Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
38.1 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Layton, UT
Wikimedia Commons
Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT
Matthew Montrone
Layton, UT to Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT is 38.1 miles and takes about 45 minutes via Veterans Memorial Highway, Belt Route, and Highland Drive, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, specifically within Utah. Expect a local, turn-heavy experience rather than an open highway cruise. With a short duration and minimal fuel cost, this trip is ideal for a quick excursion or an easy addition to a longer itinerary. It's a straightforward journey that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Highway | 30.4 mi | 32m |
| Belt Route | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Highland Drive | 2 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Gentile Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Creek Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Willow Stream Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Stream View Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 39 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,679 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~322 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Layton, UT and Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT.
Start on Gentile Street
Turn right onto SR 126
Turn left onto SR 126
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 215
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto Highland Drive
Turn left onto Creek Road
Turn left onto Willow Stream Drive
Turn right onto Stream View Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Layton, UT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 17.3 and 35.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 215
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward SR 152 North: 2000 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.70 one way
$13.40 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.67 | $7.00 | $14.01 |
| premium | $4.99 | $7.49 | $14.97 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $8.03 | $16.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Layton on Wednesday
Local time
5:06 PM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in Little Cottonwood Creek Valley on Wednesday
Local time
5:06 PM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter frequent turns and navigate through local roads rather than sustained highway speeds. With a 0% highway share, prepare for a more engaged driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.4 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before transitioning back to local streets. This type of drive requires your attention to navigation and speed adjustments as you move through different neighborhoods and road conditions.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.3 miles in near I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 38.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.3 miles (I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles (I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
478 ft
Total Descent
204 ft
Highest Point
4,624 ft
~38.1 mi in
Elevation Range
396 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Layton, UT to Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT, road signs begin pointing toward Cottonwood Heights along the way.
Cottonwood Heights
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
Fort Union, UT
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCafe
Near the start, right off the route
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Cafe
Around the midpoint, short detour
Salt Lake City, UT
Cuisine: breakfast;coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Su 08:00-14:00
Visit websiteCafe
Around the midpoint, short detour
Salt Lake City, UT
Hours: Th-Su 09:00-14:00; Mo-We off; Dec 17-Dec...
Visit websiteCafe
Early in the drive, short detour
Farmington, UT
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Th 05:00-21:00; Fr 05:00-21:30; Sa 05...
Visit websiteCafe
Around the midpoint, short detour
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-20:00
Restaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Cottonwood Heights, UT
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, right off the route
Midvale, UT
Cuisine: burger
Hours: 11:00-22:00
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, right off the route
Midvale, UT
Cuisine: juice
Hours: Mo-Th 07:00-20:00; Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 08...
Visit websiteRestaurant
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Salt Lake City, UT
Cuisine: vietnamese
Hours: Mo off; Tu-Fr 11:00-14:00,17:00-21:00; S...
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the end, right off the route
Midvale, UT
Cuisine: american
Hours: 24/7
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the end, right off the route
Murray, UT
Cuisine: chinese
Hours: Mo-Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su...
Visit websitePicnic_site
Near the end, right off the route
Park
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Park
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Viewpoint
Around the midpoint, short detour
Attraction
Around the midpoint, short detour
Viewpoint
Around the midpoint, short detour
Artwork
Later in the drive, right off the route
Museum
Around the midpoint, short detour
Salt Lake City, UT
Hours: Mo,We-Su 10:00-18:00
Visit websiteYes
Later in the drive, short detour
Monument
Around the midpoint, short detour
Monument
Around the midpoint, short detour
Monument
Around the midpoint, short detour
Motel
Near the end, right off the route
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1850
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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