How far is Sterling, CO from Centennial, CO?

The driving distance from Sterling, CO to Centennial, CO is about 146.7 miles (236.1 km), with a travel time of about 02h 04m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 114.1 miles (183.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 04h 09m 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
146.71 mi
02h 04m
Flight
114.05 mi
183.55 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sterling.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
114.05 mi
Kilometers
183.55 km
Flight Time
00h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
146.71 mi
Kilometers
236.11 km
Drive Time
02h 04m

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 02h 04m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Centennial
Sun, Apr 19, 4:23 AM MDT
Return by in Sterling
Sun, Apr 19, 6:28 AM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sterling
2026-04-19T02:18
Arrive Centennial
Sun, Apr 19, 4:23 AM MDT
Route Timing
02h 04m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM MDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:05 AM to 12:05 PM MDT

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

Leave by
2:20 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sterling
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
Wiggins
CO

Town in Colorado, United States

From Sterling
70.4 mi
01h 02m
To Centennial
76.3 mi
01h 02m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
7 to 10 mph SSW
Destination
69°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sterling and Centennial.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    73 m · 23 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North 3rd Street

    84 m · 11 sec · North 3rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto East Chestnut Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · East Chestnut Street

  4. 4

    Continue on US Highway 6

    1246 ft · 24 sec · US Highway 6

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 76 West

    1715 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    105.8 mi · 1 hr 46 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward E470 Toll South: Limon

    1.6 km · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto E-470

    6.9 mi · 7 min · E-470

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Denver International Airport, Pena Boulevard

    1099 ft · 17 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on Peña Boulevard West

    1.2 km · 1 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Peña Boulevard

    6.6 mi · 8 min · Peña Boulevard

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway

    546 ft · 8 sec · Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Highway

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs, ​Peoria Street

    1915 ft · 36 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 225 South: Aurora, Colorado Springs

    1.3 mi · 2 min

  15. 15

    Continue straight

    11.1 mi · 13 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on I 25 South: Colorado Springs

    2190 ft · 34 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    916 ft · 12 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto South Valley Highway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · South Valley Highway

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward Dry Creek Road

    1389 ft · 26 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right onto East Dry Creek Road

    999 ft · 21 sec · East Dry Creek Road

  21. 21

    Turn left onto South Chester Street

    552 ft · 31 sec · South Chester Street

  22. 22

    Turn left onto East Panorama Circle

    720 ft · 40 sec · East Panorama Circle

  23. 23

    Turn left

    41 m · 11 sec

  24. 24

    Turn right

    144 m · 35 sec

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
25 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
5 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 76 West
106 mi · 72%
I 225 South
12.7 mi · 9%
E-470
6.95 mi · 5%
Peña Boulevard
6.62 mi · 5%
South Valley Highway
3.34 mi · 2%
East Chestnut Street
1.44 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 76 West

Merge slight left

106 mi · 01h 46m

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
02h 04m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
04h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+32.6 mi
114.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wiggins
01h 02m from Sterling
Leave By
2:20 PM MDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Sterling and Sunny near Centennial.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sterling to Centennial?

The road trip is about 146.7 miles (236.1 km) and usually takes 02h 04m 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?

Wiggins is a useful midpoint, sitting about 70.4 miles from Sterling and 76.3 miles from Centennial.

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

The direct path is about 114.1 miles (183.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 32.6 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 2:20 PM MDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $19.16 one way or $38.31 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 46 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Sterling and Sunny near Centennial.

Stop Ideas Near Wiggins

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

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

RAIL

Fort Morgan

23 mi away
South Ensign St and Main St
BUS

Longmont, Colorado

88 mi away
623 Main St.
BUS

Fort Collins, Colorado

93 mi away
250 North Mason St.
BUS

Denver (Bus Station), Colorado

95 mi away
1055 19th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sterling and Centennial. Straight-line distance: 114.05 mi (183.55 km).

Sterling

#1 Sterling

City in Colorado

Population14,078
Coordinates40.6255400, -103.2077100
Altitude1200
CountryUnited States
Centennial

#2 Centennial

The second most populous city in Arapahoe County, Colorado.

Population110,156
Coordinates39.5791600, -104.8769200
Altitude1777
CountryUnited States
Start: (-103.207522, 40.625796)
End: (-104.877122, 39.579121)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 236 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 53m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 56m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 05m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 49m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.18 gal
19.6 L · about $19.16
Round trip
$38.31
10.36 gal · 39.2 L
Estimated CO2
46 kg one way
Round trip: 92.1 kg / 203 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.70 $19.16 $38.31
Mid-grade $4.08 $21.16 $42.31
Premium $4.39 $22.75 $45.49
Diesel $4.74 $24.54 $49.08

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 Sterling and Centennial. The current time is 02:18:16.

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.