Trip from Loveland, CO to Cañon City, CO

Drive Time

3h 22m

Distance

164.9 mi

265 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$22

one way

Trip Overview

The drive from Loveland, CO to Cañon City, CO covers 164.9 miles and takes about 3h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Cleveland Avenue, South Lincoln Avenue, 14th Street Southeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.40 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

82.5 miles from Loveland, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 41m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 22m drive with frequent turns across 164.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Cleveland Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Cleveland Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
South Lincoln Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
14th Street Southeast Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 402 Unavailable Refreshing
I 25 South Unavailable Refreshing
Dwight D Unavailable Refreshing
North Valley Highway Unavailable Refreshing
Monument Valley Freeway Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: North Cleveland Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Loveland, CO and Cañon City, CO.

1

Start on East 6th Street

131 ft · 10 sec · East 6th Street
2

Turn right onto North Cleveland Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Cleveland Avenue
3

Continue on South Lincoln Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Lincoln Avenue
4

Turn left onto 14th Street Southeast

3.7 mi · 6 min · 14th Street Southeast
5

Continue on East State Highway 402

0.4 mi · 42 sec · East State Highway 402
6

Take the ramp slight right toward I 25 South

0.5 mi · 59 sec · I 25 South
7

Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

27 mi · 27 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
8

Continue on North Valley Highway

0.6 mi · 36 sec · North Valley Highway
9

Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

8.8 mi · 10 min · North Valley Highway
10

Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

70 mi · 1 hr 18 min · North Valley Highway
11

Continue on Monument Valley Freeway

7.8 mi · 9 min · Monument Valley Freeway
12

Take the exit slight right toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenue
13

Turn right onto South Nevada Avenue

31 mi · 40 min · South Nevada Avenue
14

Turn right onto 3rd Street

9.5 mi · 16 min · 3rd Street
15

At the end of the road, turn left onto Mackenzie Avenue

125 ft · 7 sec · Mackenzie Avenue
16

Turn right onto Royal Gorge Boulevard

3.7 mi · 7 min · Royal Gorge Boulevard
17

Turn right onto South 4th Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · South 4th Street
18

Turn right onto Macon Avenue

89 ft · 4 sec · Macon Avenue
19

Arrive at your destination

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 82.5 miles from Loveland, CO, or about 1h 41m 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 80 miles or 1h 38m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 82.5 miles or 1h 41m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 46m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Loveland, 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 Loveland, CO

This is one driving day of about 164.9 miles and 3h 22m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Loveland, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 82.5 mi from Loveland, CO · 1h 41m into the drive

Downtown Castle Rock, CO, CO

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Castle Rock, CO

82 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.

Popular next leg

Castle Rock, CO to Cañon City, CO

86 mi · 1h 52m

Pacing Suggestions

Castle Rock, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Castle Rock, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 82.5 miles from Loveland, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Cañon City, CO

The final approach into Cañon City, 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 Cañon City, 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

$22.40 one way

$44.80 round trip

$3.45/gal 25.4 MPG avg 58 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.85 $24.99 $49.99
premium $4.15 $26.94 $53.88
diesel $3.75 $24.35 $48.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$22

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$47–$72

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 57.7 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 49.5 0 $17.31 $7.92
Efficient EV 41.2 0 $14.43 $6.60
EV Truck/SUV 66 0 $23.09 $10.55

Gas CO2

58 kg

EV CO2

19 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

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Current conditions at both ends of the drive. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Loveland, CO

Morning in Loveland on Saturday

Local time

9:22 AM

MDT

Current temp

66°F

Forecast unavailable right now

MDT Live mapsof forecast

Destination

Cañon City, CO

Morning in Cañon City on Saturday

Local time

9:22 AM

MDT

Current temp

41°F

Forecast unavailable right now

MDT Live mapsof forecast

Along the Route

38°F

Castle Rock, CO

82 mi in

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

25 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

3h 22m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Loveland, CO to Cañon City, CO covers 164.9 miles and takes about 3h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Cleveland Avenue, South Lincoln Avenue, 14th Street Southeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 82.5 miles from Loveland, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.40 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

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