How far is Denver, CO from Lyons, IL?

The driving distance from Denver, CO to Lyons, IL is about 994.9 miles (1601.2 km), with a travel time of about 17h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 907.9 miles (1461.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 35h 26m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST.
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
994.93 mi
17h 43m
Flight
907.97 mi
1461.24 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Denver.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
907.97 mi
Kilometers
1461.24 km
Flight Time
01h 49m

Driving Distance

Road route
994.93 mi
Kilometers
1601.18 km
Drive Time
17h 43m

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 17h 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lyons
Thu, Nov 12, 5:02 PM CST
Return by in Denver
Fri, Nov 13, 9:45 AM MST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Denver
2026-11-11T22:19
Arrive Lyons
Thu, Nov 12, 4:02 PM MST
Route Timing
17h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:43 AM to 2:13 AM CST

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

Leave by
12:34 AM MST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Denver
8:00 PM MST
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
Waverly
NE

City in Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States of America

From Denver
496.5 mi
08h 51m
To Lyons
498.5 mi
08h 51m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
38°F
Overnight

Mostly Clear

Starts
Wed, Nov 11 3:00 AM MST
Wind
5 mph SW
Destination
55°F
Veterans Day

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Wed, Nov 11 6:00 AM CST
Wind
0 to 10 mph ENE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Denver and Lyons.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Denver and Lyons.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    115 m · 29 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    19 m · 12 sec

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Colfax Avenue

    110 m · 14 sec · East Colfax Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto North Lincoln Street

    2848 ft · 2 min · North Lincoln Street

  5. 5

    Continue on 20th Street

    153 m · 18 sec · 20th Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    2045 ft · 1 min · North Broadway

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Park Avenue West

    1.6 km · 3 min · Park Avenue West

  8. 8

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 25 North, I 70: Fort Collins, Limon, Grand Junction

    140 m · 11 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 25 North: Fort Collins

    1699 ft · 23 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight right onto North Valley Highway

    3 mi · 4 min · North Valley Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 76: Grand Junction, Fort Morgan, 70th Avenue

    611 ft · 8 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on I 76 East: Fort Morgan

    2635 ft · 1 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Heartland Expressway

    6.5 mi · 7 min · Heartland Expressway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on Heartland Expressway

    174.7 mi · 2 hr 55 min · Heartland Expressway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    474.5 mi · 8 hr 11 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City

    14.4 mi · 17 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    173.2 mi · 3 hr 9 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward I 88 East, IL 92 East: Sterling, Rock Falls

    1895 ft · 54 sec

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    43.8 mi · 47 min

  20. 20

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    90 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward Highland Avenue

    1654 ft · 40 sec

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Highland Avenue

    637 ft · 23 sec · Highland Avenue

  23. 23

    Turn left onto 31st Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · 31st Street

  24. 24

    Continue on Oak Brook Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Oak Brook Road

  25. 25

    Continue on 31st Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · 31st Street

  26. 26

    Continue on Oak Brook Road

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Oak Brook Road

  27. 27

    Continue on 31st Street

    3 mi · 6 min · 31st Street

  28. 28

    Turn slight right onto Grand Boulevard

    1.1 km · 2 min · Grand Boulevard

  29. 29

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 4 toward Grand Boulevard

    59 m · 7 sec · Grand Boulevard

  30. 30

    Exit the roundabout onto Grand Boulevard

    2752 ft · 2 min · Grand Boulevard

  31. 31

    Turn right onto Prairie Avenue

    2076 ft · 1 min · Prairie Avenue

  32. 32

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

    1.5 km · 2 min · Ogden Avenue

  33. 33

    Turn right onto Lawndale Avenue

    134 m · 15 sec · Lawndale Avenue

  34. 34

    Turn left onto White Avenue

    1340 ft · 1 min · White Avenue

  35. 35

    Turn right onto Joliet Avenue

    744 ft · 26 sec · Joliet Avenue

  36. 36

    Turn left onto 43rd Street

    717 ft · 32 sec · 43rd Street

  37. 37

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 43rd Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Denver and Lyons.

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
37 steps
16 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
3.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Heartland Expressway
656 mi · 66%
I 35
188 mi · 19%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
90 mi · 9%
I 88 East
44.2 mi · 4%
31st Street
5.01 mi · 1%
North Valley Highway
2.96 mi
Longest Stretch

Heartland Expressway

Merge slight left

474 mi · 08h 11m

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
17h 43m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
35h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+87 mi
907.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Waverly
08h 51m from Denver
Leave By
12:34 AM MST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Clear leaving Denver and Rain Showers Likely near Lyons.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Denver to Lyons?

The road trip is about 994.9 miles (1601.2 km) and usually takes 17h 43m 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?

Waverly is a useful midpoint, sitting about 496.5 miles from Denver and 498.5 miles from Lyons.

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

The direct path is about 907.9 miles (1461.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 87 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 MST. 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 $134.33 one way or $268.66 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 312 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Denver and Lyons, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Clear around Denver and Rain Showers Likely near Lyons.

Stop Ideas Near Waverly

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Waverly, 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 Waverly.

RAIL

Lincoln

19 mi away
201 North 7th St.
RAIL

Omaha

62 mi away
1003 S. 9th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Denver and Lyons. Straight-line distance: 907.97 mi (1461.24 km).

Denver

#1 Denver

The twentieth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Denver metropolitan area.

Population735,538
Coordinates39.7391500, -104.9847000
Altitude1609
CountryUnited States
Lyons

#2 Lyons

Village in Illinois United States of America

Population10,247
Coordinates41.8133700, -87.8181100
Altitude189
CountryUnited States
Start: Denver (-104.9847, 39.73915)
End: Lyons (-87.81811, 41.81337)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1601 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)33h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)24h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)19h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)16h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)14h 12m
80 mph (129 km/h)12h 24m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
35.11 gal
132.9 L · about $134.33
Round trip
$268.66
70.22 gal · 265.8 L
Estimated CO2
312 kg one way
Round trip: 624 kg / 1376 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.83 $134.33 $268.66
Mid-grade $4.21 $147.67 $295.35
Premium $4.53 $158.98 $317.96
Diesel $6.11 $214.45 $428.90

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 · Nov 11, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Denver, CO and Lyons, IL. The current time in Denver is 22:19:32, although it is 23:19:32 in Lyons.

Distance to Other Cities

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