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Trip from Provo, UT to Helper, UT

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 26m

Distance

67.9 mi

109 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 20m ★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Utah County, Utah, United States

Provo, UT

Wikimedia Commons

city in Carbon County, Utah, United States

Helper, UT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick getaway in the Mountain West, the 67.9-mile journey from Provo to Helper is an ideal day trip. You can expect to spend about 1 hour and 26 minutes behind the wheel, making it a manageable trek for a single day of exploration. Budgeting roughly $11 for fuel should cover your needs for the trip. The route primarily utilizes the Veterans Memorial Highway, US 6, and the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway. Since the drive is relatively short, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations, allowing for maximum flexibility in your travel schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway 54.6 mi 1h 5m
Veterans Memorial Highway 4.6 mi 4m
US 6 3.7 mi 5m
North University Avenue 1.7 mi 4m
US 189 0.9 mi 2m
State Street 0.7 mi <1m
North Main Street 0.6 mi 1m
Center Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway — 54.6 mi, about 1h 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Provo, UT and Helper, UT.

1

Start on Center Street

21 ft · 3 sec · Center Street
2

Turn right onto US 189

478 ft · 18 sec · North University Avenue
3

Continue on US 189

1.6 mi · 3 min · North University Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
4

Take the exit onto US 189

0.9 mi · 2 min · US 189
Toward I 15 South: Las Vegas, Lakeview Parkway Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Merge onto I 15

4.6 mi · 4 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Exit 257B-A Toward US 6 East, SR 156: Spanish Fork, Main Street, Price Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Exit 257B Toward US 6 East: Price Use the straight lane.
8

Merge

0.2 mi · 15 sec
Toward US 6 East: Price
9

Continue on US 6

3.7 mi · 5 min · US 6
Use the left lane.
10

Continue on US 6

33 mi · 39 min · Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
11

Continue on US 6

0.7 mi · 57 sec · State Street
12

Continue on US 6

21 mi · 26 min · Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 37 sec
Toward US 6 BUS, US 191 BUS
14

Turn left onto US 6 BUS; US 191 BUS

0.6 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
15

Arrive at destination

US 6 BUS; US 191 BUS

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Mapleton, UT, UT

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mapleton, UT

34 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Spanish Fork, UT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mapleton, UT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 34 miles from Provo, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 7.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 189 / North University Avenue

Turn right onto US 189 / North University Avenue

Navigation decision point

7
1.7 mi into trip | ~4m in | US 189

Take the exit onto US 189 toward I 15 South: Las Vegas, Lakeview Parkway

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / right lanes. Toward I 15 South: Las Vegas, Lakeview Parkway
5
2.6 mi into trip | ~6m 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.
8
7.2 mi into trip | ~11m 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
7.6 mi into trip | ~12m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 6 East: Price

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Exit 257B Toward US 6 East: Price

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.76 one way

$21.52 round trip

$4.03/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.22 $11.28 $22.56
premium $4.53 $12.11 $24.22
diesel $5.61 $14.99 $29.98

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.4 0 $7.13 $3.26
Efficient EV 17 0 $5.94 $2.72
EV Truck/SUV 27.2 0 $9.51 $4.35

Gas CO2

24 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (67% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Provo, UT

Late night in Provo on Sunday

Local time

1:54 AM

MDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Helper, UT

Late night in Helper on Sunday

Local time

1:54 AM

MDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

3 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 26m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. While 7% of the trip consists of highway driving, the majority of your time will be spent navigating more technical road sections. You will spend a significant chunk of the journey on the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch at 54.6 miles. The character of the road shifts as you transition between these thoroughfares, offering a varied experience for the driver. It is the kind of route where the engagement of the road itself is part of the overall experience.

Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.6 mi on Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric 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 early in the drive near US 189 / North University Avenue.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.9 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (US 189 / North University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 189): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles (I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

High-altitude sections with notable climbs

7,288 ft 4,505 ft

Total Climb

2,783 ft

Total Descent

1,515 ft

Highest Point

7,288 ft

~48.5 mi in

Elevation Range

2,783 ft

Notable High Points

7,288 ft at ~48.5 miles +31 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 Provo, UT to Helper, UT, road signs begin pointing toward Price along the way.

Price

7.2 mi in | ~11m

About the Cities

Starting in Provo, UT

Full guide →

Provo, a city in the Wasatch Range region of the state of Utah in the United States of America, is known as a base for exploring the surrounding countryside and national parks. Approximately 90% of the residents are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon), compared to about 65% of the state as a whole. It is also the location of Brigham Young University, an LDS-owned university; the public Utah Valley University is located in the adjacent city of Orem. Provo has a population of about 115,000 people, but the Provo-Orem metropolitan area that encompasses Utah Valley is home to over half a million people. Other cities in the valley are very accessible, especially Orem, which sits side-by-side with Provo. Because of Orem's proximity, visitors to Provo should also look at things to do in Orem, as well as places to eat and sleep, depending on their needs.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 67.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 26m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 54.6 miles on Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric 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 Helper, 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: near the start (US 189 / North University Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (US 189): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.6 miles (I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Helper, UT before heading back.

How this page is built

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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