Origin
Rifle, CO
Afternoon in Rifle on Monday
Local time
1:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rifle, CO to Greeley, CO
Drive Time
4h 39m
Distance
242.4 mi
390 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 26m
★
6 AM
4h 40m
8 AM
5h 6m
10 AM
4h 49m
12 PM
4h 46m
3 PM
4h 50m
5 PM
5h 5m
8 PM
4h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Greeley, CO
Jacob Moore
Trip Overview
The drive from Rifle, CO to Greeley, CO covers 242.4 miles and takes about 4h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 70, Heartland Expressway, County Road 49 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 179.1 miles on I 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.73 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
121.2 miles from Rifle, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 4h 39m highway drive covering 242.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 70 and Heartland Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 179.1 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 16 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 179.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 70 and Heartland Expressway. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 180.3 miles in near I 76 / Heartland Expressway.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 242.4 miles you will encounter 13 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 180.3 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 192.8 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 214.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
180.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 27m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
192.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 41m in
|
I 76 / Heartland Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Heartland Expressway toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
7
214.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 3m in
Take the exit toward Kersey Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
7
240.5 mi into trip
|
~4h 35m in
|
US 34 Business; US 85 Business / 8th Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto US 34 Business; US 85 Business / 8th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
241.5 mi into trip
|
~4h 37m in
|
US 34 Business / 10th Avenue
Turn right onto US 34 Business / 10th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 70 | 179.1 mi | 3h 24m |
| Heartland Expressway | 34.4 mi | 36m |
| County Road 49 | 22 mi | 25m |
| East 18th Street | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| 8th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 9th Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| CO 13 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Railroad Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 70
— 179.1 mi, about 3h 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rifle, CO and Greeley, CO.
1
Start on Railroad Avenue
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Railroad Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Continue on CO 13
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
CO 13
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Enter roundabout
254 ft
·
4 sec
4
Continue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
5
Merge onto I 70
179 mi
·
3 hr 24 min
·
I 70
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 76
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Exit 269B
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
22 mi
·
21 min
·
Heartland Expressway
Toward I 76 East: Fort Morgan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 34
Toward Kersey Road
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto CR 49
22 mi
·
25 min
·
County Road 49
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto East 18th Street
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 18th Street
Use the left lane.
11
At end of road, turn right onto US 34 Business; US 85 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
8th Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto US 34 Business
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
10th Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto US 34 Business
503 ft
·
16 sec
·
10th Avenue
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto US 34 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto 19th Avenue
262 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
19th Avenue
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 121.2 miles from Rifle, CO, or about 2h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 179.1 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 80 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 121.2 miles or 2h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Greeley, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Rifle, 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 Rifle, CO
This is one driving day of about 242.4 miles and 4h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rifle, 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 179.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 121.2 mi from Rifle, CO · 2h 19m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
121 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 121.2 miles from Rifle, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 70 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 179.1 miles.
Arriving in Greeley, CO
The final approach into Greeley, 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 Greeley, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.73 one way
$73.46 round trip
$3.85/gal
25.4 MPG avg
85 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $38.97 | $77.95 |
| premium | $4.43 | $42.31 | $84.61 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $53.85 | $107.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 84.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 72.7 | 0 | $25.45 | $11.64 |
| Efficient EV | 60.6 | 0 | $21.21 | $9.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 97 | 1 | $33.94 | $15.51 |
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
28 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.
Destination
Greeley, CO
Afternoon in Greeley on Monday
Local time
1:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
41°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 7 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 3:00AM MDT until April 13 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Denver CO
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 13 at 12:18AM MDT until April 13 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Pueblo CO
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
7 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
4h 39m 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 Rifle, CO to Greeley, CO covers 242.4 miles and takes about 4h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 70, Heartland Expressway, County Road 49. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 121.2 miles from Rifle, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $36.73 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 242.4 miles you will encounter 13 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 180.3 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 192.8 miles (I 76 / Heartland Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 214.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Rifle, CO to Greeley, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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