Origin
Lakewood, CO
Afternoon in Lakewood on Thursday
Local time
3:25 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, CO to Pierce, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 43m
Distance
81.7 mi
131 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 36m
★
6 AM
1h 44m
8 AM
1h 59m
10 AM
1h 49m
12 PM
1h 48m
3 PM
1h 50m
5 PM
1h 58m
8 PM
1h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Pierce, CO
Bobby n Lazy Jim
Trip Overview
The drive from Lakewood, CO to Pierce, CO covers 81.7 miles and takes about 1h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, East Highway 14 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41.4 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.31 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
40.9 miles from Lakewood, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 43m. Total distance: 81.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 43m drive with frequent turns across 81.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 41.4 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 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 81.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 6 East: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 6 East: Denver
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m 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
4.3 mi into trip
|
~6m 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
6
14 mi into trip
|
~20m 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 slight right lane.
6
18.3 mi into trip
|
~26m 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 / right 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 Lakewood, CO to Pierce, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
Colorado Springs
4.3 mi in
|
~6m
|
via US 6
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 41.4 mi | 41m |
| North Valley Highway | 18.1 mi | 23m |
| East Highway 14 | 10 mi | 16m |
| County Road 29 | 3 mi | 4m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| County Road 88 | 1.7 mi | 5m |
| South Wadsworth Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| US 6 | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 41.4 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, CO and Pierce, CO.
1
Start on CO 121
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Wadsworth Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward US 6 East: Denver
Use the slight right lane.
3
Merge onto US 6
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit onto US 6
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
US 6
Toward I 25: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 25
8.5 mi
·
11 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on I 25
41 mi
·
41 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 269A
Toward CO 14 East: Ault
10
Turn straight onto CO 14
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Mulberry Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on CO 14
10.0 mi
·
16 min
·
East Highway 14
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto County Road 29
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 29
13
Turn right onto County Road 88
1.7 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 88
14
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
15
Turn right onto West Main Avenue
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Main Avenue
16
Turn left onto 2nd Street
33 ft
·
1 sec
·
2nd Street
17
Arrive at destination
2nd Street
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 40.9 miles from Lakewood, CO, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.4 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 18 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.9 miles or 49m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pierce, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lakewood, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lakewood, CO
This is one driving day of about 81.7 miles and 1h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Lakewood, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 41.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 40.9 mi from Lakewood, CO · 49m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.9 miles from Lakewood, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Pierce, CO
The final approach into Pierce, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.31 one way
$24.62 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $13.03 | $26.07 |
| premium | $4.39 | $14.13 | $28.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.04 | $36.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.5 | 0 | $8.58 | $3.92 |
| Efficient EV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.15 | $3.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.7 | 0 | $11.44 | $5.23 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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
Pierce, CO
Afternoon in Pierce on Thursday
Local time
3:25 PM
MDT
Current temp
78°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
34 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
1h 43m 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 Lakewood, CO to Pierce, CO covers 81.7 miles and takes about 1h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway, East Highway 14. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.9 miles from Lakewood, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.31 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 81.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (US 6 / West 6th Avenue Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Lakewood, CO to Pierce, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Colorado Springs along the way.
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