Origin
Derby, CO
Evening in Derby on Thursday
Local time
6:55 PM
MDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Derby, CO to Fort Collins, CO
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
61.3 mi
99 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Derby, CO
@coldbeer
Fort Collins, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 61.3-mile drive from Derby to Fort Collins, Colorado, is designed for a single day, taking about 1 hour and 12 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate via the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and North Valley Highway before reaching East Mulberry Street. With a projected fuel cost of around $9, this trip is an economical option for a quick excursion within the Mountain West region. The route offers a practical, turn-heavy local drive experience, making it suitable for a spontaneous day trip rather than requiring an overnight stay. Its manageable distance and duration mean you can easily fit it into a busy schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 61.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m 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 route that involves a fair number of turns, characteristic of a local drive. While 100% of this journey is on highways, the experience isn't a monotonous interstate slog. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 42.2 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, offering a period of consistent travel. The road's personality shifts as you progress, moving from the broader highway stretches to more localized sections as you approach your destination. This blend of highway driving and local road navigation keeps the journey engaging.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 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 42.2 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 3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.3 miles you will encounter 15 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 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
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 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
6
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
6
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m 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
9.5 mi into trip
|
~15m 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.
On the drive from Derby, CO to Fort Collins, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
Boulder
3.1 mi in
|
~6m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 42.2 mi | 42m |
| North Valley Highway | 10.4 mi | 12m |
| East Mulberry Street | 4 mi | 7m |
| East 74th Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Heartland Expressway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| North Vasquez Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Mulberry Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Kimberly Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 42.2 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Derby, CO and Fort Collins, CO.
1
Start on Kimberly Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kimberly Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto East 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
East 77th Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 6; US 85
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Vasquez Boulevard
4
Turn right onto CO 224
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East 74th Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 76 West: Denver
6
Merge onto I 76
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
Heartland Expressway
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 6
Toward I 270: Limon, Boulder
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 270 West: Fort Collins, Boulder
9
Merge onto I 270
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 25
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on I 25
42 mi
·
41 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 269B
Toward CO 14 West: Fort Collins
16
Merge onto CO 14
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
West Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft
·
29 sec
·
South Meldrum Street
19
Turn left onto West Magnolia Street
476 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Magnolia Street
20
Continue on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Sherwood Street
21
Arrive at destination
South Sherwood Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.6 mi from Derby, CO · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.6 miles from Derby, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fort Collins, CO
The final approach into Fort Collins, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.24 one way
$18.47 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $9.78 | $19.56 |
| premium | $4.39 | $10.60 | $21.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.53 | $27.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.44 | $2.94 |
| Efficient EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.58 | $3.92 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Fort Collins, CO
Evening in Fort Collins on Thursday
Local time
6:55 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Frederick, CO
31 mi in
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
35 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
1h 12m 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 Derby, CO to Fort Collins, CO covers 61.3 miles and takes about 1h 12m 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 Mulberry Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.6 miles from Derby, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.24 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.3 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Derby, CO to Fort Collins, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Boulder along the way.
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