Origin
Ponderosa Park, CO
Afternoon in Ponderosa Park on Saturday
Local time
1:38 PM
MDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ponderosa Park, CO to Arvada, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
46.3 mi
75 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ponderosa Park, CO
Dianna Sarmiento
Arvada, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ponderosa Park, CO to Arvada, CO covers 46.3 miles and takes about 1h 9m 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 highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18 miles on I 25. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 18 mi | 22m |
| 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 |
| I 70 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Ralston Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Ponderosa Lane | 1.8 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 18 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ponderosa Park, CO and Arvada, 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
18 mi
·
22 min
·
I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 214A
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Toward I 70
15
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 70 West: Grand Junction
16
Merge onto I 70
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 271A
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto CO 95
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Sheridan Boulevard
Use the right lane.
19
Turn left onto Ralston Road
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Ralston Road
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto Ammons Street
227 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ammons Street
21
Turn left
41 ft
·
3 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.2 miles from Ponderosa Park, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 43.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR 65 / Flintwood Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR 65 / Flintwood Road
Navigation decision point
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
8
38.9 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 214A
Toward I 70: Limon, Grand Junction
7
43.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 271A
Toward CO 95: Sheridan Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.98 one way
$13.95 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $7.39 | $14.77 |
| premium | $4.39 | $8.01 | $16.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
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
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| Efficient EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Arvada, CO
Afternoon in Arvada on Saturday
Local time
1:38 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°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
3 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 9m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
46.3 mi in 1h 9m — 45% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: I 25.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 2 miles in near CR 65 / Flintwood Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 2 miles (CR 65 / Flintwood Road): Navigation decision point; 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Arvada, CO, road signs point toward E470 Toll South, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction.
E470 Toll South
14.9 mi in
|
~26m
Colorado Springs
20.1 mi in
|
~32m
Grand Junction
38.9 mi in
|
~56m
About the Cities
Arriving in Arvada, CO
Full guide →Arvada is a city of about 125,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the U.S. state of Colorado. A former farming community in Jefferson and Adams counties, the city is now a residential suburb of Denver. Olde Town Arvada lies 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the Colorado State Capitol and 9 miles (14 km) east of the Front Range foothills.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 46.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.59 in tolls one way, starting with E-470. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Arvada, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (CR 65 / Flintwood Road): Navigation decision point; 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Arvada, CO before heading back.
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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