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Trip from Thornton, CO to Lincoln Park, CO

Data updated 4 hours ago

Drive Time

2h 41m

Distance

126.6 mi

204 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

16 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 30m ★
6 AM
2h 41m
8 AM
3h 2m
10 AM
2h 48m
12 PM
2h 46m
3 PM
2h 50m
5 PM
3h 1m
8 PM
2h 35m

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 Adams and Weld counties in Colorado, United States

Thornton, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Lincoln Park, CO, CO

Lincoln Park, CO

Julio Valdivia

Trip Overview

The drive from Thornton, CO to Lincoln Park, CO covers 126.6 miles and takes about 2h 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Valley Highway, South Nevada Avenue, CO 115 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 71.3 miles on North Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.07 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

63.3 miles from Thornton, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 13m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 41m drive with frequent turns across 126.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Valley Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 71.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Thornton Parkway.

Route Complexity 5/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 126.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.2 miles (Thornton Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

7
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Thornton Parkway

At end of road, turn left onto Thornton Parkway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
6
1.2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Turn left toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes. Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
6
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 25 / North Valley Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 25 / North Valley Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
80.7 mi into trip | ~1h 32m in

Take the exit toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenue

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 140 Toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenu...
6
126.4 mi into trip | ~2h 40m in | Grand Avenue

At end of road, turn left onto Grand Avenue

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Valley Highway 71.3 mi 1h 19m
South Nevada Avenue 33.1 mi 44m
CO 115 11.9 mi 20m
Monument Valley Freeway 7.8 mi 9m
Thornton Parkway 1 mi 2m
Birch Street 0.3 mi 1m
Dorothy Boulevard 0.2 mi <1m
Grand Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: North Valley Highway — 71.3 mi, about 1h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Thornton, CO and Lincoln Park, CO.

1

Start on this road

76 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Dorothy Boulevard

0.2 mi · 58 sec · Dorothy Boulevard
3

At end of road, turn left onto Thornton Parkway

1.0 mi · 2 min · Thornton Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
4

Turn left

0.4 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs Use the straight / left lanes.
5

Merge onto I 25

1.2 mi · 1 min · North Valley Highway
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 25

70 mi · 1 hr 18 min · North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7

Continue on I 25

7.8 mi · 9 min · Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 140 Toward CO 115 South: Tejon Street, Nevada Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn right onto CO 115

33 mi · 44 min · South Nevada Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Enter roundabout onto CO 115

106 ft · 2 sec · CO 115
11

Continue on CO 115

5.5 mi · 9 min · CO 115
Use the straight lane.
12

Turn slight right onto CO 115

6.4 mi · 10 min · CO 115
13

Turn right onto Birch Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Birch Street
14

At end of road, turn left onto Grand Avenue

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Grand Avenue
15

Turn right onto Logan Street

237 ft · 10 sec · Logan Street
16

Arrive at destination

Logan Street

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 63.3 miles from Thornton, CO, or about 1h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 71.3 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 80 miles or 1h 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 63.3 miles or 1h 13m 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 4m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Thornton, 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 Thornton, CO

This is one driving day of about 126.6 miles and 2h 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Thornton, 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 North Valley Highway for about 71.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 63.3 mi from Thornton, CO · 1h 13m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Colorado Springs, CO

63 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

Colorado Springs, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Colorado Springs, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63.3 miles from Thornton, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before North Valley Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 71.3 miles.

Arriving in Lincoln Park, CO

The final approach into Lincoln Park, 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 Lincoln Park, CO.

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.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

National Monument

Beneath a grassy mountain valley in central Colorado lies one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossil...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour $10 near mile 74.2
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.07 one way

$38.15 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $20.20 $40.39
premium $4.39 $21.90 $43.80
diesel $5.61 $27.95 $55.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

16 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Lowe's - Tesla Supercharger

Northglenn, CO

Tesla

16 DCFC

Kum & Go #321 - Tesla Supercharger

Thornton, CO

Tesla

8 DCFC

Kum & Go - Tesla Supercharger

Westminster, CO

Tesla

8 DCFC

Washington Plaza

Thornton, CO

GRAVITI_ENERGY

4 DCFC

O'Meara Ford

Northglenn, CO

EV Connect

4 DCFC

Walmart 1231 (Thornton, CO)

Thornton, CO

Electrify America

4 DCFC

Westminster City Center (Westminster, CO)

Westminster, CO

Electrify America

4 DCFC

Walmart 3867 (Westminster, CO)

Westminster, CO

Electrify America

3 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 6 Tesla: 3 Electrify America: 3 Blink Network: 1 GRAVITI_ENERGY: 1 EV Connect: 1 Non-Networked: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 38 0 $13.29 $6.08
Efficient EV 31.7 0 $11.08 $5.06
EV Truck/SUV 50.6 0 $17.72 $8.10

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 hours ago

Origin

Thornton, CO

Night in Thornton on Tuesday

Local time

9:47 PM

MDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Lincoln Park, CO

Night in Lincoln Park on Tuesday

Local time

9:47 PM

MDT

Current temp

42°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

4 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 41m 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 Thornton, CO to Lincoln Park, CO covers 126.6 miles and takes about 2h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Valley Highway, South Nevada Avenue, CO 115. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 63.3 miles from Thornton, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.07 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 126.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.2 miles (Thornton Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Thornton, CO to Lincoln Park, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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