Road Travel › Drive weather

Denver to Moab drive weather

356 miles, about 5½ hours of driving via I-70. The high point is Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel at 11,162 ft, about 1 h 3 min in.

Distance
356 mi
Drive time
~5½ hours
High point
11,162 ft
States
CO · UT

Next 7 departures

Leaving Denver at 7 AM each day · Updated · Forecast: National Weather Service

  1. SatOct 3

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 37–78°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTMostly sunny54°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTMostly sunny40°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTMostly sunny37°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTSunny56°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTSunny63°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTMostly sunny67°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTMostly sunny69°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTMostly sunny78°F
  2. SunOct 4

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 36–80°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTMostly sunny53°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTMostly sunny39°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTMostly sunny36°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTSunny57°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTSunny62°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTSunny69°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTSunny70°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTSunny80°F
  3. MonOct 5

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 40–80°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTSunny57°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTSunny40°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTSunny40°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTSunny57°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTSunny62°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTSunny67°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTSunny71°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTSunny80°F
  4. TueOct 6

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 41–80°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTPartly sunny60°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTPartly sunny41°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTPartly sunny41°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTMostly sunny57°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTMostly sunny62°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTSunny68°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTSunny72°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTSunny80°F
  5. WedOct 7

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 40–80°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTMostly sunny59°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTMostly sunny40°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTMostly sunny40°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTMostly sunny57°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTMostly sunny62°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTMostly sunny68°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTMostly sunny72°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTSunny80°F
  6. ThuOct 8

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 40–80°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTSunny59°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTSunny40°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTSunny41°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTSunny58°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTMostly sunny63°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTSunny68°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTSunny72°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTSunny80°F
  7. FriOct 9

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 40–80°F along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Denver7 AM MDTSunny59°F
    Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel8 AM MDTSunny40°F
    Vail Pass8:30 AM MDTSunny40°F
    Glenwood Springs9:30 AM MDTSunny57°F
    Rifle10 AM MDTMostly sunny62°F
    Grand Junction10:45 AM MDTMostly sunny68°F
    Colorado–Utah line11:15 AM MDTSunny71°F
    Moab12:30 PM MDTSunny80°F

The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.

The route, stop by stop

Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Denver (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.

Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel · 11,162 ft 0 mi 356 mi
Elevation along the route (USGS 3DEP, sampled every 5 miles).
  1. Denver, COStart 5,276 ftelevation
  2. Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel, COMile 59 · 1 h 3 min 11,162 ftelevation
  3. Vail Pass, COMountain pass · Mile 82 · 1 h 28 min 10,662 ftelevation
  4. Glenwood Springs, COMile 157 · 2 h 37 min 5,772 ftelevation
  5. Rifle, COMile 183 · 3 h 5,347 ftelevation
  6. Grand Junction, COMile 242 · 3 h 52 min 4,587 ftelevation
  7. Colorado–Utah lineState line · Mile 274 · 4 h 19 min 4,797 ftelevation
  8. Moab, UTMile 356 · 5 h 34 min 4,052 ftelevation

Typical weather by month

Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Denver, Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel and Moab.

MonthDenver
5,228 ft
Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel
Cabin Creek station · 10,020 ft
Moab
4,053 ft
High / low °FSnow daysHigh / low °FSnow daysHigh / low °FSnow days
Jan49° / 21°2.432° / 12°5.644° / 21°0.9
Feb49° / 22°2.632° / 12°6.252° / 27°0.5
Mar58° / 30°2.538° / 17°6.865° / 36°0.1
Apr64° / 36°1.543° / 23°7.072° / 43°0
May73° / 46°0.353° / 31°2.983° / 51°0
Jun85° / 56°064° / 40°0.294° / 59°0
Jul91° / 62°069° / 46°099° / 66°0
Aug90° / 60°067° / 44°096° / 64°0
Sep82° / 51°061° / 38°0.488° / 55°0
Oct68° / 38°0.850° / 29°3.274° / 42°0.1
Nov56° / 28°1.639° / 19°4.757° / 30°0.3
Dec47° / 21°2.232° / 12°5.544° / 22°1.6

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: DENVER WATER DEPT (USC00052223, 5,228 ft); CABIN CREEK (USC00051186, 10,020 ft); MOAB (USC00425733, 4,053 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.

Road conditions

Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Colorado and Utah rather than repeat them.

Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.

Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there

Road Travel plans the drive from Denver to Moab with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.

Questions about this drive

How long is the drive from Denver to Moab?

356 miles, about 5½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-70. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.

What is the highest point on the drive?

Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel, at 11,162 ft. It comes at mile 59, about 1 h 3 min of driving after you leave Denver.

Does it snow at Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel in November?

The nearest long-term NOAA station, Cabin Creek (10,020 ft), averages 20.1 inches of snow in November, with about 5 days of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).

How cold is Moab in January?

Moab averages a high of 44°F and a low of 21°F in January (1991–2020 normals).