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Trip from Thornton, CO to Limon, CO

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 41m

Distance

91.8 mi

148 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 34m ★
6 AM
1h 42m
8 AM
1h 57m
10 AM
1h 47m
12 PM
1h 45m
3 PM
1h 48m
5 PM
1h 56m
8 PM
1h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Adams and Weld counties in Colorado, United States

Thornton, CO

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Limon, CO, CO

Limon, CO

Marie Martin

Trip Overview

The drive from Thornton, CO to Limon, CO covers 91.8 miles and takes about 1h 41m 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 $13.83 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.

Midpoint

45.9 miles from Thornton, CO

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 41m. Total distance: 91.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 41m drive with frequent turns across 91.8 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.
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. 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 Thornton, CO to Limon, CO is easy. At 1h 41m 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 Thornton, CO to Limon, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Dorothy Boulevard
Thornton Parkway
I 25 South
North Valley Highway
I 270 East
Dwight D
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
I 70

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Dorothy Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Thornton, CO and Limon, 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

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Valley Highway
7

Take the exit slight left toward I 270 East: Aurora, Limon

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 270 East: Aurora, Limon
8

Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

6.7 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
9

Merge slight left onto Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway

3.8 mi · 5 min · Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
10

Keep slight left to continue on Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway

2.4 mi · 2 min · Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
11

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

73 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12

Take the exit slight right toward I 70 Business: Limon

0.3 mi · 45 sec · I 70 Business: Limon
13

Turn right

0.3 mi · 49 sec
14

Turn left

1.1 mi · 1 min
15

Turn left onto H Avenue

358 ft · 15 sec · H Avenue
16

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.9 miles from Thornton, CO, or about 50m 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 20 miles or 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 45.9 miles or 50m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 23m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Limon, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Thornton, CO

This is one driving day of about 91.8 miles and 1h 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Thornton, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45.9 mi from Thornton, CO · 50m into the drive

census designated place in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Byers, CO

46 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

Commerce City, CO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Byers, CO

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.9 miles from Thornton, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Limon, CO

The final approach into Limon, CO usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.83 one way

$27.66 round trip

$3.83/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.05 $14.64 $29.29
premium $4.39 $15.88 $31.76
diesel $5.61 $20.27 $40.54

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 32.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 27.5 0 $9.64 $4.41
Efficient EV 23 0 $8.03 $3.67
EV Truck/SUV 36.7 0 $12.85 $5.88

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Thornton, CO

Morning in Thornton on Friday

Local time

11:28 AM

MDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Limon, CO

Morning in Limon on Friday

Local time

11:28 AM

MDT

Current temp

78°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

32 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 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 Limon, CO covers 91.8 miles and takes about 1h 41m 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 45.9 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 $13.83 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.

The drive from Thornton, CO to Limon, CO is easy. At 1h 41m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Thornton, CO to Limon, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Thornton, CO to Limon, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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Explore More

Return Trip

Limon, CO to Thornton, CO

Plan the drive back the other way.

91.7 mi 1h 41m

Explore more options from Thornton, CO or browse trips ending in Limon, CO.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.