How far is Cortez, CO from Colorado Springs, CO?

The driving distance from Cortez, CO to Colorado Springs, CO is about 359 miles (577.7 km), with a travel time of about 06h 10m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 229 miles (368.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 20m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
359 mi
06h 10m
Flight
228.96 mi
368.47 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cortez.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
228.96 mi
Kilometers
368.47 km
Flight Time
00h 27m

Driving Distance

Road route
359 mi
Kilometers
577.75 km
Drive Time
06h 10m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 10m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Colorado Springs
Sun, Apr 19, 8:56 AM MDT
Return by in Cortez
Sun, Apr 19, 3:06 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cortez
2026-04-19T02:45
Arrive Colorado Springs
Sun, Apr 19, 8:56 AM MDT
Route Timing
06h 10m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:10 PM to 1:40 PM MDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:40 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Cortez
8:00 PM MDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Monte Vista
CO

Home rule municipality in Colorado

From Cortez
178.6 mi
03h 05m
To Colorado Springs
180.4 mi
03h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SE
Destination
68°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cortez and Colorado Springs.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cortez and Colorado Springs.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    65 m · 18 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Market Street

    59 m · 13 sec · North Market Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Main Street

    1.7 mi · 4 min · East Main Street

  4. 4

    Continue on East Mancos Road

    16.4 mi · 24 min · East Mancos Road

  5. 5

    Continue on US 160

    26.7 mi · 32 min · US 160

  6. 6

    Take the exit right toward US 160 East, US 550 South

    1140 ft · 31 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Camino del Rio

    3.8 mi · 6 min · Camino del Rio

  8. 8

    Continue on Highway 160

    52.7 mi · 1 hr 8 min · Highway 160

  9. 9

    Continue on San Juan Street

    2.6 mi · 5 min · San Juan Street

  10. 10

    Continue on Pagosa Street

    57.8 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Pagosa Street

  11. 11

    Continue on Grand Avenue

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Grand Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on West U.S. Highway 160

    12.6 mi · 15 min · West U.S. Highway 160

  13. 13

    Continue on 1st Avenue

    1.3 km · 2 min · 1st Avenue

  14. 14

    Continue on Park Avenue

    1343 ft · 46 sec · Park Avenue

  15. 15

    Continue on Grand Avenue

    16.3 mi · 27 min · Grand Avenue

  16. 16

    Continue on Sixth Street

    1647 ft · 42 sec · Sixth Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto West Avenue

    828 ft · 31 sec · West Avenue

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Fourth Street

    1.1 km · 2 min · Fourth Street

  19. 19

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Denver Avenue

    159 m · 18 sec · Denver Avenue

  20. 20

    Continue on Broadway Avenue

    1420 ft · 41 sec · Broadway Avenue

  21. 21

    Continue on Santa Fe Avenue

    71.4 mi · 1 hr 28 min · Santa Fe Avenue

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1938 ft · 44 sec · Main Street

  23. 23

    Continue on Main Street

    64 m · 4 sec · Main Street

  24. 24

    Continue on Walsen Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Walsen Avenue

  25. 25

    Continue on US Highway 85/87

    1.6 mi · 2 min · US Highway 85/87

  26. 26

    Take the ramp straight toward I 25 North: Pueblo

    86.9 mi · 1 hr 31 min

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward CO 115 South: Nevada Avenue, Tejon Street

    1731 ft · 42 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on Nevada Avenue North, Downtown

    124 m · 14 sec

  29. 29

    Turn right onto South Nevada Avenue

    1.3 km · 2 min · South Nevada Avenue

  30. 30

    Turn right onto East Cimarron Street

    149 m · 21 sec · East Cimarron Street

  31. 31

    Turn left onto South Weber Street

    2591 ft · 2 min · South Weber Street

  32. 32

    Turn left onto East Pikes Peak Avenue

    129 m · 14 sec · East Pikes Peak Avenue

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Pikes Peak Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cortez and Colorado Springs.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
33 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
1 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 25 North
86.9 mi · 24%
Santa Fe Avenue
71.4 mi · 20%
Pagosa Street
57.8 mi · 16%
Highway 160
52.7 mi · 15%
US 160
26.7 mi · 7%
Grand Avenue
17.4 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

I 25 North

Take the ramp straight toward I 25 North: Pueblo

86.9 mi · 01h 31m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 10m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+130 mi
229 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Monte Vista
03h 05m from Cortez
Leave By
11:40 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Cortez and Sunny near Colorado Springs.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cortez to Colorado Springs?

The road trip is about 359 miles (577.7 km) and usually takes 06h 10m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Monte Vista is a useful midpoint, sitting about 178.6 miles from Cortez and 180.4 miles from Colorado Springs.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 229 miles (368.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 130 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $46.85 one way or $93.71 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 112.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Cortez and Sunny near Colorado Springs.

Stop Ideas Near Monte Vista

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Monte Vista, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Monte Vista.

BUS

Alamosa, CO

26 mi away
111 Pike Avenue
BUS

Poncha Springs, CO

104 mi away
6250 US Highway 285
BUS

Salida, CO

106 mi away
54 Jones Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cortez and Colorado Springs. Straight-line distance: 228.96 mi (368.47 km).

Cortez

#1 Cortez

Town in and county seat of Montezuma County, Colorado, United States

Population8,734
Coordinates37.3488800, -108.5859300
Altitude1887
CountryUnited States
Colorado Springs

#2 Colorado Springs

The second most populous city in Colorado and the center of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area.

Population482,131
Coordinates38.8338800, -104.8213600
Altitude1832
CountryUnited States
Start: (-108.585936, 37.34914)
End: East Pikes Peak Avenue (-104.821358, 38.833914)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 578 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 57m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 58m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.67 gal
47.95 L · about $46.85
Round trip
$93.71
25.34 gal · 95.9 L
Estimated CO2
112.6 kg one way
Round trip: 225.2 kg / 496 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.70 $46.85 $93.71
Mid-grade $4.08 $51.74 $103.49
Premium $4.39 $55.63 $111.27
Diesel $4.74 $60.02 $120.04

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Colorado · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Cortez and Colorado Springs. The current time is 02:45:54.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.