How far is Estes Park, CO from Fort Collins, CO?

The driving distance from Estes Park, CO to Fort Collins, CO is about 41.4 miles (66.7 km), with a travel time of about 01h 05m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 27.1 miles (43.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 10m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM MDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
41.43 mi
01h 05m
Flight
27.1 mi
43.62 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Estes Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
27.1 mi
Kilometers
43.62 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
41.43 mi
Kilometers
66.67 km
Drive Time
01h 05m

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 01h 05m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fort Collins
Sun, Apr 19, 6:38 AM MDT
Return by in Estes Park
Sun, Apr 19, 7:44 AM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Estes Park
2026-04-19T05:33
Arrive Fort Collins
Sun, Apr 19, 6:38 AM MDT
Route Timing
01h 05m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM MDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:05 AM to 11:05 AM MDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:20 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Estes Park
9:30 PM MDT
Morning start is best

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
Loveland
CO

The eighth most populous city in Colorado.

From Estes Park
20.7 mi
00h 32m
To Fort Collins
20.8 mi
00h 32m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
25°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 3:00 AM MDT
Wind
7 mph WSW
Destination
71°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
3 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Estes Park and Fort Collins.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Estes Park and Fort Collins.

  1. 1

    Start on Park Lane

    67 m · 15 sec · Park Lane

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Elkhorn Avenue

    1052 ft · 38 sec · East Elkhorn Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on East Elkhorn Avenue

    102 m · 13 sec · East Elkhorn Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on Big Thompson Road

    1795 ft · 40 sec · Big Thompson Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Big Thompson Avenue

    1.1 km · 1 min · Big Thompson Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on Big Thompson Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Big Thompson Road

  7. 7

    Continue on West Highway 34

    22.8 mi · 40 min · West Highway 34

  8. 8

    Continue on West Eisenhower Boulevard

    2.2 mi · 4 min · West Eisenhower Boulevard

  9. 9

    Turn left onto North Wilson Avenue

    4.1 mi · 7 min · North Wilson Avenue

  10. 10

    Continue on South Taft Hill Road

    8 mi · 14 min · South Taft Hill Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto West Mulberry Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · West Mulberry Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Canyon Avenue

    743 ft · 38 sec · Canyon Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto South Sherwood Street

    841 ft · 39 sec · South Sherwood Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Sherwood Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Estes Park and Fort Collins.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
33.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Highway 34
22.8 mi · 55%
South Taft Hill Road
8.01 mi · 19%
North Wilson Avenue
4.11 mi · 10%
West Eisenhower Boulevard
2.22 mi · 5%
West Mulberry Street
1.54 mi · 4%
Big Thompson Road
1.48 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

West Highway 34

Continue on West Highway 34

22.8 mi · 00h 40m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 05m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+14.3 mi
27.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Loveland
00h 32m from Estes Park
Leave By
4:20 PM MDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Estes Park and Sunny near Fort Collins.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Estes Park to Fort Collins?

The road trip is about 41.4 miles (66.7 km) and usually takes 01h 05m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Loveland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 20.7 miles from Estes Park and 20.8 miles from Fort Collins.

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

The direct path is about 27.1 miles (43.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 14.3 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM MDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:20 PM MDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.40 one way or $10.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 13 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Estes Park and Sunny near Fort Collins.

Stop Ideas Near Loveland

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

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

BUS

Fort Collins, Colorado

21 mi away
250 North Mason St.
BUS

Longmont, Colorado

25 mi away
623 Main St.
BUS

Boulder, Colorado

42 mi away
30th & Diagonal Highway
BUS

Denver (Bus Station), Colorado

72 mi away
1055 19th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Estes Park and Fort Collins. Straight-line distance: 27.1 mi (43.62 km).

Estes Park

#1 Estes Park

Town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States

Population6,553
Coordinates40.3772100, -105.5216700
Altitude2300
CountryUnited States
Fort Collins

#2 Fort Collins

The fifth most populous city in Colorado.

Population168,234
Coordinates40.5852600, -105.0844200
Altitude1525
CountryUnited States
Start: Park Lane (-105.521635, 40.377193)
End: South Sherwood Street (-105.08428, 40.58526)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 67 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 02m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 49m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 41m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 35m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 31m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.46 gal
5.53 L · about $5.40
Round trip
$10.80
2.92 gal · 11.06 L
Estimated CO2
13 kg one way
Round trip: 26 kg / 57 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.70 $5.40 $10.80
Mid-grade $4.08 $5.96 $11.93
Premium $4.39 $6.41 $12.82
Diesel $4.74 $6.92 $13.83

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 Estes Park and Fort Collins. The current time is 05:33:13.

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.