Origin
Idaho Springs, CO
Late night in Idaho Springs on Saturday
Local time
12:09 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Idaho Springs, CO to Denver, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Idaho Springs, CO
Chris F
Denver, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Idaho Springs, CO to Denver, CO covers 32.3 miles and takes about 44m 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, West 6th Avenue Freeway, Colorado Boulevard 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 $4.87 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 44m highway drive covering 32.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 Business and West 6th Avenue Freeway. 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 11 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 West 6th Avenue Freeway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near I 70 Business.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 32.3 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 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 8 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.
6
32.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
East 14th Avenue
Turn right onto East 14th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
32.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left 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 Idaho Springs, CO to Denver, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood along the way.
Lakewood
20.9 mi in
|
~26m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 Business | 19.6 mi | 23m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 10.1 mi | 14m |
| Colorado Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| North Lincoln Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| East 14th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Riverside Drive | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
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 Denver, 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
10 mi
·
14 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto North Lincoln Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
North Lincoln Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn right onto East 14th Avenue
353 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 14th Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left
358 ft
·
27 sec
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.87 one way
$9.73 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $5.15 | $10.31 |
| premium | $4.39 | $5.59 | $11.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Denver, CO
Late night in Denver on Saturday
Local time
12:09 AM
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
16 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
44m 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 Denver, CO covers 32.3 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70 Business, West 6th Avenue Freeway, Colorado Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.2 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 $4.87 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 32.3 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 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.
On the drive from Idaho Springs, CO to Denver, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Lakewood 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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