Origin
Ponderosa Park, CO
Afternoon in Ponderosa Park on Thursday
Local time
12:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ponderosa Park, CO to Lakewood, CO
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
40.8 mi
66 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ponderosa Park, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 40.8 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 25, E-470, Hilltop Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14 miles on I 25. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.15 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 40.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Ponderosa Park, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 40.8 miles and takes about 1h 1m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 25 is the longest continuous segment at about 14 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.8 miles you will encounter 15 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 20.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
20.1 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 25: Denver, Colorado Springs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 1A
Toward I 25: Denver, Colorado Springs
9
20.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 25 North: Denver
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 25 North: Denver
7
34.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 209A-B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
9
35.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
6
39.1 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ponderosa Park, CO and Lakewood, CO, road signs point toward E470 Toll South and Colorado Springs.
E470 Toll South
14.9 mi in
|
~26m
Colorado Springs
20.1 mi in
|
~32m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 14 mi | 16m |
| E-470 | 4.9 mi | 4m |
| Hilltop Road | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| South Parker Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Flintwood Road | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| West 6th Avenue Freeway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Ponderosa Lane | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| North Wadsworth Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 14 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ponderosa Park, CO and Lakewood, CO.
1
Start on Verdos Drive
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Verdos Drive
2
Turn right onto Ponderosa Lane
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Ponderosa Lane
3
At end of road, turn right onto CR 65
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Flintwood Road
4
Turn straight onto CR 71
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Hilltop Road
5
Continue on Hess Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hess Road
6
Turn right onto CO 83
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
South Parker Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward E470 Toll South, I 25: Colorado Springs
8
Merge onto E470
4.9 mi
·
4 min
·
E-470
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 1A
Toward I 25: Denver, Colorado Springs
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 1A
Toward I 25 North: Denver
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 1A; 26
Toward I 25 North: Denver
12
Merge onto I 25
14 mi
·
16 min
·
I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 209A-B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 209B
Toward US 6 West: 6th Avenue, Lakewood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 6
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto US 6
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
US 6
Toward US 6
17
Merge onto US 6
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West 6th Avenue Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward CO 121 South: Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the right lane.
19
Turn straight onto CO 121
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Wadsworth Boulevard
20
Continue on CO 121
369 ft
·
15 sec
·
South Wadsworth Boulevard
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
CO 121
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.4 mi from Ponderosa Park, CO · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Ponderosa Park, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.15 one way
$12.29 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.51 | $13.02 |
| premium | $4.39 | $7.06 | $14.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.59
E-470
(4.9 mi)
$0.59
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.28 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.57 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.71 | $2.61 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Afternoon in Lakewood on Thursday
Local time
12:08 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
1 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
1h 1m 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 Ponderosa Park, CO to Lakewood, CO covers 40.8 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 25, E-470, Hilltop Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.4 miles from Ponderosa Park, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.15 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 40.8 miles you will encounter 15 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 20.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Ponderosa Park, CO and Lakewood, CO, road signs point toward E470 Toll South and Colorado Springs.
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