Origin
Mead, CO
Evening in Mead on Friday
Local time
7:04 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
42.3 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mead, CO
Mikhail Nilov
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 42.3 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Welker Avenue, Dwight D, North Valley Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 42.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 42.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Welker Avenue 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO is easy. At 45m 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 Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Welker Avenue | — | — |
| Dwight D | — | — |
| North Valley Highway | — | — |
| US 6 West | — | — |
| US 6 | — | — |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | — | — |
| CO 121 South | — | — |
| North Wadsworth Boulevard | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Welker Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mead, CO and Lakewood, CO.
1
Start on 3rd Street
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
3rd Street
2
Turn left onto Welker Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Welker Avenue
3
Take the ramp right
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
4
Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
17 mi
·
17 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5
Continue on North Valley Highway
0.6 mi
·
36 sec
·
North Valley Highway
6
Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Valley Highway
7
Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
North Valley Highway
8
Take the exit slight right toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
9
Keep slight left to continue on US 6
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
US 6
10
Merge slight left onto West 6th Avenue Freeway
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
11
Take the exit slight right toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
12
Turn straight onto North Wadsworth Boulevard
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Wadsworth Boulevard
13
Continue on South Wadsworth Boulevard
367 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Wadsworth Boulevard
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.1 mi from Mead, CO · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Mead, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lakewood, CO
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Lakewood, CO if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.37 one way
$12.75 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.75 | $13.50 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.32 | $14.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.34 | $18.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Lakewood, CO
Evening in Lakewood on Friday
Local time
7:04 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°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
45m 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 Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 42.3 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Welker Avenue, Dwight D, North Valley Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.1 miles from Mead, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.37 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 Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO is easy. At 45m 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 Mead, CO to Lakewood, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Mead, CO to Lakewood, 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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