Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT
Matthew Montrone
West Valley City, UT
Quang Vuong
Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT to West Valley City, UT is 15.6 miles and takes about 23 minutes via Belt Route, 3500 South, and Highland Drive, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Mountain West region, specifically within Utah. Expect a local driving experience, characterized by frequent turns rather than high-speed highway travel. Given its brief duration, this route is ideal for a quick transit or as part of a larger itinerary.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belt Route | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| 3500 South | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Highland Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| 3650 South | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 4400 West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Creek Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Willow Stream Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Atlas Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Little Cottonwood Creek Valley, UT and West Valley City, UT.
Start on Stream View Drive
Turn left onto Willow Stream Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Creek Road
Turn right onto Highland Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 215
Take the exit
Turn straight onto SR 171
Turn left onto 4400 West
Turn right onto 3650 South
Turn left onto Atlas Way
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 15 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Willow Stream Drive
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto Creek Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Merge onto I 215 / Belt Route
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward SR 171 West: 3500 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto 4400 West
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.47 one way
$4.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $2.59 | $5.18 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.78 | $5.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Late night in Little Cottonwood Creek Valley on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in West Valley City on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
MDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This is a turn-heavy local drive with no highway percentage, meaning you'll navigate city streets and local roads for the entire 15.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.4 miles on the Belt Route. You'll need to be attentive as you'll be making frequent adjustments to your direction. The character of the drive remains consistently local, without any significant shifts to faster-paced sections.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Willow Stream Drive.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 15.6 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Willow Stream Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Creek Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 2.9 miles (I 215 / Belt Route): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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