How far is Palmer Lake, CO from Centennial, CO?

The driving distance from Palmer Lake, CO to Centennial, CO is about 34.3 miles (55.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 31.6 miles (50.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 19m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
34.27 mi
00h 39m
Flight
31.65 mi
50.93 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Palmer Lake.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
31.65 mi
Kilometers
50.93 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
34.27 mi
Kilometers
55.16 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 00h 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Centennial
Wed, Apr 22, 10:58 PM MDT
Return by in Palmer Lake
Wed, Apr 22, 11:37 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Palmer Lake
2026-04-22T22:18
Arrive Centennial
Wed, Apr 22, 10:58 PM MDT
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:40 AM to 7:40 PM MDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:10 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Palmer Lake
10:00 PM MDT
Flexible departure

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
Castle Rock
CO

The most populous city in Douglas County, Colorado.

From Palmer Lake
18.3 mi
00h 19m
To Centennial
16 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Wednesday

Sunny then Patchy Blowing Dust

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
15 to 25 mph SW
Destination
80°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
9 to 23 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Palmer Lake and Centennial.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palmer Lake and Centennial.

  1. 1

    Start on Upper Glenway

    68 m · 11 sec · Upper Glenway

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Pie Corner

    610 ft · 32 sec · Pie Corner

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left

    2134 ft · 1 min

  4. 4

    Continue on Spruce Mountain Road

    52 m · 6 sec · Spruce Mountain Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto County Line Road

    2.6 mi · 5 min · County Line Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left

    1314 ft · 32 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    32.1 mi · 33 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Dry Creek Road

    1717 ft · 36 sec

  9. 9

    Turn left onto East Dry Creek Road

    1583 ft · 36 sec · East Dry Creek Road

  10. 10

    Turn left onto South Chester Street

    552 ft · 31 sec · South Chester Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto East Panorama Circle

    720 ft · 40 sec · East Panorama Circle

  12. 12

    Turn left

    41 m · 11 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right

    144 m · 35 sec

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Palmer Lake and Centennial.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
14 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
County Line Road
35 mi · 102%
Dry Creek Road
0.32 mi · 1%
East Dry Creek Road
0.3 mi · 1%
East Panorama Circle
0.14 mi
Pie Corner
0.12 mi
South Chester Street
0.1 mi
Longest Stretch

County Line Road

Merge slight left

32.1 mi · 00h 33m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 20m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.7 mi
31.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Castle Rock
00h 19m from Palmer Lake
Leave By
7:10 PM MDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny then Patchy Blowing Dust leaving Palmer Lake and Sunny near Centennial.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Palmer Lake to Centennial?

The road trip is about 34.3 miles (55.2 km) and usually takes 00h 39m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Castle Rock is a useful midpoint, sitting about 18.3 miles from Palmer Lake and 16 miles from Centennial.

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

The direct path is about 31.6 miles (50.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.7 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:10 PM MDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.47 one way or $8.95 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny then Patchy Blowing Dust around Palmer Lake and Sunny near Centennial.

Stop Ideas Near Castle Rock

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

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

BUS

Denver (Bus Station), Colorado

44 mi away
1055 19th Street
RAIL

Union Station

44 mi away
1701 Wynkoop Street
BUS

Pine Junction, CO

48 mi away
76 Mount Evans Boulevard
BUS

Colorado Springs, Colorado

60 mi away
120 South Weber Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Palmer Lake and Centennial. Straight-line distance: 31.65 mi (50.93 km).

Palmer Lake

#1 Palmer Lake

City in El Paso County, Colorado, United States of America

Population3,037
Coordinates39.1222100, -104.9172000
Altitude2224
CountryUnited States
Centennial

#2 Centennial

The second most populous city in Arapahoe County, Colorado.

Population110,156
Coordinates39.5791600, -104.8769200
Altitude1777
CountryUnited States
Start: Upper Glenway (-104.917432, 39.122409)
End: (-104.877122, 39.579121)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 55 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 08m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 51m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 25m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.21 gal
4.58 L · about $4.47
Round trip
$8.95
2.42 gal · 9.16 L
Estimated CO2
10.8 kg one way
Round trip: 21.5 kg / 47 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.70 $4.47 $8.95
Mid-grade $4.08 $4.94 $9.88
Premium $4.39 $5.31 $10.63
Diesel $4.74 $5.73 $11.46

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Palmer Lake and Centennial. The current time is 22:18:38.

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.