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Trip from Las Animas, 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

2h 57m

Distance

179.9 mi

290 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$27

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 46m ★
6 AM
2h 58m
8 AM
3h 20m
10 AM
3h 6m
12 PM
3h 3m
3 PM
3h 7m
5 PM
3h 19m
8 PM
2h 51m

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

Downtown Las Animas, CO, CO

Las Animas, CO

RDNE Stock project

Downtown Centennial, CO, CO

Centennial, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Las Animas, CO to Centennial, CO covers 179.9 miles and takes about 2h 57m 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 turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.11 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

90 miles from Las Animas, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .

About the Cities

Arriving in Centennial, CO

Full guide →

Centennial is a suburban city of about 106,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Arapahoe County southeast of Denver.

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 2h 57m. Total distance: 179.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 57m drive with frequent turns across 179.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ambassador Thompson Boulevard is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 Centennial, CO is easy. At 2h 57m 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 Centennial, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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 Centennial, 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

48 mi · 49 min · Ronald Reagan Highway
18

Take the exit slight right toward Dry Creek Road

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Dry Creek Road
19

Turn left onto East Dry Creek Road

0.3 mi · 36 sec · East Dry Creek Road
20

Turn left onto South Chester Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · South Chester Street
21

Turn left onto East Panorama Circle

0.1 mi · 40 sec · East Panorama Circle
22

Turn left

135 ft · 11 sec
23

Turn right

472 ft · 35 sec
24

Arrive at your destination

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 90 miles from Las Animas, CO, or about 1h 28m 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 40 miles or 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 90 miles or 1h 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 2h 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Centennial, 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 179.9 miles and 2h 57m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 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.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 90 mi from Las Animas, CO · 1h 28m into the drive

United States Army installation in El Paso County, Colorado, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fort Carson, CO

90 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

Fort Carson, CO to Centennial, CO

63.2 mi · 1h 14m

Pacing Suggestions

Rocky Ford, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fort Carson, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 90 miles from Las Animas, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Centennial, CO

The final approach into Centennial, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Centennial, CO.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$27.11 one way

$54.21 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 63 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $28.70 $57.40
premium $4.39 $31.12 $62.24
diesel $5.61 $39.72 $79.44

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$27

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$52–$77

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 62.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 54 0 $18.89 $8.64
Efficient EV 45 0 $15.74 $7.20
EV Truck/SUV 72 0 $25.19 $11.51

Gas CO2

63 kg

EV CO2

21 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

Morning in Las Animas on Saturday

Local time

11:13 AM

MDT

Current temp

48°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Centennial, CO

Morning in Centennial on Saturday

Local time

11:13 AM

MDT

Current temp

77°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

29 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

2h 57m 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 Las Animas, CO to Centennial, CO covers 179.9 miles and takes about 2h 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Ambassador Thompson Boulevard, West 3rd Street, South Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 90 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 $27.11 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Las Animas, CO to Centennial, CO is easy. At 2h 57m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Las Animas, CO to Centennial, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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

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