Colorado Springs to Vail drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Colorado Springs to Vail drive are Castle Rock, Idaho Springs and Georgetown. The distance from Colorado Springs to Vail is 164 miles, with a 2h40m driving time.

Planning a Colorado Springs to Vail road trip itinerary

The Colorado Springs to Vail drive takes you from one of Colorado’s biggest cities to one of its premier ski resorts.

Colorado Springs is at the foot of the Rockies – most notably the 14,114ft-high Pikes Peak. You can take a Jeep tour to the top, or go via the cog railway. The other natural highlight is the Garden of the Gods, a park with giant red sandstone formations jutting out towards the sky. Ways of exploring include Jeep tours, ebike adventures and Segway tours.

Other interesting Colorado Springs experiences include falconry classes, food tours, hot air balloon flights and ziplining.

For memorable Colorado Springs accommodation with character, go for the Great Wolf Lodge or the Mining Exchange.

Purpose-built, European-style ski village Vail is the biggest ski resort in Colorado, and arguably gets the best of the conditions. This is particularly the case with the legendary powder in the Back Bowl.

But a major part of the appeal is that you don’t have to strap on the skis at all. Top Vail experiences include Segway tours, snow sledding and downhill mountain bike tours. You can also try fly-fishing trips and escape rooms. Compare prices for Vail accommodation here.

Colorado Springs to Vail distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Colorado Springs to Vail is 164 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 40 minutes. The quickest route heads up the I-25, skirts round Denver, then goes through the Rockies on the I-70.

The best stops to add to a Colorado Springs to Vail road trip itinerary are Castle Rock CO, Idaho Springs CO and Georgetown CO.

Best stops between Colorado Springs and Vail: Castle Rock CO

The town of Castle Rock CO has a handful of breweries and even the Honnibrook Craft Meadery. But it’s really about the great outdoors. The rock that gives the town its name is in Rock Park – it’s a short but steep walk to the top. The Gateway Mesa Open Space is another good option for walking and taking in the views.

Perhaps the most fun, however, is the Edge – a massive aerial obstacle course. You can also do a zipline tour here.

Track down the best Castle Rock accommodation deals here.

Colorado Springs to Vail road trip attractions: Idaho Springs

Idaho Springs is a former gold mining town in the mountains. You can learn about that gold mining past on a tour to the ARGO Gold Mill and Mine.

These days, however, the town is something of an adventure sports hotspot. Whitewater rafting on Clear Creek is particularly popular, and you can try it at beginner, intermediate or advanced level.

Other Idaho Springs experience options include via ferrata climbing on Mount Evans, the cliffside zipline and Jeep tours.

Colorado Springs to Vail drive: Georgetown CO

On the I-70, Georgetown CO offers an engaging handful of tourist attractions. Most popular of these is the Georgetown Loop Railroad, where steam trains head across scenic bridges through the mountains. You can also go deep inside the old Lebanon silver mine, with tours heading inside the tunnels dug into Leavenworth Mountain.