Ephraim to Saint George is 219.9 miles and takes about 3h 51m via Veterans Memorial Highway and US 89, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Utah, connecting the Mountain West region's diverse landscapes. You'll encounter a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving as you make your way south. Planning for a single day is feasible, allowing you to enjoy the scenery without feeling rushed. Consider this drive if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between central and southern Utah.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
110 miles from Ephraim, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Veterans Memorial Highway
122.6 mi
1h 56m
US 89
56.5 mi
55m
Main Street
24.5 mi
35m
Highway 89
12.8 mi
15m
Trailblazer Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
I 15 BUS
0.8 mi
2m
University Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Center Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Highway
— 122.6 mi, about 1h 56m
Traffic on I-15
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 25 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,252 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,791
Quietest
2 AM
~115 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ephraim, UT and Saint George, UT.
1
Start on SR 290
238 ft·13 sec·Center Street
2
Turn left onto US 89
7.9 mi·11 min·Main Street
3
Continue on US 89
5.1 mi·6 min·Highway 89
4
Continue on US 89
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
5
Continue on US 89
7.7 mi·9 min·Highway 89
6
Turn left onto US 89
16 mi·22 min·Main Street
7
Take the ramp onto US 89
57 mi·55 min·US 89
Use the right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·2 min
Toward I 15 South: Las Vegas
9
Merge onto I 15
123 mi·1 hr 56 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS
0.8 mi·2 min·I 15 BUS
Exit 8Toward SR 34: Saint George BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·University Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Trailblazer Boulevard
0.9 mi·2 min·Trailblazer Boulevard
13
Turn right onto 100 West
230 ft·12 sec·100 West
14
Turn right
510 ft·37 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 3h 51m drive, departing Ephraim in the morning allows ample time to reach Saint George before evening. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing your trip. The fuel cost is estimated at $36, so ensure your tank is full before leaving Ephraim. Watch for the transition from Veterans Memorial Highway to US 89, as this is where the driving experience will change. Given the relatively short duration, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your morning's activities.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 110 miles from Ephraim, UT, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 122.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 48 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110 miles or 2h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint George, UT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ephraim, UT so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ephraim, UT
This is one driving day of about 219.9 miles and 3h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Ephraim, UT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Veterans Memorial Highway for about 122.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 37.4 and 219.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
37.4 mi into trip|~50m in|US 89
Take the ramp onto US 89
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
93.9 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 15 South: Las Vegas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 15 South: Las Vegas
7
217.6 mi into trip|~3h 44m in|I 15 BUS
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS toward SR 34: Saint George Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8
Toward SR 34: Saint George Boulevard
5
218.4 mi into trip|~3h 47m in|University Avenue
Turn left onto University Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
219.9 mi into trip|~3h 50m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.27 one way
$68.55 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$36.13
$72.26
premium
$4.47
$38.73
$77.47
diesel
$4.80
$41.52
$83.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66
0
$23.09
$10.56
Efficient EV
55
0
$19.24
$8.80
EV Truck/SUV
88
1
$30.79
$14.07
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Ephraim, UT
Late night
in Ephraim on Sunday
Local time
4:51 AM
MDT
Current temp
90°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
NW 3 mph67% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 1:16PM MDT until July 18 at 5:15PM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 11:54AM MDT until July 19 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
Destination
Saint George, UT
Late night
in Saint George on Sunday
Local time
4:51 AM
MDT
Current temp
100°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 5 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 1:16PM MDT until July 18 at 5:15PM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 11:54AM MDT until July 19 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
86°F
Beaver, UT
110 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
10 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 51m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
National Monument
Crowning the Grand Staircase, Cedar Breaks sits at over 10,000 feet and looks down into a half-mile deep geologic amphitheater. Come wander among timeless bristlecone pines, stand in lush meadows of w...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
$10
near mile 159.3
Danger: State Route 148 Closed Through Cedar Breaks National Monument
Follow the paths where people have walked for thousands of years. Gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. Experience the tall, stretching walls...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
$35
near mile 189.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features 32% highway driving, with the longest continuous stretch covering 122.6 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. You'll experience highway speeds for a significant portion before transitioning to US 89 and then Main Street. This shift from faster highway to surface roads means you'll encounter more local traffic and potentially varying speed limits as you approach your destination. Keep an eye out for the change in road type as you progress south.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 122.6 mi on Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 37.4 miles in near US 89.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 51m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 37.4 miles (US 89): Lane positioning matters here; at 93.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 217.6 miles (I 15 BUS): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Ephraim is in Central Utah. In the spring of 1854, some residents of Manti went north to Cottonwood Creek and were later joined by settlers uprooted from Allred's settlement (Spring City) and recent immigrants from Denmark.
The settlers hauled rocks and constructed a fort approximately a square block in size. This was the start of the town of Ephraim, getting its name from one of the tribes of Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. The security of the fort drew a diverse group of settlers to the area, Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians. The Black Hawk Indian War was most destructive and the longest pioneer-Indian conflict in Utah History. Even through constant difficulties Ephraim managed to survive.
Top landmarks
•Canute Peterson House — Ephraim, Utah, NRHP-listed
•Noyes Building — building at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, United States
•Ephraim United Order Cooperative Building — historic commercial building in Ephraim, Utah, United States
St. George is a city in southwestern Utah, on the Utah-Arizona border, known regionally as "Utah's Dixie" (a nickname given to the area for its warm southern Utah climate which was used to grow cotton by early settlers). The city is nestled in a scenic valley of desert vistas in the northeastern Mojave Desert, adjacent to the majestic Pine Valley Mountains.
Top landmarks
•St. George Utah Temple — temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. George, Utah, U...
•St. George Opera House — opera house
•Brigham Young Winter Home and Office — historic house in Utah, United States
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 122.6 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 37.4 miles (US 89): Lane positioning matters here; at 93.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 217.6 miles (I 15 BUS): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cedar Breaks National Monument and Zion National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Saint George, UT, but most travelers stay overnight.
