Lehi, UT to Santa Clara, UT is 278.5 miles and takes about 4h 42m via Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, taking you from one part of Utah to another. You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface roads, so expect a varied driving experience rather than just pure interstate cruising. With only one recommended stop and a manageable drive time, this route is well-suited for a single-day trip, making it a convenient option for getting between these two Utah locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
139.2 miles from Lehi, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Veterans Memorial Highway
270.7 mi
4h 24m
I 15 BUS
2.2 mi
5m
West Sunset Boulevard
2 mi
3m
Santa Clara Drive
1.1 mi
2m
Bluff Street
1 mi
1m
Main Street
0.8 mi
1m
Center Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West 300 North
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Highway
— 270.7 mi, about 4h 24m
Traffic on I-15
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 352 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,322 veh/hr typical
· worst 5,048
Quietest
2 AM
~211 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 79 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 Lehi, UT and Santa Clara, UT.
1
Start on 100 West
101 ft·11 sec·100 West
2
Turn left onto West 300 North
428 ft·22 sec·West 300 North
3
Turn right onto Center Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·Center Street
4
Turn left onto Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward I 15 South: Las VegasUse the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 15
271 mi·4 hr 24 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS
2.2 mi·5 min·I 15 BUS
Exit 8Toward SR 34: Saint George BoulevardUse the slight right lane.
8
Turn slight right
213 ft·7 sec
Use the right lane.
9
Turn straight onto SR 18
1.0 mi·1 min·Bluff Street
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on SR 8
2.0 mi·3 min·West Sunset Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on Santa Clara Drive
1.1 mi·2 min·Santa Clara Drive
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
Santa Clara Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 4 hour 42 minute drive time, leaving in the morning should allow you to reach Santa Clara, UT with plenty of daylight remaining. The route is designed for a single day, so you won't need to worry about overnight stays. Plan for your single stop around the halfway point or when you feel the need to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $49, and it's always wise to top off before heading into longer stretches without services. Pay attention to the transition from highway to surface roads, as speed limits and traffic patterns will change.
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 139.2 miles from Lehi, UT, or about 2h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 270.7 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 61 miles or 1h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.2 miles or 2h 18m 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 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Santa Clara, UT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lehi, 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 Lehi, UT
This is one driving day of about 278.5 miles and 4h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Lehi, 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 270.7 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 272.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West 300 North
Turn left onto West 300 North
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Center Street
Turn right onto Center Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 15 South: Las Vegas
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 15 South: Las Vegas
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
272.1 mi into trip|~4h 28m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.16 one way
$100.33 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$52.39
$104.78
premium
$5.11
$55.99
$111.97
diesel
$6.18
$67.75
$135.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.6
1
$29.24
$13.37
Efficient EV
69.6
0
$24.37
$11.14
EV Truck/SUV
111.4
1
$38.99
$17.82
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Lehi, UT
Late night
in Lehi on Sunday
Local time
5:23 AM
MDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Clear
E 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Santa Clara, UT
Late night
in Santa Clara on Sunday
Local time
5:23 AM
MDT
Current temp
50°F
Clear
ESE 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
32°F
Beaver, UT
139 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
7 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
4h 42m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Timpanogos Cave National Monument
National Monument
The visitor center, caves, and cave tours have not yet opened for the 2026 season. Hike your way past stunning vistas to explore a hidden underground world. Taste the thrill of caving as you twist and...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
$12
Caution: Tickets are required to enter Timpanogos Cave
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 211.3
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 249.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive involves extensive surface road travel, with only a small portion on highways. You'll spend most of your time on roads like Veterans Memorial Highway, which accounts for the longest stretch at 270.7 miles. Expect to transition from highway speeds to slower surface roads relatively early in your trip. This means you'll likely encounter more traffic lights and varied speed limits as you approach your destination, rather than a continuous high-speed cruise.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 270.7 mi on Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 300 North.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 42m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 300 North): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 270.7 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: near the start (West 300 North): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument and Zion National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Santa Clara, UT, but most travelers stay overnight.
