How far is Thornton, CO from Mancos, CO?

The driving distance from Thornton, CO to Mancos, CO is about 370.1 miles (595.6 km), with a travel time of about 08h 21m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 249.9 miles (402.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 42m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
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
370.09 mi
08h 21m
Flight
249.9 mi
402.18 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Thornton.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
249.9 mi
Kilometers
402.18 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
370.09 mi
Kilometers
595.61 km
Drive Time
08h 21m

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 08h 21m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Mancos
Sun, Apr 19, 12:42 PM MDT
Return by in Thornton
Sun, Apr 19, 9:03 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Thornton
2026-04-19T04:20
Arrive Mancos
Sun, Apr 19, 12:42 PM MDT
Route Timing
08h 21m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:21 PM to 3:51 PM MDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Thornton
8:00 PM MDT
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
Saguache
CO

Human settlement in Colorado, United States of America

From Thornton
185 mi
04h 10m
To Mancos
185.1 mi
04h 10m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph S
Destination
66°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph SE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    23 m · 12 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Dorothy Boulevard

    1165 ft · 59 sec · Dorothy Boulevard

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Thornton Parkway

    1.6 km · 2 min · Thornton Parkway

  4. 4

    Turn left onto I 25 South: Colorado Springs

    1973 ft · 40 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto North Valley Highway

    1.2 mi · 2 min · North Valley Highway

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · North Valley Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 76 West: Arvada, Grand Junction

    1.5 km · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Heartland Expressway

    5.2 mi · 6 min · Heartland Expressway

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    8.7 mi · 10 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward CO 470 East: Colorado Springs

    1.1 km · 51 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left

    5.1 mi · 6 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward US 285 South: Fairplay

    1.1 km · 1 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    101.5 mi · 2 hr 13 min

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn left

    11.1 mi · 18 min

  15. 15

    Continue straight

    10 mi · 16 min

  16. 16

    Turn left

    40.4 mi · 51 min

  17. 17

    Turn slight left

    23.5 mi · 34 min

  18. 18

    Turn right onto West Highway 112

    13.1 mi · 19 min · West Highway 112

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Grand Avenue

    1 km · 2 min · Grand Avenue

  20. 20

    Continue on West U.S. Highway 160

    57.8 mi · 1 hr 21 min · West U.S. Highway 160

  21. 21

    Continue on San Juan Street

    2.6 mi · 5 min · San Juan Street

  22. 22

    Continue on US 160

    10.5 mi · 14 min · US 160

  23. 23

    Continue straight

    46.1 mi · 1 hr

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight left

    588 ft · 25 sec

  25. 25

    At the end of the road, turn left

    27.2 mi · 33 min

  26. 26

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    903 ft · 21 sec · North Main Street

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Car Route Details

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

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
27 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
5 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 285 South
112 mi · 30%
West U.S. Highway 160
57.8 mi · 16%
US 160
56.7 mi · 15%
Heartland Expressway
13.8 mi · 4%
West Highway 112
13.1 mi · 4%
CO 470 East
5.75 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

US 285 South

Merge slight left

101 mi · 02h 14m

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
08h 21m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
16h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+120.2 mi
249.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Saguache
04h 10m from Thornton
Leave By
7:18 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Thornton and Mostly Sunny near Mancos.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 370.1 miles (595.6 km) and usually takes 08h 21m 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?

Saguache is a useful midpoint, sitting about 185 miles from Thornton and 185.1 miles from Mancos.

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

The direct path is about 249.9 miles (402.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 120.2 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 MDT. 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 $48.30 one way or $96.59 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 116.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Saguache

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

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

BUS

Poncha Springs, CO

48 mi away
6250 US Highway 285
BUS

Salida, CO

50 mi away
54 Jones Avenue
BUS

Alamosa, CO

72 mi away
111 Pike Avenue
BUS

Buena Vista, CO

81 mi away
27318 County Road 314

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Thornton and Mancos. Straight-line distance: 249.9 mi (402.18 km).

Thornton

#1 Thornton

The seventh most populous city in Colorado.

Population148,113
Coordinates39.8680400, -104.9719200
Altitude1631
CountryUnited States
Mancos

#2 Mancos

Town of the United States

Population1,398
Coordinates37.3450000, -108.2892500
Altitude2142
CountryUnited States
Start: Thornton (-104.97192, 39.86804)
End: Mancos (-108.28925, 37.345)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 596 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 19m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 24m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 17m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 37m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.06 gal
49.44 L · about $48.30
Round trip
$96.59
26.12 gal · 98.88 L
Estimated CO2
116.1 kg one way
Round trip: 232.1 kg / 512 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.70 $48.30 $96.59
Mid-grade $4.08 $53.34 $106.67
Premium $4.39 $57.35 $114.69
Diesel $4.74 $61.87 $123.73

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 Thornton and Mancos. The current time is 04:20:55.

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.