The drive from Fort Collins, CO to Black Forest, CO covers 128.3 miles and takes about 2h 28m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Valley Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Shoup Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 74.4 miles on North Valley Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
64.2 miles from Fort Collins, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 128.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 28m drive with frequent turns across 128.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 74.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near South Meldrum Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 128.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 (South Meldrum Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|South Meldrum Street
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
Navigation decision point
6
4.5 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the exit toward I 25 South: Denver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 South: Denver
6
46.8 mi into trip|~51m 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 / slight right lanes.
6
55.6 mi into trip|~1h 2m 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 / slight left lanes.
7
120.6 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Take the exit toward Interquest Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 153
Toward Interquest Parkway
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Valley Highway
74.4 mi
1h 23m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
41.4 mi
41m
Shoup Road
4.3 mi
7m
East Mulberry Street
3.9 mi
7m
Interquest Parkway
2.8 mi
4m
West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi
<1m
South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi
<1m
South Meldrum Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 74.4 mi, about 1h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Collins, CO and Black Forest, CO.
1
Start on South Sherwood Street
0.2 mi·41 sec·South Sherwood Street
2
Continue on West Magnolia Street
476 ft·20 sec·West Magnolia Street
3
Turn right onto South Meldrum Street
499 ft·29 sec·South Meldrum Street
4
Turn left onto West Mulberry Street
0.3 mi·42 sec·West Mulberry Street
5
Continue on East Mulberry Street
3.9 mi·7 min·East Mulberry Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 25 South: DenverUse the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 25
41 mi·41 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi·36 sec·North Valley Highway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi·10 min·North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
65 mi·1 hr 12 min·North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 153Toward Interquest ParkwayUse the right lane.
12
Continue on Interquest Parkway
2.8 mi·4 min·Interquest Parkway
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Shoup Road
4.3 mi·7 min·Shoup Road
14
Turn left onto CR 189
82 ft·1 sec·Black Forest Road
15
Arrive at destination
CR 189
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 64.2 miles from Fort Collins, CO, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 74.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 28 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.2 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Black Forest, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Collins, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Fort Collins, CO
This is one driving day of about 128.3 miles and 2h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Fort Collins, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on North Valley Highway for about 74.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 64.2 mi from Fort Collins, CO
· 1h 12m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.33 one way
$38.66 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$20.47
$40.93
premium
$4.39
$22.19
$44.39
diesel
$5.61
$28.33
$56.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.5
0
$13.47
$6.16
Efficient EV
32.1
0
$11.23
$5.13
EV Truck/SUV
51.3
0
$17.96
$8.21
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Fort Collins, CO
Late night
in Fort Collins on Saturday
Local time
4:23 AM
MDT
Current temp
25°F
Mostly Clear
NW 7 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:05AM MDT until April 18 at 8:00AM MDT by NWS Goodland KS
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 12:52AM MDT until April 18 at 8:00AM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
Destination
Black Forest, CO
Late night
in Black Forest on Saturday
Local time
4:23 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
17 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
2h 28m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Fort Collins, CO to Black Forest, CO covers 128.3 miles and takes about 2h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Valley Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Shoup Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 64.2 miles from Fort Collins, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.33 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 128.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.2 miles (South Meldrum Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fort Collins, CO to Black Forest, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
