Origin
Yuma, CO
Morning in Yuma on Saturday
Local time
7:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yuma, CO to Boulder, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 29m
Distance
154.8 mi
249 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 19m
★
6 AM
2h 29m
8 AM
2h 49m
10 AM
2h 36m
12 PM
2h 34m
3 PM
2h 37m
5 PM
2h 48m
8 PM
2h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yuma, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 154.8-mile drive from Yuma, Colorado, to Boulder, Colorado, is a straightforward, single-day adventure, taking approximately 2 hours and 29 minutes. You'll navigate primarily using Highway 34 and Highway 6, with a brief stint on West 8th Avenue. Given the relatively short duration and manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a day trip, eliminating the need for an overnight stop. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $23. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, offering a consistent feel throughout. It's a practical choice for getting between these two Colorado locations efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
77.4 miles from Yuma, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 29m. Total distance: 154.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 29m 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 "turn-heavy local drive" for this 154.8-mile trip, with a 0% highway share. This means you'll be on more local roads and potentially dealing with more frequent turns and varying speed limits, rather than long stretches of high-speed highway driving. The absence of a "longest stretch" metric suggests a continuous series of smaller road segments rather than one continuous highway. This character means you'll likely experience a more varied pace as you transition through different towns and landscapes on your way to Boulder.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West 8th Avenue 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 Yuma, CO to Boulder, CO is easy. At 2h 29m 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 Yuma, CO to Boulder, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 8th Avenue | — | — |
| Highway 34 | — | — |
| Highway 6 | — | — |
| Grand Army of the Republic Highway | — | — |
| 136th Avenue | — | — |
| East 136th Avenue | — | — |
| Buckley Road | — | — |
| East 120th Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West 8th Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuma, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on South Ash Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
South Ash Street
2
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
28 mi
·
34 min
·
West 8th Avenue
3
Continue on US Highway 34
21 mi
·
24 min
·
US Highway 34
4
Turn slight right
266 ft
·
10 sec
5
Continue on US Highway 6
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US Highway 6
6
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
7
Take the ramp slight right
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
8
Merge slight left
72 mi
·
1 hr 11 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward 136th Avenue
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
136th Avenue
10
Turn right onto East 136th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East 136th Avenue
11
Turn left onto Buckley Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Buckley Road
12
Turn left onto East 120th Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 120th Avenue
13
Turn left onto E 470 Toll North
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
E 470 Toll North
14
Merge slight left onto E-470
13 mi
·
12 min
·
E-470
15
Continue on Northwest Parkway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Northwest Parkway
16
Take the exit slight right toward US 36 West: Boulder
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
US 36 West: Boulder
17
Merge slight left onto Denver–Boulder Turnpike
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
18
Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
19
Keep slight right to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
20
Keep slight left to continue on Denver–Boulder Turnpike
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Denver–Boulder Turnpike
21
Continue on 28th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
28th Street
22
Turn left onto Arapahoe Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arapahoe Avenue
23
Turn right onto 19th Street
144 ft
·
11 sec
·
19th Street
24
Turn left
89 ft
·
5 sec
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
With a drive time of under 2.5 hours, flexibility is your friend on this Yuma to Boulder route. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive in Boulder by midday, or even head out in the afternoon. There are no specific 'longest stretches' to worry about, so you can take breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you'll be on local roads with potentially fewer services than a major interstate. The estimated fuel cost of $23 is a good baseline for your budget. A practical tip: since it’s a turn-heavy local drive, pay close attention to GPS directions and any posted speed limit changes as you enter and exit different communities.
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 77.4 miles from Yuma, CO, or about 1h 14m 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 34 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 77.4 miles or 1h 14m 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 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Boulder, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yuma, 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 Yuma, CO
This is one driving day of about 154.8 miles and 2h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Yuma, 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 77.4 mi from Yuma, CO · 1h 14m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 77.4 miles from Yuma, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Boulder, CO
The final approach into Boulder, 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 Boulder, 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
$23.32 one way
$46.65 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
54 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $24.69 | $49.39 |
| premium | $4.39 | $26.78 | $53.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $34.18 | $68.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46.4 | 0 | $16.25 | $7.43 |
| Efficient EV | 38.7 | 0 | $13.55 | $6.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.9 | 0 | $21.67 | $9.91 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (67% 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
Boulder, CO
Morning in Boulder on Saturday
Local time
7:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
72°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
11 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 29m 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 Yuma, CO to Boulder, CO covers 154.8 miles and takes about 2h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West 8th Avenue, Highway 34, Highway 6. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 77.4 miles from Yuma, CO. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.32 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 Yuma, CO to Boulder, CO is easy. At 2h 29m 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 Yuma, CO to Boulder, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Yuma, CO to Boulder, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Boulder, CO
More trips to Boulder, CO
Explore more options from Yuma, CO or browse trips ending in Boulder, CO.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CO road trips.