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Trip from Las Animas, CO to Lakewood, CO

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 18m

Distance

198.2 mi

319 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 5m ★
6 AM
4h 18m
8 AM
4h 45m
10 AM
4h 28m
12 PM
4h 25m
3 PM
4h 29m
5 PM
4h 44m
8 PM
4h 11m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Las Animas, CO, CO

Las Animas, CO

RDNE Stock project

city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States

Lakewood, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Las Animas, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 198.2 miles and takes about 4h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Ronald Reagan Highway, US 50, CO 96 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 83.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.86 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

99.1 miles from Las Animas, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 28m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Highway 83.8 mi 1h 29m
US 50 26.2 mi 43m
CO 96 20.7 mi 27m
Ambassador Thompson Boulevard 19.8 mi 33m
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway 12.9 mi 12m
West 3rd Street 9.3 mi 15m
Monument Valley Freeway 8.5 mi 9m
César Chávez Memorial Highway 3.8 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Highway — 83.8 mi, about 1h 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Las Animas, CO and Lakewood, CO.

1

Start on Elm Avenue

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Elm Avenue
2

Turn right onto US 50

20 mi · 33 min · Ambassador Thompson Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
3

Continue on US 50

9.3 mi · 15 min · West 3rd Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Continue on US 50

19 mi · 31 min · US 50
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Turn right onto CO 167

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Turn left onto CO 96

21 mi · 27 min · CO 96
7

Continue on US 50; CO 96

7.6 mi · 12 min · US 50; CO 96
Use the straight lane.
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn right onto Paul Harvey Boulevard

0.3 mi · 48 sec · Paul Harvey Boulevard
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
10

At end of road, turn left onto William White Boulevard

2.8 mi · 4 min · William White Boulevard
11

Turn right onto CO 47

3.8 mi · 5 min · César Chávez Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
12

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Toward I 25 North: Denver
13

Merge onto I 25

1.8 mi · 1 min · North Freeway
Use the straight lane.
14

Continue on I 25

13 mi · 12 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on I 25

23 mi · 23 min · Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on I 25; US 24

8.5 mi · 9 min · Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Continue on I 25

61 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 209A-B Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue Use the slight right lane.
19

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 209B Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on US 6

0.9 mi · 1 min · Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
21

Keep slight left at fork onto US 6

0.1 mi · 10 sec · US 6
Toward US 6
22

Merge onto US 6

2.5 mi · 3 min · West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard Use the right lane.
24

Turn straight onto CO 121

1.5 mi · 3 min · North Wadsworth Boulevard
25

Continue on CO 121

369 ft · 15 sec · South Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the left lane.
26

Arrive at destination

CO 121

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 99.1 miles from Las Animas, CO, or about 2h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.8 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 44 miles or 1h 13m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 99.1 miles or 2h 28m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 36m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood, CO than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Las Animas, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Las Animas, CO

This is one driving day of about 198.2 miles and 4h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Las Animas, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Ronald Reagan Highway for about 83.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Colorado Springs, CO

99 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.

Popular next leg

Colorado Springs, CO to Lakewood, CO

73.5 mi · 1h 24m

Pacing Suggestions

Rocky Ford, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pueblo, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 99.1 miles from Las Animas, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Ronald Reagan Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 83.8 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

6 Street Diner

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Las Animas, Colorado

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+17194560434

Visit website

The Rock House Bar and Grill

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Rocky Ford, Colorado

2.1 mi

Old Town Hot Pot

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Aurora, Colorado

3 mi

6 Street Diner

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Las Animas, Colorado

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+17194560434

Visit website

La Pansa

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Las Animas, Colorado

Hours: 7 am–4 pm

The Rock House Bar and Grill

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 28.3

Rocky Ford, Colorado

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+17193162122

Visit website

Old Town Hot Pot

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30 mile 184

Aurora, Colorado

Hours: 11:30 am–9:30 pm

+13036580870

Visit website

Hwy 50 Bar and Grill LLC

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 28.3

Rocky Ford, Colorado

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+17193162377

Phở Hậu Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20 mile 198.2

Lakewood, Colorado

Hours: 11 am–2 pm

+13039880755

The Copper Kitchen

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20 mile 14.2

La Junta, Colorado

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+17193847508

Tamarack Grill

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20 mile 42.5

Fowler, Colorado

Hours: 7 am–8 pm

+17192634092

Belmar Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route mile 198.2

Lakewood, Colorado

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+13039877800

Visit website

Larkspur Community Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 155.7

Larkspur, Colorado

Hours: 6 am–8 pm

+13036812324

Visit website

Mineral Palace Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 84.9

Pueblo, Colorado

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+17195532790

Visit website

Battlefield Colorado

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 127.4

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hours: Closed

+17192592257

Visit website

Museum of Outdoor Arts

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 184

Greenwood Village, Colorado

+13038060444

Visit website

Pulpit Rock Park

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 127.4

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hours: 5 am–9 pm

+17193855940

Visit website

Sister City Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 198.2

Lakewood, Colorado

Hours: 5 am–10 pm

+13039877800

Visit website

City Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 84.9

Pueblo, Colorado

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+17195532790

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 192.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 50 / Ambassador Thompson Boulevard

Turn right onto US 50 / Ambassador Thompson Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
6
47.8 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | CO 167 / South Main Street

Turn right onto CO 167 / South Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
78 mi into trip | ~2h 3m in | Paul Harvey Boulevard

Turn right onto Paul Harvey Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
192.3 mi into trip | ~4h 8m in

Take the exit toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 209A-B Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
9
192.5 mi into trip | ~4h 8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 209B Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$29.86 one way

$59.73 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 69 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $31.62 $63.24
premium $4.39 $34.29 $68.57
diesel $5.61 $43.76 $87.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 69.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 59.5 0 $20.81 $9.51
Efficient EV 49.6 0 $17.34 $7.93
EV Truck/SUV 79.3 0 $27.75 $12.68

Gas CO2

69 kg

EV CO2

23 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Las Animas, CO

Afternoon in Las Animas on Saturday

Local time

12:30 PM

MDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lakewood, CO

Afternoon in Lakewood on Saturday

Local time

12:30 PM

MDT

Current temp

44°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

4 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

4h 18m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

National Monument

Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour $10 near mile 129.9
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

The drive from Las Animas, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 198.2 miles and takes about 4h 18m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 83.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 50 / Ambassador Thompson Boulevard.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 198.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 50 / Ambassador Thompson Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 47.8 miles (CO 167 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 78 miles (Paul Harvey Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 18m. Total distance: 198.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Las Animas, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 198.2 miles and takes about 4h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Ronald Reagan Highway, US 50, CO 96. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 99.1 miles from Las Animas, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.86 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 198.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 50 / Ambassador Thompson Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 47.8 miles (CO 167 / South Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 78 miles (Paul Harvey Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Las Animas, CO to Lakewood, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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