Interstate 25 is the primary north-south freeway route along the foothills of the Front Range in the state of Colorado. Since the freeway covers nearly 300 miles of the Centennial State, the page has been split into the following segments:
This is the view along northbound after the Exit 232 (Weld County Route 8) overpass. Photo taken 11/12/05.
The next exit along northbound is Exit 235, Junction Colorado 52. Colorado 52 begins at Colorado 119, then travels east through Dacono and Fort Lupton to meet Interstate 76 near Hudson. The highway then meanders toward Prospect Valley, Wiggins, and Fort Morgan before turning north to end at Colorado 14. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Use Colorado 52 to Frederick. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 reaches Colorado 52, Exit 235. This east-west route leads to Dacono and Fort Lupton. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Between Denver and Fort Collins, Interstate 25 carries substantial traffic that moves at very high speeds, sometimes in excess of 80 mph in the left lane. Trucks, recreational vehicles, commuters, and pick-ups all share the road with other motorists, and the four lanes often swell to capacity. Long-range plans call for Interstate 25 to be expanded to six lanes, perhaps as far north as Fort Collins, but in the interim, there is quite a bit of traffic squeezed into the existing four lanes moving at high speeds. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25 reaches Junction Colorado 119 (Diagonal Highway), Exit 240, in Longmont. Just in ten years, the services and amenities at this exit have grown with additional restaurants and service stations. Colorado 119 is a major route leading west and south from Interstate 25 to Boulder, and this interchange can tighten with traffic at times due to the amount of congestion and services located here. For travelers of southbound Interstate 25, this exit is the best way to reach Boulder. Photo taken 08/31/04.
The next exit along northbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 is Exit 243, Junction Colorado 66. Colorado 66 travels east to Platteville (Junction U.S. 85) and west to Lyons (Junction U.S. 36). Use Colorado 66 west to Hygiene. Photo taken 08/31/04.
To the west, Colorado 66 also serves the northern portion of the city of Longmont; the city center lies at the intersection of U.S. 287 and Colorado 119 several miles southwest of this interchange (Exit 243). Prior to the extension of U.S. 36 over the Denver-Boulder Turnpike in 1967, the section of what is now U.S. 36 between Lyons and Estes Park was part of Colorado 66. The westernmost section of Colorado 66 between Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park (Deer Ridge Junction) also became part of U.S. 36 by the late 1970s. Photo taken 08/31/04.
From northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87, there are three major routes to Rocky Mountain National Park: (1) U.S. 36 (Denver-Boulder Turnpike) northwest, (2) Colorado 66 west, and (3) U.S. 34 west. Colorado 66 travels due west to meet U.S. 36 in Lyons; U.S. 36 continues northwest to Estes Park and ultimately to Rocky Mountain National Park. Once in the park, U.S. 36 connects directly to Trail Ridge Road (U.S. 34), which crosses the Continental Divide via one of the highest roads in the country. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 reaches Exit 243, Junction Colorado 66. In the coming years, this configuration may change as a third lane is added to Interstate 25. Photo taken 08/31/04.
The next exit along northbound Interstate 25 is Exit 245, Junction Weld County Route 34, Walker Avenue. Use Walker Avenue west to the community of Mead, which lies at the intersection with Third Street. Photo taken 08/31/04.
This mileage sign provides the distance to Loveland via U.S. 34 west, Fort Collins via Colorado 14 west, and Cheyenne via Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 north. The Wyoming state line is a little less than an hour's drive north of here via Interstate 25. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 reaches Exit 245, Junction Weld County Route 34/Walker Avenue near Mead. Photo taken 08/31/04.
The next exit along northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 250, Junction Colorado 56. The original two-lane U.S. 87 is the frontage road to the east of Interstate 25, and some older bridges may be seen along this route. Now U.S. 87 is subsumed into Interstate 25, and the four-lane freeway has replaced the old alignment. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25 reaches Exit 250, Junction Colorado 56 westbound. Colorado 56 connects to U.S. 287 at Berthoud. Photo taken 08/31/04.
The next exit along northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 is Exit 252, Junction Eastbound Colorado 60. There is not much development at this interchange. The exit for westbound Colorado 60 is located two miles north, at Exit 254. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 reaches Exit 252, Junction Colorado 60 east to Johnstown and Milliken. This interchange does not mark the western terminus of Colorado 60, however. The frontage road (Old U.S. 87) carries Colorado 60 westbound north a short distance, and then Colorado 60 turns west again via 42nd Street SE toward U.S. 287 (South Lincoln Avenue) in Campion (just south of Loveland). There is no direct connection from Interstate 25 to 42nd Street SE. Therefore, northbound travelers have two options: take the frontage road northbound or use Exit 254 (Campion exit), which is the next offramp. The frontage road option, although not signed here, is the most direct option. Photo taken 08/31/04.
Northbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 87 enter Larimer County and depart from Weld County (at least for now). Photo taken 11/12/05.
