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Trip from Paonia, CO to Lakewood, CO

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

4h 59m

Distance

224.1 mi

361 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$34

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 46m ★
6 AM
4h 59m
8 AM
5h 26m
10 AM
5h 9m
12 PM
5h 6m
3 PM
5h 10m
5 PM
5h 25m
8 PM
4h 51m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States

Lakewood, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Paonia, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 224.1 miles and takes about 4h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 70, CO 133, CO 82 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 145.3 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.76 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

112 miles from Paonia, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 47m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 59m. Total distance: 224.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 4h 59m highway drive covering 224.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and CO 133. The longest continuous stretch is about 145.3 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 25 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 145.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and CO 133. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 69.2 miles in near 27th Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 224.1 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 69.2 miles (27th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 69.4 miles (Midland Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 71.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
69.2 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in | 27th Street

Enter roundabout onto 27th Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
69.4 mi into trip | ~1h 55m in | Midland Avenue

Enter roundabout onto Midland Avenue

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
71.8 mi into trip | ~2h in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

8
217.2 mi into trip | ~4h 49m in

Take the exit toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 261 Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
6
222.4 mi into trip | ~4h 55m in

Take the exit toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 70 145.3 mi 2h 48m
CO 133 58 mi 1h 35m
CO 82 9.9 mi 16m
West 6th Avenue Freeway 4.9 mi 5m
Midland Avenue 1.6 mi 2m
North Wadsworth Boulevard 1.4 mi 2m
Grand Avenue 1 mi 2m
West 8th Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 70 — 145.3 mi, about 2h 48m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paonia, CO and Lakewood, CO.

1

Start on Orchard Avenue

53 ft · 7 sec · Orchard Avenue
2

Turn left onto 3rd Street

0.3 mi · 48 sec · 3rd Street
3

Turn right onto Grand Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · Grand Avenue
4

Turn right onto CO 133

57 mi · 1 hr 33 min · CO 133
Use the straight lane.
5

Enter roundabout

95 ft · 1 sec
6

Continue

463 ft · 9 sec
7

Continue on CO 133

0.8 mi · 1 min · CO 133
8

Continue on CO 133

0.1 mi · 20 sec · CO 133
9

Turn left onto CO 82

9.9 mi · 16 min · CO 82
Use the straight lane.
10

Turn left onto 27th Street

0.1 mi · 14 sec · 27th Street
Use the left lane.
11

Enter roundabout onto 27th Street

86 ft · 1 sec · 27th Street
12

Continue on 27th Street

0.1 mi · 12 sec · 27th Street
13

Enter roundabout onto Midland Avenue

13 ft · 0 sec · Midland Avenue
14

Continue on Midland Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · Midland Avenue
15

Turn right onto West 8th Street

0.4 mi · 50 sec · West 8th Street
16

Turn left onto CO 82

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Grand Avenue
17

Continue on CO 82

0.1 mi · 38 sec · Laurel Street
18

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec
19

Merge onto I 70

145 mi · 2 hr 48 min · I 70
Use the straight lane.
20

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Exit 261 Toward US 6 East: 6th Avenue, Lakewood Use the slight right lane.
21

Merge onto US 6

4.9 mi · 5 min · West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Turn slight right onto CO 121

1.4 mi · 2 min · North Wadsworth Boulevard
24

Continue on CO 121

369 ft · 15 sec · South Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the left lane.
25

Arrive at destination

CO 121

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 112 miles from Paonia, CO, or about 2h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 145.3 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 49 miles or 1h 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 112 miles or 2h 47m 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 10m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Paonia, 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 Paonia, CO

This is one driving day of about 224.1 miles and 4h 59m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Paonia, 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 145.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 112 mi from Paonia, CO · 2h 47m into the drive

city in and county seat of Garfield County, Colorado, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Glenwood Springs, CO

112 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

Carbondale, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Edwards, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 112 miles from Paonia, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 70 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 145.3 miles.

Arriving in Lakewood, CO

The final approach into Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park

National Park

Big enough to be overwhelming, yet still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time. Come see some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Forces of nature and the G...

21 mi from route ~53 min detour $30
Park Closure: Long-term Closures Due to Wildfires
Park Closure: Winter Closures
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$33.76 one way

$67.53 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 78 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $35.75 $71.50
premium $4.39 $38.77 $77.54
diesel $5.61 $49.48 $98.96

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$34

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$59–$84

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 78.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 67.2 0 $23.53 $10.76
Efficient EV 56 0 $19.61 $8.96
EV Truck/SUV 89.6 1 $31.37 $14.34

Gas CO2

78 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Paonia, CO

Afternoon in Paonia on Thursday

Local time

1:54 PM

MDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lakewood, CO

Afternoon in Lakewood on Thursday

Local time

1:54 PM

MDT

Current temp

44°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

30 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

4h 59m 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 Paonia, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 224.1 miles and takes about 4h 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, CO 133, CO 82. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 112 miles from Paonia, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.76 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 224.1 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 69.2 miles (27th Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 69.4 miles (Midland Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 71.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Paonia, CO to Lakewood, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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