Origin
Longmont, CO
Morning in Longmont on Saturday
Local time
8:37 AM
MDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Longmont, 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
1h 5m
Distance
51.3 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Longmont, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Centennial, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Longmont, CO to Centennial, CO covers 51.3 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Valley Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Highway 119 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.2 miles on North Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.73 one way before food or hotel costs.
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 1h 5m. Total distance: 51.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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 1h 5m drive with frequent turns across 51.3 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.
North Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 31.2 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 near 5th Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.3 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.8 miles (West I 25 Frontage Road): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 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
|
5th Avenue
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
6.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
West I 25 Frontage Road
Take the exit onto West I 25 Frontage Road toward I 25 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 25 South
6
19.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 25 / North Valley Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
50.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward Dry Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 31.2 mi | 39m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 11.9 mi | 11m |
| Highway 119 | 3 mi | 3m |
| 3rd Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| East Ken Pratt Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West I 25 Frontage Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Collyer Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 31.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Longmont, CO and Centennial, CO.
1
Start on this road
63 ft
·
6 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
5th Avenue
3
Turn right onto Collyer Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Collyer Street
4
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
3rd Avenue
5
Turn left onto CO 119
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
East Ken Pratt Boulevard
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on CO 119
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Highway 119
7
Take the exit onto West I 25 Frontage Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West I 25 Frontage Road
Toward I 25 South
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 25
12 mi
·
11 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 25
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
22 mi
·
27 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 196
Toward Dry Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto CR 46
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Dry Creek Road
14
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chester Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Panorama Circle
16
Turn left
133 ft
·
11 sec
17
Turn right
472 ft
·
34 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.7 mi from Longmont, CO · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Longmont, 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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.73 one way
$15.46 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $8.18 | $16.37 |
| premium | $4.39 | $8.87 | $17.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.33 | $22.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.39 | $2.46 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.18 | $3.28 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Centennial, CO
Morning in Centennial on Saturday
Local time
8:37 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°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
2 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
1h 5m 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 Centennial, CO covers 51.3 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Valley Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Highway 119. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.7 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 $7.73 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.3 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.8 miles (West I 25 Frontage Road): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Longmont, 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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