Colorado road trips
Best Road Trips in Colorado
20 popular Colorado drives with distance, driving time, EV-friendliness and gas cost at the state's estimated $3.20/gal.
Editor's picks
Top Colorado Drives Right Now
Curated short-distance Colorado routes — the most popular, lowest-cost picks.
Aspen, CO → Denver, CO
124 mi · 2.0 h · ~$14 gas
Cheyenne, WY → Denver, CO
115 mi · 1.9 h · ~$13 gas
Boulder, CO → Denver, CO
28 mi · 0.5 h · ~$3 gas
Denver, CO → Santa Fe, NM
336 mi · 5.4 h · ~$38 gas
Aspen, CO → Santa Fe, NM
291 mi · 4.7 h · ~$33 gas
Aspen, CO → Colorado Springs, CO
130 mi · 2.1 h · ~$15 gas
Our Colorado road trip ranking method
Routes are ranked by traveler popularity between Colorado metros and major destinations, with distance, driving time and current $3.20/gal fuel cost calculated for every drive.
- Distance: city-center to city-center with a 1.18× road-curvature factor.
- Fuel cost: 28 MPG baseline × $3.20/gal Colorado regular.
- Popularity: traveler-intent signals between major Colorado origins and destinations.
- EV practicality: regional DC fast-charging coverage flagged per route.
Asheville → Denver
The headline Colorado road trip — 1483 miles, about 23.9 hours of driving and roughly $169 in gas at $3.20/gal.
More top Colorado drives (19)
Atlanta → Boulder
1450 mi · ~23.4 h · ~$166 gas
Open tripAtlanta → Denver
1428 mi · ~23.0 h · ~$163 gas
Open tripPensacola → Denver
1404 mi · ~22.6 h · ~$160 gas
Open tripAtlanta → Colorado Springs
1402 mi · ~22.6 h · ~$160 gas
Open tripKnoxville → Denver
1388 mi · ~22.4 h · ~$159 gas
Open tripMontgomery → Denver
1367 mi · ~22.0 h · ~$156 gas
Open tripMobile → Denver
1345 mi · ~21.7 h · ~$154 gas
Open tripChattanooga → Denver
1328 mi · ~21.4 h · ~$152 gas
Open tripLexington → Denver
1305 mi · ~21.0 h · ~$149 gas
Open tripBirmingham → Denver
1290 mi · ~20.8 h · ~$147 gas
Open tripNew Orleans → Denver
1275 mi · ~20.6 h · ~$146 gas
Open tripHuntsville → Denver
1260 mi · ~20.3 h · ~$144 gas
Open tripLouisville → Denver
1222 mi · ~19.7 h · ~$140 gas
Open tripNashville → Denver
1204 mi · ~19.4 h · ~$138 gas
Open tripBaton Rouge → Denver
1190 mi · ~19.2 h · ~$136 gas
Open tripJackson → Denver
1147 mi · ~18.5 h · ~$131 gas
Open tripMemphis → Denver
1035 mi · ~16.7 h · ~$118 gas
Open tripShreveport → Denver
944 mi · ~15.2 h · ~$108 gas
Open tripLittle Rock → Denver
918 mi · ~14.8 h · ~$105 gas
Open tripBest driving cost routes in Colorado
Top Colorado road trips with gas, distance and driving time at the state's estimated $3.20/gal.
Cheapest Colorado road trips
Short, low-fuel-cost drives — great for a weekend trip from Colorado.
Long-distance road trips from Colorado
500+ mile drives for cross-country and multi-day road trip planning.
Drives in neighboring states
Cross-state routes near Colorado — Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah.
Gas prices in Colorado
Estimated regular at $3.20/gal · premium $3.85 · diesel $3.50.
Best vehicles for Colorado drivers
- Best hybridToyota Prius57 MPG
- Best EVLucid Air134 MPGe
- Best SUVNissan Rogue33 MPG
- Best truckFord Maverick26 MPG
Commute cost in Colorado
Daily driving cost estimates for major Colorado-area cities.
EV vs gas in Colorado
Compare driving cost of an EV vs a gas car for Colorado trips and commutes.
Neighboring state road trip hubs
FAQ
What's the best time of year for a Colorado road trip?
Spring and fall typically offer the most comfortable driving weather across most of Colorado. Coastal and southern routes are pleasant year-round; mountain routes are best between late spring and early fall.
How much does a Colorado road trip cost in fuel?
At Colorado's estimated $3.20/gal and 28 MPG, expect roughly $11.43 per 100 miles. Each route below includes a detailed estimate.
Is Colorado EV-friendly for road trips?
Yes — most popular Colorado routes have solid DC fast-charging coverage. Check our EV-friendly routes collection for the strongest picks.
How accurate are these distances?
Distances are calculated from city centers using a road-curvature factor of about 1.18 over straight-line distance. Real-world mileage varies by route choice and traffic.