If you are looking to travel from Salt Lake City to Beaver, this 198.7-mile journey is best approached as a dedicated day trip. Expect to spend approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes behind the wheel, navigating through the heart of the Mountain West. Because the route relies on local roads like 300 South, State Street, and 500 South rather than major interstates, you should budget about $31 for fuel. While it is certainly feasible to complete this drive in a single day, the turn-heavy nature of the route means you will want to stay alert. It serves as a practical, straightforward connection between these two Utah locales, offering a local perspective on the region's geography.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
99.4 miles from Salt Lake City, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 15 ALT
195.3 mi
3h 16m
North Main Street
1.6 mi
3m
West Temple
0.6 mi
1m
State Street
0.3 mi
<1m
500 South
0.3 mi
<1m
300 South
0.1 mi
<1m
Main Street
0.1 mi
<1m
East 200 North Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 15 ALT
— 195.3 mi, about 3h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salt Lake City, UT and Beaver, UT.
1
Start on Main Street
0.1 mi·36 sec·Main Street
2
Turn right onto 300 South
0.1 mi·37 sec·300 South
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto SR 186
0.3 mi·52 sec·State Street
4
Turn right onto SR 269
0.3 mi·49 sec·500 South
5
Turn left onto SR 270
0.6 mi·1 min·West Temple
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 ALT
195 mi·3 hr 16 min·I 15 ALT
Toward I 15 South, I 80 East: Las Vegas, CheyenneUse the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward SR 160: Beaver
8
Turn left onto I 15 Bu; SR 160
1.6 mi·3 min·North Main Street
9
Turn left onto SR 153
64 ft·1 sec·East 200 North Street
10
Arrive at destination
SR 153
Trip Plan
Since this is a turn-heavy route without highway relief, plan your departure for a time when local traffic is lightest to avoid unnecessary frustration. You should factor in at least one planned stop to stretch your legs and reset, as the constant turning can be more fatiguing than steady highway driving. Keep your $31 fuel budget in mind and fill up before you leave Salt Lake City to ensure a smooth transition onto local roads. Given the 3-hour and 25-minute duration, use the flexibility of a single-day schedule to pace yourself comfortably. My top tip for this route is to map out your specific turns on 300 South and State Street beforehand, as the lack of highway signage makes GPS navigation essential.
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 99.4 miles from Salt Lake City, UT, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 195.3 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 44 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 99.4 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Beaver, UT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, UT
This is one driving day of about 198.7 miles and 3h 25m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Salt Lake City, 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 I 15 ALT for about 195.3 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 196.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|300 South
Turn right onto 300 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|SR 186 / State Street
Turn right onto SR 186 / State Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~2m in|SR 269 / 500 South
Turn right onto SR 269 / 500 South
Navigation decision point
8
1.5 mi into trip|~4m in|I 15 ALT
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 ALT toward I 15 South, I 80 East: Las Vegas, Cheyenne
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 15 South, I 80 East: Las Vegas, Cheyen...
4
196.8 mi into trip|~3h 20m in
Take the exit toward SR 160: Beaver
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward SR 160: Beaver
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.49 one way
$62.97 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$33.00
$66.01
premium
$4.53
$35.45
$70.89
diesel
$5.61
$43.87
$87.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.6
0
$20.86
$9.54
Efficient EV
49.7
0
$17.39
$7.95
EV Truck/SUV
79.5
0
$27.82
$12.72
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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
Salt Lake City, UT
Night
in Salt Lake City on Saturday
Local time
10:48 PM
MDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Beaver, UT
Night
in Beaver on Saturday
Local time
10:48 PM
MDT
Current temp
36°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
12 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 25m 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.
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
~18 min detour
$12
near mile 34.3
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?
Forget the monotony of high-speed interstate cruising; this route is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention. With 0% highway share, you will be navigating surface streets and local roads for the entirety of the 198.7-mile trip. The drive requires constant engagement as you transition through various local intersections and thoroughfares. Because the route lacks long, uninterrupted highway stretches, the pacing feels much more deliberate and winding than a standard cross-country haul. Prepare for a hands-on driving experience where your focus stays firmly on the road ahead.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 195.3 mi on I 15 ALT.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 15 ALT and North Main Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 300 South.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 25m 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: at 0.1 miles (300 South): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (SR 186 / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (SR 269 / 500 South): Navigation decision point.
Salt Lake City is the capital of, and largest city in, the U.S. state of Utah. It is a destination for outdoor recreation, with nearby mountains full of hiking trails and ski resorts made famous by the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is also well known as the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon church). The city is set to host the Winter Olympics again in 2034.
Salt Lake City has about 200,000 residents within the city limits (2019), and is the downtown hub for a metro area of over a million people. It sits on the border between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Basin, lying in the Salt Lake Valley along the Wasatch Range urban corridor, sandwiched between the Wasatch Mountains to the east and the Oquirrh Mountains and the Great Salt Lake to the west.
The longest stretch is about 195.3 miles on I 15 ALT. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 0.1 miles (300 South): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (SR 186 / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (SR 269 / 500 South): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Timpanogos Cave National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Beaver, UT, but most travelers stay overnight.
