Origin
Frederick, CO
Night in Frederick on Friday
Local time
10:41 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, CO to Centennial, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
42.7 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Frederick, CO to Centennial, CO covers 42.7 miles and takes about 56m 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, CO 52 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.2 miles on North Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.43 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 42.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m 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 56m drive with frequent turns across 42.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 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 31.2 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 early in the drive near Locust Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 42.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Locust Street
Turn right onto Locust Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Turn left toward I 25 South: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 25 South: Denver
6
11.3 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 / slight right lanes.
6
20.1 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
41.9 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward Dry Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 31.2 mi | 39m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7 mi | 7m |
| CO 52 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| East Dry Creek Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Panorama Circle | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Chester Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 31.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, CO and Centennial, CO.
1
Start on this road
175 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Locust Street
168 ft
·
9 sec
·
Locust Street
3
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
4
Enter roundabout onto Colorado Boulevard
252 ft
·
10 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
5
Continue on Colorado Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
6
Enter roundabout onto Colorado Boulevard
177 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
7
Continue on Colorado Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
8
Turn slight right
293 ft
·
10 sec
9
Turn straight onto CO 52
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
CO 52
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 25 South: Denver
Use the left lane.
11
Merge onto I 25
7.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
22 mi
·
27 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto CR 46
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
17
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chester Street
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
19
Turn left
133 ft
·
11 sec
20
Turn right
472 ft
·
34 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.4 mi from Frederick, CO · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Frederick, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Centennial, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Centennial, 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
$6.43 one way
$12.87 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.81 | $13.62 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.39 | $14.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.43 | $18.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 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 | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Centennial, CO
Night in Centennial on Friday
Local time
10:41 PM
MDT
Current temp
77°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
31 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
56m 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 Frederick, CO to Centennial, CO covers 42.7 miles and takes about 56m 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, CO 52. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.4 miles from Frederick, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.43 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 15 decision points packed into just 42.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Locust Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Frederick, CO to Centennial, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Centennial, CO
More from Frederick, CO
More trips to Centennial, CO
Explore more options from Frederick, CO or browse trips ending in Centennial, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.