Origin
Longmont, CO
Late night in Longmont on Saturday
Local time
4:41 AM
MDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Longmont, CO to Arvada, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
26.6 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Longmont, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Longmont to Arvada is 26.6 miles and takes about 42 minutes via Main Street and Wadsworth Parkway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Colorado, moving from the Mountain West region to the same region. Expect a route with frequent turns, making it more of a local drive than a fast-paced highway journey. It’s a straightforward connection between two familiar Colorado locales, ideal for a quick trip with no need for an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 26.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (17%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating through city streets and making numerous turns rather than cruising on a highway. With only 17% highway share, the majority of your travel will be on local roads like Main Street and Wadsworth Boulevard. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.3 miles on Main Street, so be prepared for a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments. This route demands your attention due to its many directional changes.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is the longest continuous segment at about 17.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 42m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 287 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 26 miles (Ralston Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 287 / Main Street
Turn left onto US 287 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
26 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
Ralston Road
Turn right onto Ralston Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
26.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
Ammons Street
Turn right onto Ammons Street
Navigation decision point
5
26.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | 17.3 mi | 25m |
| Wadsworth Parkway | 4 mi | 6m |
| Wadsworth Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Wadsworth Bypass | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Ralston Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Ammons Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— 17.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Longmont, CO and Arvada, CO.
1
Start on this road
63 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
172 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Avenue
3
Turn left onto US 287
17 mi
·
25 min
·
Main Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on CO 121
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 121
5
Continue on CO 121
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Wadsworth Parkway
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on CO 121
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on CO 121
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Wadsworth Bypass
8
Turn right onto Ralston Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto Ammons Street
227 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ammons Street
10
Turn left
41 ft
·
3 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.01 one way
$8.02 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $4.24 | $8.49 |
| premium | $4.39 | $4.60 | $9.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.87 | $11.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Arvada, CO
Late night in Arvada on Saturday
Local time
4:41 AM
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
33 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
42m 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 Longmont, CO to Arvada, CO covers 26.6 miles and takes about 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Main Street, Wadsworth Parkway, Wadsworth Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.3 miles from Longmont, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.01 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 straightforward 42m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (US 287 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 26 miles (Ralston Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Longmont, CO to Arvada, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Arvada, CO
More trips to Arvada, CO
Explore more options from Longmont, CO or browse trips ending in Arvada, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.