Origin
Frederick, CO
Night in Frederick on Friday
Local time
9:40 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Frederick, CO to Thornton, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 32m
10 AM
0h 29m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
5 PM
0h 32m
8 PM
0h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frederick, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 19.7-mile drive from Frederick to Thornton, Colorado, will only take about 27 minutes, making it a perfect option for a short, efficient trip. You'll primarily navigate using North Valley Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and CO 52. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $3, this route is designed for a single day of travel. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, so you won't experience significant regional shifts. This journey offers a practical and straightforward way to get from point A to point B.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with only about 15% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles on North Valley Highway. This means you'll be managing a series of turns and changes in road type rather than settling into a long, steady cruise. The character of the drive will likely shift between more built-up local roads and potentially some faster sections depending on the specific segment of Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway or CO 52 you utilize.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 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 7.6 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 3.2 miles in.
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 13 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 18.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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.
7
18.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Thornton Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Thornton Parkway East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Thornton Parkway East
6
19.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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 Frederick, CO to Thornton, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Thornton Parkway East along the way.
Thornton Parkway East
18.5 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7 mi | 7m |
| CO 52 | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Thornton Parkway | 1 mi | 2m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 5th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Locust Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 7.6 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Frederick, CO and Thornton, 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
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 220
Toward Thornton Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
116 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Thornton Parkway East
16
Turn left onto Thornton Parkway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Turn right
116 ft
·
8 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.14 | $6.29 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.41 | $6.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Thornton, CO
Night in Thornton on Friday
Local time
9:40 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
27m 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 Thornton, CO covers 19.7 miles and takes about 27m 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 9.9 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 $2.97 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 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 18.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Frederick, CO to Thornton, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Thornton Parkway East along the way.
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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