Origin
Salida, CO
Morning in Salida on Saturday
Local time
11:19 AM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salida, CO to Aurora, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 43m
Distance
148.7 mi
239 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 33m
★
6 AM
2h 44m
8 AM
3h 5m
10 AM
2h 51m
12 PM
2h 49m
3 PM
2h 52m
5 PM
3h 4m
8 PM
2h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salida, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Salida, CO to Aurora, CO covers 148.7 miles and takes about 2h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West 5th Street, Poncha Boulevard, Crestone Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74.3 miles from Salida, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 5th Street | — | — |
| Poncha Boulevard | — | — |
| Crestone Avenue | — | — |
| North Grant Street | — | — |
| Mesa Lane | — | — |
| US 285 North | — | — |
| West Hampden Drive | — | — |
| East Jefferson Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West 5th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salida, CO and Aurora, CO.
1
Start on I Street
151 ft
·
9 sec
·
I Street
2
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
West 5th Street
3
Turn right onto Poncha Boulevard
302 ft
·
13 sec
·
Poncha Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Crestone Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crestone Avenue
5
Turn right onto North Grant Street
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Grant Street
6
Continue on Mesa Lane
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Mesa Lane
7
At the end of the road, turn left
6.9 mi
·
9 min
8
Turn right
4.3 mi
·
6 min
9
Continue straight
9.7 mi
·
15 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 285 North
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
US 285 North
11
Merge slight left
74 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
12
Continue straight
38 mi
·
52 min
13
Continue on West Hampden Drive
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Hampden Drive
14
Continue on East Jefferson Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Avenue
15
Continue on East Hampden Bypass
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Hampden Bypass
16
Continue on East Hampden Avenue
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
East Hampden Avenue
17
Take the exit straight toward I 25 South
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
I 25 South
18
Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Valley Highway
19
Take the exit slight right toward I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 225 North: Aurora, Limon
20
Keep slight left to continue on I 225 North: Limon
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
I 225 North: Limon
21
Continue straight
7.9 mi
·
9 min
22
Take the exit slight right toward CO 30: 6th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
CO 30: 6th Avenue
23
Keep slight left to continue on CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue
141 ft
·
5 sec
·
CO 30: Colorado National Guard, Lowry Campus, 6th Avenue
24
Turn left onto East 6th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
East 6th Avenue
25
Turn right onto Vaughn Street
256 ft
·
13 sec
·
Vaughn Street
26
Turn right onto North Zion Street
509 ft
·
28 sec
·
North Zion Street
27
Turn left onto North Vaughn Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Vaughn Street
28
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74.3 miles from Salida, CO, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
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 33 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74.3 miles or 1h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Aurora, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Salida, 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 Salida, CO
This is one driving day of about 148.7 miles and 2h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Salida, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
74 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 74.3 miles from Salida, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.40 one way
$44.81 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
52 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $23.72 | $47.44 |
| premium | $4.39 | $25.72 | $51.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $32.83 | $65.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 52 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 44.6 | 0 | $15.61 | $7.14 |
| Efficient EV | 37.2 | 0 | $13.01 | $5.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 59.5 | 0 | $20.82 | $9.52 |
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Aurora, CO
Morning in Aurora on Saturday
Local time
11:19 AM
MDT
Current temp
47°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
25 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
2h 43m 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?
148.7 mi in 2h 43m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: West 5th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 Salida, CO to Aurora, CO is easy. At 2h 43m 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 Salida, CO to Aurora, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, CO
Full guide →Aurora is a city of about 400,000 of the Denver Metropolitan Area in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies immediately east of Denver in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties. In 2008 it was named the "All American City."
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 2h 43m. Total distance: 148.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Salida, CO to Aurora, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Aurora, 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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