Origin
Thornton, CO
Morning in Thornton on Monday
Local time
10:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thornton, CO to Manassa, CO
Drive Time
5h 20m
Distance
267.9 mi
431 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 7m
★
6 AM
5h 20m
8 AM
5h 47m
10 AM
5h 30m
12 PM
5h 27m
3 PM
5h 31m
5 PM
5h 46m
8 PM
5h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thornton, CO
Robert So
Trip Overview
The drive from Thornton, CO to Manassa, CO covers 267.9 miles and takes about 5h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dorothy Boulevard, Thornton Parkway, I 25 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.60 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
134 miles from Thornton, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 40m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 20m drive with frequent turns across 267.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dorothy Boulevard is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 20m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Thornton, CO to Manassa, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dorothy Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Thornton Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 25 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Valley Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Monument Valley Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John F | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Dorothy Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thornton, CO and Manassa, CO.
1
Start on the route
75 ft
·
12 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto Dorothy Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
59 sec
·
Dorothy Boulevard
3
At the end of the road, turn left onto Thornton Parkway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Thornton Parkway
4
Turn left onto I 25 South: Colorado Springs
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 25 South: Colorado Springs
5
Merge slight left onto North Valley Highway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
6
Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway
70 mi
·
1 hr 18 min
·
North Valley Highway
7
Continue on Monument Valley Freeway
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
8
Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
9
Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Highway
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
10
Continue on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
13 mi
·
12 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
11
Continue on North Freeway
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Freeway
12
Take the exit slight right toward 29th Street
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
29th Street
13
Merge slight left onto North Freeway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Freeway
14
Take the exit slight right toward 13th Street
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
13th Street
15
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
16
Merge slight left onto North Freeway
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
North Freeway
17
Continue on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
41 mi
·
40 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
18
Take the exit slight right toward South I 25 Business, US 160 West: Walsenburg, Alamosa
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
South I 25 Business, US 160 West: Walsenburg, Alamosa
19
Turn right onto West 7th Street
71 mi
·
1 hr 27 min
·
West 7th Street
20
Continue on Broadway Avenue
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Broadway Avenue
21
Continue on Denver Avenue
522 ft
·
18 sec
·
Denver Avenue
22
Turn right onto Fourth Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Fourth Street
23
Turn left onto West Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Avenue
24
Continue straight
20 mi
·
32 min
25
Turn left onto Main Street
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Main Street
26
Turn left onto North 5th Street
131 ft
·
6 sec
·
North 5th Street
27
Arrive at your destination
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 134 miles from Thornton, CO, or about 2h 40m 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 80 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manassa, 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 267.9 miles and 5h 20m.
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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 134 mi from Thornton, CO · 2h 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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 134 miles from Thornton, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Manassa, CO
The final approach into Manassa, 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 Manassa, CO.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.60 one way
$81.19 round trip
$3.85/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $43.07 | $86.15 |
| premium | $4.43 | $46.76 | $93.51 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $59.52 | $119.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.4 | 0 | $28.13 | $12.86 |
| Efficient EV | 67 | 0 | $23.44 | $10.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.2 | 1 | $37.51 | $17.15 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 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
Manassa, CO
Morning in Manassa on Monday
Local time
10:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
66°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 20m 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 Thornton, CO to Manassa, CO covers 267.9 miles and takes about 5h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dorothy Boulevard, Thornton Parkway, I 25 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 134 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 $40.60 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 is a straightforward 5h 20m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Thornton, CO to Manassa, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Thornton, CO to Manassa, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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