Origin
Longmont, CO
Late night in Longmont on Wednesday
Local time
4:13 AM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Longmont, CO to Fruita, CO
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
5h 20m
Distance
279.5 mi
450 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 7m
★
6 AM
5h 21m
8 AM
5h 48m
10 AM
5h 30m
12 PM
5h 27m
3 PM
5h 31m
5 PM
5h 46m
8 PM
5h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Longmont, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Fruita, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Longmont, CO to Fruita, CO covers 279.5 miles and takes about 5h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, Main Street, Sheridan Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 250.2 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.11 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
139.7 miles from Longmont, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 44m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 5h 20m highway drive covering 279.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and Main Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 250.2 miles on I 70.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 250.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.9 miles in.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 279.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles (CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Turn left toward US 36 East: Denver
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 36 East: Denver
6
22.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard
Turn right onto CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
27 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Merge onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
279 mi into trip
|
~5h 19m in
|
West Aspen Avenue
Turn right onto West Aspen Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 250.2 mi | 4h 36m |
| Main Street | 17.3 mi | 25m |
| Sheridan Boulevard | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Denver–Boulder Turnpike | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Heartland Expressway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| CO 121 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Aspen Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| South Cherry Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 250.2 mi, about 4h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Longmont, CO and Fruita, 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
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 121
5
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward US 36 East: Denver
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto US 36
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 36
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward CO 95 South: Sheridan Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto CO 95
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Sheridan Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 76 West
12
Merge onto I 76
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 70
250 mi
·
4 hr 36 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward CO 340: Fruita, Colorado National Monument
15
Turn right onto CO 340
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
South Cherry Street
16
Turn right onto West Aspen Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
West Aspen Avenue
Use the right lane.
17
Enter roundabout onto East Aspen Avenue
393 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Aspen Avenue
18
Continue on East Aspen Avenue
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
East Aspen Avenue
19
Turn right onto South Maple Street
7 ft
·
0 sec
·
South Maple Street
20
Arrive at destination
South Maple Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 139.7 miles from Longmont, CO, or about 2h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 250.2 miles.
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 80 miles or 1h 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.7 miles or 2h 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fruita, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Longmont, 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 Longmont, CO
This is one driving day of about 279.5 miles and 5h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Longmont, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 70 for about 250.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 139.7 mi from Longmont, CO · 2h 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
140 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 139.7 miles from Longmont, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 70 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 250.2 miles.
Arriving in Fruita, CO
The final approach into Fruita, 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 Fruita, CO.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.11 one way
$84.22 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
98 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $44.59 | $89.18 |
| premium | $4.39 | $48.35 | $96.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $61.71 | $123.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.27
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
(3.9 mi)
$0.27
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 83.9 | 1 | $29.35 | $13.42 |
| Efficient EV | 69.9 | 0 | $24.46 | $11.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 111.8 | 1 | $39.13 | $17.89 |
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Fruita, CO
Late night in Fruita on Wednesday
Local time
4:13 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
38 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
5h 20m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Fruita, CO covers 279.5 miles and takes about 5h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Main Street, Sheridan Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 139.7 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 $42.11 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 279.5 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 17.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles (CO 95 / Sheridan Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Longmont, CO to Fruita, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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