Trip from Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

73.9 mi

119 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m

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

Downtown Littleton, CO, CO

Littleton, CO

Eric Matthew

Downtown Fort Collins, CO, CO

Fort Collins, CO

Jacob Moore

Trip Overview

The drive from Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO covers 73.9 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Nevada Street, West Main Street, US 85 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.20 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

36.9 miles from Littleton, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 40m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 20m drive with frequent turns across 73.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Nevada Street 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.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO is easy. At 1h 20m 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 Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Nevada Street Unavailable Refreshing
West Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
US 85 Unavailable Refreshing
South Santa Fe Drive Unavailable Refreshing
I 25 North Unavailable Refreshing
South Valley Highway Unavailable Refreshing
North Valley Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Dwight D Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: South Nevada Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Littleton, CO and Fort Collins, CO.

1

Start on the route

36 ft · 5 sec · the route
2

Turn right

157 ft · 14 sec
3

Turn right onto South Nevada Street

177 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 slight left toward US 85

381 ft · 10 sec · US 85
6

Merge slight left onto South Santa Fe Drive

6.4 mi · 7 min · South Santa Fe Drive
7

Take the exit slight right toward I 25 North: Fort Collins

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 25 North: Fort Collins
8

Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway

10 mi · 13 min · South Valley Highway
9

Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

4.3 mi · 5 min · North Valley Highway
10

Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

5.3 mi · 5 min · North Valley Highway
11

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

42 mi · 41 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12

Take the exit slight right toward CO 14 West: Fort Collins

0.2 mi · 23 sec · CO 14 West: Fort Collins
13

Merge slight left onto East Mulberry Street

4.0 mi · 7 min · East Mulberry Street
14

Continue on West Mulberry Street

0.3 mi · 45 sec · West Mulberry Street
15

Turn right onto South Meldrum Street

499 ft · 29 sec · South Meldrum Street
16

Turn left onto West Magnolia Street

476 ft · 18 sec · West Magnolia Street
17

Continue on South Sherwood Street

0.2 mi · 39 sec · South Sherwood Street
18

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 36.9 miles from Littleton, CO, or about 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 73.9 miles or 1h 20m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 36.9 miles or 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 1h 8m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Littleton, 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 Littleton, CO

This is one driving day of about 73.9 miles and 1h 20m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Littleton, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 36.9 mi from Littleton, CO · 40m into the drive

Downtown Thornton, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Thornton, CO

37 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

Windsor, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 73.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Thornton, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 36.9 miles from Littleton, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fort Collins, CO

The final approach into Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, 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

$11.20 one way

$22.40 round trip

$3.85/gal 25.4 MPG avg 26 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.08 $11.88 $23.76
premium $4.43 $12.90 $25.80
diesel $5.64 $16.42 $32.84

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 22.2 0 $7.76 $3.55
Efficient EV 18.5 0 $6.47 $2.96
EV Truck/SUV 29.6 0 $10.35 $4.73

Gas CO2

26 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (65% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Littleton, CO

Evening in Littleton on Sunday

Local time

6:37 PM

MDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fort Collins, CO

Evening in Fort Collins on Sunday

Local time

6:37 PM

MDT

Current temp

67°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

28 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 20m 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 Fort Collins, CO covers 73.9 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Nevada Street, West Main Street, US 85. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.9 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 $11.20 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.
The drive from Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO is easy. At 1h 20m 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 Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Littleton, CO to Fort Collins, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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