This straightforward 156.5-mile drive from Yuma to Centennial, Colorado, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 2 hours and 28 minutes. You'll navigate using local roads like West 8th Avenue and Highway 34, eventually merging onto Highway 6 for parts of the journey. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $24, offering a budget-friendly option for traversing the Mountain West region. Given its manageable duration and distance, this route is ideal for a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without the need for an overnight stay. It's a practical choice for connecting these two Colorado communities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
78.2 miles from Yuma, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 14m into the drive
.
Centennial is a suburban city of about 106,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The city lies in Arapahoe County southeast of Denver.
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 156.5-mile journey, with no segments on major highways. This means your driving experience will involve frequent navigation through local streets and two-lane highways, rather than long stretches of high-speed interstate. The absence of a significant highway share suggests a pace dictated by local traffic and road conditions. While there's no specified longest continuous stretch, the profile indicates a route where you'll be actively engaged with the road, making frequent adjustments. This drive is less about open-road cruising and more about mindful navigation.
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 Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Yuma, CO to Centennial, CO is easy. At 2h 28m 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 Centennial, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
West 8th Avenue
—
—
Highway 34
—
—
Highway 6
—
—
E470 Toll South
—
—
E-470
—
—
Denver International Airport
—
—
Peña Boulevard West
—
—
Peña Boulevard
—
—
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 Centennial, 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 right onto US Highway 6
1.0 mi·1 min·US Highway 6
5
Take the ramp slight right
0.1 mi·19 sec
6
Merge slight left
73 mi·1 hr 13 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward E470 Toll South: Limon
1.0 mi·2 min·E470 Toll South: Limon
8
Merge slight left onto E-470
6.9 mi·6 min·E-470
9
Take the exit slight right toward Denver International Airport, Pena Boulevard
0.2 mi·17 sec·Denver International Airport, Pena Boulevard
10
Keep slight right to continue on Peña Boulevard West
0.7 mi·1 min·Peña Boulevard West
11
Merge slight left onto Peña Boulevard
6.6 mi·8 min·Peña Boulevard
12
Merge slight left onto Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
0.1 mi·8 sec·Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs, Peoria Street
0.4 mi·36 sec·I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs, Peoria Street
14
Keep slight left to continue on I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs
Keep slight left to continue on I 25 South: Colorado Springs
0.4 mi·34 sec·I 25 South: Colorado Springs
17
Keep slight left
0.2 mi·12 sec
18
Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway
3.3 mi·3 min·South Valley Highway
19
Take the exit slight right toward Dry Creek Road
0.3 mi·26 sec·Dry Creek Road
20
Turn right onto East Dry Creek Road
0.2 mi·21 sec·East Dry Creek Road
21
Turn left onto South Chester Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·South Chester Street
22
Turn left onto East Panorama Circle
0.1 mi·40 sec·East Panorama Circle
23
Turn left
135 ft·11 sec
24
Turn right
472 ft·35 sec
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just under 2.5 hours, this 156.5-mile trip from Yuma to Centennial offers plenty of flexibility. You can easily depart in the morning and arrive by midday, or opt for a leisurely afternoon drive. Since it's a shorter route with a low highway percentage, plan for more frequent, brief stops if needed, perhaps to grab a snack or stretch your legs at a local town along Highway 34 or 6. The fuel cost is estimated at a reasonable $24, so keeping your tank topped up won't be a major concern. A key tip for this turn-heavy local drive is to stay attentive to posted speed limits and any changes in road conditions as you transition between different local routes.
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 78.2 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 78.2 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Centennial, 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 156.5 miles and 2h 28m.
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 78.2 mi from Yuma, CO
· 1h 14m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.58 one way
$47.16 round trip
$3.83/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.05
$24.97
$49.93
premium
$4.39
$27.07
$54.15
diesel
$5.61
$34.55
$69.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54.8 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
46.9
0
$16.43
$7.51
Efficient EV
39.1
0
$13.69
$6.26
EV Truck/SUV
62.6
0
$21.91
$10.02
Gas CO2
55 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Yuma, CO
Morning
in Yuma on Saturday
Local time
9:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Centennial, CO
Morning
in Centennial on Saturday
Local time
9:56 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°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
6 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 28m 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 Centennial, CO covers 156.5 miles and takes about 2h 28m 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 78.2 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 $23.58 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 Centennial, CO is easy. At 2h 28m 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 Centennial, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Yuma, CO to Centennial, CO does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
