How far is Sheridan, CO from Thornton, CO?

The driving distance from Sheridan, CO to Thornton, CO is about 19 miles (30.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.5 miles (25 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 57m 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
18.99 mi
00h 28m
Flight
15.54 mi
25.01 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sheridan.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.54 mi
Kilometers
25.01 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.99 mi
Kilometers
30.56 km
Drive Time
00h 28m

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 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Thornton
Wed, Apr 15, 8:28 PM MDT
Return by in Sheridan
Wed, Apr 15, 8:56 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sheridan
2026-04-15T19:59
Arrive Thornton
Wed, Apr 15, 8:28 PM MDT
Route Timing
00h 28m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:29 AM to 7:29 PM MDT

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

Leave by
7:32 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Sheridan
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
Denver
CO

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

From Sheridan
9.4 mi
00h 14m
To Thornton
9.6 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
39°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 1:00 AM MDT
Wind
6 mph W
Destination
68°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
6 to 12 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sheridan and Thornton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sheridan and Thornton.

  1. 1

    Start on South Federal Boulevard

    1433 ft · 24 sec · South Federal Boulevard

  2. 2

    Take the ramp straight toward US 285 North

    1065 ft · 29 sec

  3. 3

    Merge slight left onto West Hampden Avenue

    1.5 km · 1 min · West Hampden Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward US 85

    828 ft · 35 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on US 85 North

    76 m · 15 sec

  6. 6

    Turn left onto US 85 North

    32 m · 6 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight right onto South Santa Fe Drive

    3.5 mi · 4 min · South Santa Fe Drive

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 25 North: Fort Collins

    1.4 km · 2 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway

    10 mi · 14 min · South Valley Highway

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · North Valley Highway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Thornton Parkway

    2280 ft · 43 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Thornton Parkway

    1.4 km · 2 min · Thornton Parkway

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Dorothy Boulevard

    1077 ft · 51 sec · Dorothy Boulevard

  14. 14

    Turn right

    36 m · 9 sec

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sheridan and Thornton.

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
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
78.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Valley Highway
10 mi · 53%
South Santa Fe Drive
3.52 mi · 19%
Thornton Parkway
1.33 mi · 7%
North Valley Highway
1.29 mi · 7%
West Hampden Avenue
0.91 mi · 5%
I 25 North
0.85 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

South Valley Highway

Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway

10 mi · 00h 14m

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 28m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.5 mi
15.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Denver
00h 14m from Sheridan
Leave By
7:32 PM MDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Sheridan and Sunny near Thornton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sheridan to Thornton?

The road trip is about 19 miles (30.6 km) and usually takes 00h 28m 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?

Denver is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.4 miles from Sheridan and 9.6 miles from Thornton.

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

The direct path is about 15.5 miles (25 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.5 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 7:32 PM MDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.48 one way or $4.96 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Sheridan and Sunny near Thornton.

Stop Ideas Near Denver

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Denver and the surrounding midpoint area.
Fairplay Park
Scenic stop 10.5 mi away

Fairplay Park

Aurora , CO
2200 Altura Blvd, Aurora, CO 80011
Rating 4.2/5 125 reviews Tourist attraction,Park
Denver City Council
Meeting point 1.6 mi away

Denver City Council

Denver , CO
1437 Bannock St rm 451, Denver, CO 80202
Rating 3.6/5 92 reviews City government office,County government office
Town Hall Arts Center
Nearby stop 9.9 mi away

Town Hall Arts Center

Littleton , CO
2450 Main St, Littleton, CO 80120
Rating 4.7/5 204 reviews Performing arts theater,Art gallery
Municipal Court Park
Scenic stop 5.5 mi away

Municipal Court Park

Westminster , CO
3025 W 76th Ave, Westminster, CO 80030
Rating 3.8/5 94 reviews Park

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Denver.

BUS

Denver (Bus Station), Colorado

1 mi away
1055 19th Street
RAIL

Union Station

2 mi away
1701 Wynkoop Street
BUS

Boulder, Colorado

44 mi away
30th & Diagonal Highway
BUS

Pine Junction, CO

46 mi away
76 Mount Evans Boulevard

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sheridan and Thornton. Straight-line distance: 15.54 mi (25.01 km).

Sheridan

#1 Sheridan

City in State of Colorado, United States

Population6,027
Coordinates39.6469300, -105.0252600
Altitude1623
CountryUnited States
Thornton

#2 Thornton

The seventh most populous city in Colorado.

Population148,113
Coordinates39.8680400, -104.9719200
Altitude1631
CountryUnited States
Start: South Federal Boulevard (-105.025307, 39.64693)
End: (-104.971859, 39.868064)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 31 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.67 gal
2.54 L · about $2.48
Round trip
$4.96
1.34 gal · 5.08 L
Estimated CO2
6 kg one way
Round trip: 11.9 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.70 $2.48 $4.96
Mid-grade $4.08 $2.74 $5.47
Premium $4.39 $2.94 $5.88
Diesel $4.74 $3.17 $6.35

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Sheridan and Thornton. The current time is 19:59:37.

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.