Panguitch to Saint George is 118.6 miles and takes about 2h 6m via Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive traverses the Mountain West region of Utah, offering a relatively short but engaging journey. Expect a route that requires frequent attention to turns rather than long stretches of steady highway driving. With a highway share of only 26%, it's more of a local feel, suitable for a single-day trip where you can take your time. The estimated fuel cost is around $19, making it an economical option for exploring southern Utah.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.3 miles from Panguitch, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Veterans Memorial Highway
85.2 mi
1h 21m
SR 20
20.5 mi
24m
US 89
9.2 mi
10m
Trailblazer Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
North Main Street
0.9 mi
1m
I 15 BUS
0.8 mi
2m
University Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
100 West
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Highway
— 85.2 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Panguitch, UT and Saint George, UT.
1
Start on Center Street
30 ft·8 sec·Center Street
2
Turn left onto US 89
0.9 mi·1 min·North Main Street
3
Continue on US 89
9.2 mi·10 min·US 89
4
Turn left onto SR 20
20 mi·24 min·SR 20
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 15 South
6
Merge onto I 15
85 mi·1 hr 21 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
7
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.
8
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·University Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Turn right onto Trailblazer Boulevard
0.9 mi·2 min·Trailblazer Boulevard
10
Turn right onto 100 West
230 ft·12 sec·100 West
11
Turn right
510 ft·37 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 2-hour duration, you can easily complete this trip in one day, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. The longest stretch is over 85 miles, so plan a fuel stop before you leave Panguitch or shortly after starting, as services might be less frequent on the local road segments. With only one recommended day, you don't need to rush, but do pay close attention to navigation, especially as the route is described as 'turn-heavy'. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $19 budget is an estimate and local road driving can sometimes be less fuel-efficient than highway cruising.
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 59.3 miles from Panguitch, UT, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.2 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 26 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.3 miles or 1h 5m 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 42m
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 Panguitch, 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 Panguitch, UT
This is one driving day of about 118.6 miles and 2h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Panguitch, 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 85.2 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 10.1 and 118.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
10.1 mi into trip|~12m in|SR 20
Turn left onto SR 20
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
30.6 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward I 15 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 15 South
7
116.3 mi into trip|~2h 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
117 mi into trip|~2h 2m in|University Avenue
Turn left onto University Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
118.5 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.79 one way
$37.59 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$19.70
$39.40
premium
$4.53
$21.16
$42.31
diesel
$5.61
$26.19
$52.37
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.6
0
$12.45
$5.69
Efficient EV
29.7
0
$10.38
$4.74
EV Truck/SUV
47.4
0
$16.60
$7.59
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Panguitch, UT
Late night
in Panguitch on Tuesday
Local time
4:20 AM
MDT
Current temp
28°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Saint George, UT
Late night
in Saint George on Tuesday
Local time
4:20 AM
MDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
49 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
2h 6m on the road
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.
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
~31 min detour
$10
near mile 57.3
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...
Hoodoos (irregular columns of rock) exist on every continent, but here is the largest concentration found anywhere on Earth. Situated along a high plateau at the top of the Grand Staircase, the park's...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by a turn-heavy local drive, with only 26% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 85.2 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway, offering a brief period of consistent travel. As you progress, the road will likely shift between faster highway segments and more winding local roads, demanding your focus. The profile suggests a dynamic driving experience, rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, so be prepared to adjust your speed and navigation frequently.
Only 26% 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: 85.2 mi on Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 10.1 miles in near SR 20.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 6m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.1 miles (SR 20): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 116.3 miles (I 15 BUS): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 85.2 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 10.1 miles (SR 20): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 116.3 miles (I 15 BUS): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cedar Breaks National Monument, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. 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 Saint George, UT before heading back.
