Origin
Littleton, CO
Afternoon in Littleton on Thursday
Local time
2:02 PM
MDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Littleton, CO to Arvada, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
29m
Distance
19.7 mi
32 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Littleton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Littleton, CO to Arvada, CO covers 19.7 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Santa Fe Drive, South Valley Highway, I 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.4 miles on South Santa Fe Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.97 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 19.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 29m drive with frequent turns across 19.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Santa Fe Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 6.4 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 early in the drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (US 85): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 85
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 85
6
6.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 85
Take the exit onto US 85 toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
8
12.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
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.
Exit 214A
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
7
16.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 271A
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
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 Littleton, CO to Arvada, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Grand Junction along the way.
Grand Junction
12.2 mi in
|
~17m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Santa Fe Drive | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| South Valley Highway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| I 70 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Ralston Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| US 85 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Grand Army of the Republic Highway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Santa Fe Drive
— 6.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Littleton, CO and Arvada, CO.
1
Start on this road
35 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
157 ft
·
13 sec
3
Turn right onto South Nevada Street
176 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Nevada Street
4
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Main Street
5
Take the ramp
380 ft
·
10 sec
Toward US 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto US 85
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
South Santa Fe Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 85
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 85
Toward I 25 North: Fort Collins
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 25
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
South Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 214A
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Toward I 70
11
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
12
Merge onto I 70
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 271A
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto CO 95
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Sheridan Boulevard
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto Ralston Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Ammons Street
227 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ammons Street
17
Turn left
41 ft
·
3 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.97 one way
$5.94 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $3.14 | $6.29 |
| premium | $4.39 | $3.41 | $6.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.35 | $8.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.07 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.72 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Arvada, CO
Afternoon in Arvada on Thursday
Local time
2:02 PM
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
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
29m 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 Littleton, CO to Arvada, CO covers 19.7 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Santa Fe Drive, South Valley Highway, I 70. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.8 miles from Littleton, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.97 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 is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 19.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles (US 85): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Littleton, CO to Arvada, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Grand Junction along the way.
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