Origin
Thornton, CO
Afternoon in Thornton on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thornton, CO to Lyons, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
40.1 mi
65 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thornton, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Lyons, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Thornton, CO to Lyons, CO covers 40.1 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CO 66, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, North Valley Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.5 miles on CO 66. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CO 66 | 15.5 mi | 25m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 15.1 mi | 15m |
| North Valley Highway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Washington Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East 104th Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Thornton Parkway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Dorothy Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CO 66
— 15.5 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thornton, CO and Lyons, 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
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Thornton Parkway
4
Turn right onto Washington Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn left onto East 104th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
East 104th Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 25 North
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 25
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Valley Highway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 25
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on I 25
15 mi
·
15 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 243
Toward CO 66: Lyons, Longmont
11
Turn left onto CO 66
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
CO 66
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on CO 66
13 mi
·
21 min
·
CO 66
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 36
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on US 36
31 ft
·
1 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
15
Arrive at destination
US 36
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Thornton, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Dorothy Boulevard
Turn left onto Dorothy Boulevard
Navigation decision point
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m 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 / right lanes.
6
23.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward CO 66: Lyons, Longmont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 243
Toward CO 66: Lyons, Longmont
6
24.2 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
CO 66
Turn left onto CO 66
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.04 one way
$12.08 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $6.40 | $12.79 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.94 | $13.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.85 | $17.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.21 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.57 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Lyons, CO
Afternoon in Lyons on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
28 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
54m 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?
40.1 mi in 54m — 39% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: CO 66.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.5 mi on CO 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Dorothy Boulevard.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 40.1 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Dorothy Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Thornton, CO to Lyons, CO, road signs begin pointing toward Longmont along the way.
Longmont
23.8 mi in
|
~27m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 40.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.5 miles on CO 66. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lyons, CO before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Dorothy Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (I 25 / North Valley Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Rocky Mountain National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lyons, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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