento
Trip Overview
The drive from Denver, CO to Ponderosa Park, CO covers 35.4 miles and takes about 55m 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, Hilltop Road, E-470 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.3 miles on South Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 35.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m 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 55m drive with frequent turns across 35.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 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 10.3 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 0.2 miles in near Grant Street.
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 17 decision points packed into just 35.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
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 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 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
8
14.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand Junction
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 194
Toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand J...
8
15.1 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward E-470 North: Limon
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North: Limon
7
20.3 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward CO 83
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward CO 83
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 Ponderosa Park, CO, road signs point toward E-470 North, Grand Junction and E-470 North: Limon.
E-470 North
14.9 mi in
|
~22m
Grand Junction
14.9 mi in
|
~22m
E-470 North: Limon
15.1 mi in
|
~22m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| Hilltop Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| E-470 | 4.4 mi | 4m |
| South Parker Road | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Flintwood Road | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Logan Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Ponderosa Lane | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| Grant Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Highway
— 10.3 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Denver, CO and Ponderosa Park, 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
10 mi
·
11 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North, CO 470 West: Limon, Grand Junction
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 194
Toward E-470 North: Limon
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto E470
4.4 mi
·
4 min
·
E-470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 5
Toward CO 83
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward CO 83 South: Parker Road
17
Merge onto CO 83
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
South Parker Road
18
Turn left onto Hess Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hess Road
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on CR 71
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Hilltop Road
20
Continue on CR 65
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Flintwood Road
21
Turn left onto Ponderosa Lane
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Ponderosa Lane
22
Turn left onto Verdos Drive
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Verdos Drive
23
Arrive at destination
Verdos Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 17.7 mi from Denver, CO · 25m 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 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.7 miles from Denver, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ponderosa Park, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Ponderosa Park, 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
$5.33 one way
$10.67 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.65 | $11.29 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.12 | $12.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.82 | $15.63 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.53
E-470
(4.4 mi)
$0.53
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 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 | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.96 | $2.27 |
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
Ponderosa Park, CO
Evening in Ponderosa Park on Friday
Local time
5:53 PM
MDT
Current temp
43°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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
55m 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 Ponderosa Park, CO covers 35.4 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Valley Highway, Hilltop Road, E-470. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.7 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 $5.33 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 17 decision points packed into just 35.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
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 14.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Denver, CO and Ponderosa Park, CO, road signs point toward E-470 North, Grand Junction and E-470 North: Limon.
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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