Origin
Las Animas, CO
Afternoon in Las Animas on Saturday
Local time
12:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Las Animas, CO to Aurora, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 21m
Distance
194.9 mi
314 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 9m
★
6 AM
3h 21m
8 AM
3h 45m
10 AM
3h 30m
12 PM
3h 27m
3 PM
3h 31m
5 PM
3h 44m
8 PM
3h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Las Animas, CO
RDNE Stock project
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Las Animas, CO to Aurora, CO covers 194.9 miles and takes about 3h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ambassador Thompson Boulevard, West 3rd Street, South Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.37 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
97.5 miles from Las Animas, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 40m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ambassador Thompson Boulevard | — | — |
| West 3rd Street | — | — |
| South Main Street | — | — |
| Paul Harvey Boulevard | — | — |
| William White Boulevard | — | — |
| César Chávez Memorial Highway | — | — |
| I 25 North | — | — |
| North Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Ambassador Thompson Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Las Animas, CO and Aurora, CO.
1
Start on Elm Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Elm Avenue
2
Turn right onto Ambassador Thompson Boulevard
20 mi
·
33 min
·
Ambassador Thompson Boulevard
3
Continue on West 3rd Street
9.3 mi
·
15 min
·
West 3rd Street
4
Continue straight
19 mi
·
31 min
5
Turn right onto South Main Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
6
Turn left
21 mi
·
27 min
7
Continue straight
7.6 mi
·
12 min
8
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
9
Turn right onto Paul Harvey Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Paul Harvey Boulevard
10
At the end of the road, turn left onto William White Boulevard
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
William White Boulevard
11
Turn right onto César Chávez Memorial Highway
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
César Chávez Memorial Highway
12
Take the exit slight right toward I 25 North: Denver
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 25 North: Denver
13
Merge slight left onto North Freeway
1.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Freeway
14
Continue on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
13 mi
·
12 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
15
Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
16
Continue on Monument Valley Freeway
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
17
Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway
52 mi
·
54 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
18
Take the exit slight right toward I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
19
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
20
Keep slight left to continue on I 225 North: Limon
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
I 225 North: Limon
21
Take the exit slight right toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
CO 30: 6th Avenue
22
Keep slight left to continue on CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue
141 ft
·
5 sec
·
CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue
23
Turn left onto East 6th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
24
Turn right onto Vaughn Street
256 ft
·
13 sec
·
Vaughn Street
25
Turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
28 sec
·
North Zion Street
26
Turn left onto North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
27
Arrive at your destination
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 97.5 miles from Las Animas, CO, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
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 43 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.5 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Aurora, 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 194.9 miles and 3h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
97 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 97.5 miles from Las Animas, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.37 one way
$58.73 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
68 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $31.09 | $62.18 |
| premium | $4.39 | $33.72 | $67.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.03 | $86.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.5 | 0 | $20.46 | $9.36 |
| Efficient EV | 48.7 | 0 | $17.05 | $7.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 78 | 0 | $27.29 | $12.47 |
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 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
Aurora, CO
Afternoon in Aurora on Saturday
Local time
12:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
47°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
1 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
3h 21m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
194.9 mi in 3h 21m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Ambassador Thompson Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Las Animas, CO to Aurora, CO is easy. At 3h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Las Animas, CO to Aurora, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 21m. Total distance: 194.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Las Animas, CO to Aurora, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Aurora, CO, but most travelers stay overnight.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Aurora, CO
More trips to Aurora, CO
Explore more options from Las Animas, CO or browse trips ending in Aurora, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.