Ogden to Salem is 92 miles and takes about 1 hour 46 minutes via Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Utah, connecting the Mountain West regions. You'll primarily be on surface roads for this trip, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for a less highway-intensive experience. It's a good choice for a single-day excursion without feeling too rushed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46 miles from Ogden, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Veterans Memorial Highway
83.3 mi
1h 29m
North Main Street
3.1 mi
6m
SR 198
1.9 mi
2m
Wall Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
30th Street
0.6 mi
<1m
31st Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Main Street
0.3 mi
1m
25th Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Highway
— 83.3 mi, about 1h 29m
Traffic on I-15
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 454 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~7,139 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~321 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.2×
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 Ogden, UT and Salem, UT.
1
Start on SR 53
0.1 mi·19 sec·24th Street
2
Turn left onto Lincoln Avenue
0.1 mi·24 sec·Lincoln Avenue
3
Turn right onto 25th Street
0.1 mi·28 sec·25th Street
4
Turn left onto SR 204
0.7 mi·1 min·Wall Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto SR 79
136 ft·2 sec·30th Street
6
Continue on SR 79
0.6 mi·55 sec·30th Street
7
Turn straight onto SR 79
0.4 mi·46 sec·31st Street
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 15 South, I 84 East: Salt Lake CityUse the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 15; I 84
0.7 mi·44 sec·Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15
27 mi·29 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15
8.2 mi·8 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15
47 mi·50 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Exit 257B-AToward US 6 East, SR 156: Spanish Fork, Main Street, PriceUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·54 sec
Exit 257AToward SR 156: Spanish ForkUse the right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
237 ft·8 sec
Toward SR 156: Spanish Fork, Salem, Main StreetUse the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Turn left onto SR 156
3.1 mi·6 min·North Main Street
17
Continue on SR 198
1.9 mi·2 min·SR 198
18
Turn left onto Main Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Main Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto West 100 South
23 ft·1 sec·West 100 South
20
Arrive at destination
West 100 South
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of 1 hour 46 minutes and 92 miles, you have a lot of flexibility. Consider departing mid-morning to avoid any early rush hour. With only 1 stop indicated, you can easily make this a single-day trip. Budgeting around $15 for fuel should be sufficient. Keep an eye out for the transition from Veterans Memorial Highway to surface streets, as this is where you'll need to pay closer attention to local road signs.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 46 miles from Ogden, UT, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.3 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 20 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salem, UT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ogden, UT so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ogden, UT
This is one driving day of about 92 miles and 1h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Ogden, UT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Veterans Memorial Highway for about 83.3 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 86.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|SR 204 / Wall Avenue
Turn left onto SR 204 / Wall Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
8
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 15 South, I 84 East: Salt Lake City
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 15 South, I 84 East: Salt Lake City
8
85.8 mi into trip|~1h 34m in
Take the exit toward US 6 East, SR 156: Spanish Fork, Main Street, Price
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 257B-A
Toward US 6 East, SR 156: Spanish Fork, Main St...
8
86.2 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 156: Spanish Fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 257A
Toward SR 156: Spanish Fork
8
86.7 mi into trip|~1h 36m in
Keep slight left at fork toward SR 156: Spanish Fork, Salem, Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward SR 156: Spanish Fork, Salem, Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.47 one way
$34.95 round trip
$4.82/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.12
$18.53
$37.07
premium
$5.35
$19.39
$38.78
diesel
$6.27
$22.70
$45.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.6
0
$9.66
$4.42
Efficient EV
23
0
$8.05
$3.68
EV Truck/SUV
36.8
0
$12.88
$5.89
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Ogden, UT
Morning
in Ogden on Saturday
Local time
6:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Clear
ENE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 15 at 10:26PM MDT until October 16 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
Destination
Salem, UT
Morning
in Salem on Saturday
Local time
6:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
70°F
Sunny
NE 0 to 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 15 at 10:26PM MDT until October 16 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
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
28 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
1h 46m 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.
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...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
$12
near mile 66.6
Caution: Water Outage
Caution: Tickets are required to enter Timpanogos Cave
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with just 2% on highways. You'll encounter Veterans Memorial Highway for the longest stretch at 83.3 miles before transitioning. Expect to navigate through more developed areas with frequent intersections rather than long stretches of open highway.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 83.3 mi on Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.4 miles in near SR 204 / Wall Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 92 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.4 miles (SR 204 / Wall Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 85.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
4,662 ft4,222 ft
Total Climb
905 ft
Total Descent
598 ft
Highest Point
4,662 ft
~72.3 mi in
Elevation Range
440 ft
Notable High Points
4,567 ft at ~6.6 miles+185 ft prominence
4,285 ft at ~26.3 miles+32 ft prominence
4,644 ft at ~59.2 miles+88 ft prominence
4,662 ft at ~72.3 miles+106 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ogden, UT to Salem, UT, road signs begin pointing toward Price along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 46m. Total distance: 92 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 83.3 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Salem, UT before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (SR 204 / Wall Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 85.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Timpanogos Cave National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salem, UT before heading back.
