Origin
Idaho Springs, CO
Late night in Idaho Springs on Saturday
Local time
1:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Idaho Springs, 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
43.4 mi
70 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Idaho Springs, CO
Chris F
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Idaho Springs, CO to Centennial, CO covers 43.4 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 I 70 Business, North Valley Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.6 miles on I 70 Business. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.54 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 56m. Total distance: 43.4 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.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 56m highway drive covering 43.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 Business and North Valley Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 19.6 miles on I 70 Business.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 Business is the longest continuous segment at about 19.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 Business and North Valley Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near I 70 Business.
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 14 decision points packed into just 43.4 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: at 1.2 miles (I 70 Business): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.2 miles (US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 70 Business
Take the ramp onto I 70 Business toward I 70 east: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 70 east: Denver
8
20.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 261
Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
5
21.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway
Merge onto US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
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.
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
7
42.6 mi into trip
|
~54m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Idaho Springs, CO and Centennial, CO, road signs point toward Lakewood and Colorado Springs.
Lakewood
20.9 mi in
|
~26m
Colorado Springs
29.1 mi in
|
~37m
|
via US 6
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 Business | 19.6 mi | 23m |
| North Valley Highway | 12.3 mi | 14m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| US 6 | 0.6 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:
I 70 Business
— 19.6 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Idaho Springs, CO and Centennial, CO.
1
Start on Riverside Drive
3 ft
·
0 sec
·
Riverside Drive
2
Turn right onto I 70 Business
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Colorado Boulevard
3
Enter roundabout onto I 70 Business
134 ft
·
2 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
4
Continue on I 70 Business
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Colorado Boulevard
5
Take the ramp onto I 70 Business
20 mi
·
23 min
·
I 70 Business
Toward I 70 east: Denver
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 261
Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto US 6
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto US 6
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
US 6
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
10
Merge onto I 25
12 mi
·
14 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 46
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
13
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chester Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
15
Turn left
133 ft
·
11 sec
16
Turn right
472 ft
·
34 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.7 mi from Idaho Springs, CO · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.7 miles from Idaho Springs, 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
$6.54 one way
$13.08 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.92 | $13.85 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.51 | $15.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.58 | $19.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.80 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.08 | $2.78 |
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
Late night in Centennial on Saturday
Local time
1:08 AM
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
15 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 Idaho Springs, CO to Centennial, CO covers 43.4 miles and takes about 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70 Business, North Valley Highway, West 6th Avenue Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.7 miles from Idaho Springs, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.54 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 14 decision points packed into just 43.4 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: at 1.2 miles (I 70 Business): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.2 miles (US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Idaho Springs, CO and Centennial, CO, road signs point toward Lakewood and Colorado Springs.
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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