Origin
Westminster, CO
Morning in Westminster on Saturday
Local time
11:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westminster, CO to Las Animas, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 27m
Distance
201.6 mi
324 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 14m
★
6 AM
4h 27m
8 AM
4h 54m
10 AM
4h 36m
12 PM
4h 34m
3 PM
4h 38m
5 PM
4h 52m
8 PM
4h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westminster, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Las Animas, CO
RDNE Stock project
Trip Overview
The drive from Westminster, CO to Las Animas, CO covers 201.6 miles and takes about 4h 27m 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, East Cranston Avenue, Ronald Reagan Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 63 miles on North Valley Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.37 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
100.8 miles from Westminster, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 56m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Valley Highway | 63 mi | 1h 8m |
| East Cranston Avenue | 27.9 mi | 46m |
| Ronald Reagan Highway | 22.9 mi | 23m |
| CO 96 | 20.7 mi | 27m |
| West 1st Street | 19.8 mi | 33m |
| John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway | 12.9 mi | 12m |
| Monument Valley Freeway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| US 50 | 7.6 mi | 12m |
Longest stretch:
North Valley Highway
— 63 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westminster, CO and Las Animas, CO.
1
Start on Newton Street
114 ft
·
11 sec
·
Newton Street
2
Turn left onto West 77th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
West 77th Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto Lowell Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Boulevard
4
Turn left onto West 72nd Avenue
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
West 72nd Avenue
5
Turn right onto US 287
4.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Federal Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto North Speer Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Speer Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 25 South: Colorado Springs
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 25
63 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
North Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 25
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Monument Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 25; US 24
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 25
23 mi
·
23 min
·
Ronald Reagan Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 25
13 mi
·
12 min
·
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 25
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Freeway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 101
Toward US 50 West, CO 47 East: Cañon City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto CO 47
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
César Chávez Memorial Highway
Use the straight / sharp right lanes.
16
Take the exit
231 ft
·
6 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on Pete Jimenez Parkway
515 ft
·
14 sec
·
Pete Jimenez Parkway
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on William White Boulevard
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
William White Boulevard
19
Turn right onto Paul Harvey Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Paul Harvey Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
20
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Use the left lane.
21
Merge onto US 50; CO 96
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 50; CO 96
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on US 50; CO 96
6.6 mi
·
10 min
·
US 50; CO 96
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Turn left onto CO 96
21 mi
·
27 min
·
CO 96
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto CO 167; CR 3
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
CO 167; CR 3
25
Turn left onto US 50
28 mi
·
46 min
·
East Cranston Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Continue on US 50
20 mi
·
33 min
·
West 1st Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Turn left onto Elm Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Elm Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
Elm Avenue
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 100.8 miles from Westminster, CO, or about 1h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63 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 44 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.8 miles or 1h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Las Animas, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Westminster, 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 Westminster, CO
This is one driving day of about 201.6 miles and 4h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Westminster, 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 63 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
101 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 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 100.8 miles from Westminster, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before North Valley Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63 miles.
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 195 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 123.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Turn right onto US 287 / Federal Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
78.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 33m in
|
I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
116.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
Take the exit toward US 50 West, CO 47 East: Cañon City
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 101
Toward US 50 West, CO 47 East: Cañon City
6
123.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
|
Paul Harvey Boulevard
Turn right onto Paul Harvey Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
123.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 23m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.37 one way
$60.75 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
71 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $32.16 | $64.32 |
| premium | $4.39 | $34.88 | $69.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $44.51 | $89.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 60.5 | 0 | $21.17 | $9.68 |
| Efficient EV | 50.4 | 0 | $17.64 | $8.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 80.6 | 1 | $28.22 | $12.90 |
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Destination
Las Animas, CO
Morning in Las Animas on Saturday
Local time
11:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
48°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
2 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
4h 27m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
$10
near mile 76.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 4h 27m drive with frequent turns across 201.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 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 63 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near US 287 / Federal 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 201.6 miles you will encounter 19 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 1.3 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 78.8 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 116.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 27m. Total distance: 201.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Westminster, CO to Las Animas, CO covers 201.6 miles and takes about 4h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Valley Highway, East Cranston Avenue, Ronald Reagan Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 100.8 miles from Westminster, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.37 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 201.6 miles you will encounter 19 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 1.3 miles (US 287 / Federal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 78.8 miles (I 25 / Ronald Reagan Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 116.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Westminster, CO to Las Animas, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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