To study active heat insulation roadway in high temperature mines, the typical high temperature roadway of − 965 m in Zhujidong Coal Mine of Anhui, China, is selected as prototype. The ANSYS numerical simulation method is used for sensitivity analysis of heat insulation layer with different thermal conductivity and thickness, as well as surrounding rock with different thermal conductivity and temperature on a heat-adjusting zone radius, surrounding rock temperature field and wall temperature. The results show that the heat-adjusting zone radius will entirely be in the right power index relationship to the ventilation time. Decrease in thermal conductivity and increase in thickness of insulation layer can effectively reduce the disturbance of airflow on the surrounding rock temperature, hence, beneficial for decreasing wall temperature. This favourable trend significantly decreases with ventilation time, increase in thermal conductivity and temperature of surrounding rock, heat-adjusting zone radius, surrounding rock temperature field, and wall temperature. Sensitivity analysis shows that the thermal physical properties of surrounding rock determine the temperature distribution of the roadway, hence, temperature of surrounding rock is considered as the most sensitive factor of all influencing factors. For the spray layer, thermal conductivity is more sensitive, compared to thickness. It is concluded that increase in the spray layer thickness is not as beneficial as using low thermal conductivity insulation material. Therefore, roadway preferential consideration should be given to the rocks with low temperature and thermal conductivity. The application of the insulation layer has positive significance for the thermal environment control in mine roadway, however, increase in the layer thickness without restriction has a limited effect on the thermal insulation.