Origin
Sandy, UT
Late night in Sandy on Tuesday
Local time
3:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sandy, UT to Payson, UT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
46.7 mi
75 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sandy, UT
Wikimedia Commons
Payson, UT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sandy, UT to Payson, UT is 46.7 miles and takes about 53 minutes via Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, specifically within Utah, making it a convenient local trip. Expect a route with numerous turns as you navigate through local roads and highways. With a driving time under an hour, this is an easy same-day excursion perfect for a quick getaway or a simple change of scenery.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Highway | 44 mi | 46m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 9000 South | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 8800 South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| State Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 100 North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Highway
— 44 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sandy, UT and Payson, UT.
1
Start on 8800 South
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
8800 South
2
At end of road, turn left onto US 89
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
State Street
3
Turn right onto SR 209
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
9000 South
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 15
44 mi
·
46 min
·
Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 250
Toward SR 115: Payson, Main St
7
Turn left onto SR 115
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
8
Turn left onto SR 198
179 ft
·
5 sec
·
100 North
9
Turn right
345 ft
·
25 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Sandy, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 45.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 89 / State Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 89 / State Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SR 209 / 9000 South
Turn right onto SR 209 / 9000 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m 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.
6
45.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward SR 115: Payson, Main St
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 250
Toward SR 115: Payson, Main St
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.40 one way
$14.80 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $7.76 | $15.51 |
| premium | $4.53 | $8.33 | $16.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.31 | $20.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.09 | $1.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.54 | $2.99 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Payson, UT
Late night in Payson on Tuesday
Local time
3:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
63°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
53m 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?
This is a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you'll be actively navigating rather than settling into a long highway cruise. While there's no highway driving on this particular route, you'll experience a significant stretch of 44 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway, offering a good amount of uninterrupted travel. The profile suggests a journey where you'll frequently adjust your course, making it engaging for those who prefer an active driving experience over a monotonous interstate journey. The road character shifts as you transition between different local streets and the main highway.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44 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 0.4 miles in near US 89 / State Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 53m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (US 89 / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (SR 209 / 9000 South): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Sandy, UT
Full guide →Sandy is a city just south of Salt Lake City in Utah's Wasatch Range. It is one of the major suburbs of Salt Lake City.
Arriving in Payson, UT
Full guide →Founded 1850
Top landmarks
- • Payson Historic District — historic district in Utah, United States
- • Payson Presbyterian Church — church building in Payson, Utah, United States
- • Peteetneet Museum and Cultural Arts Center — historical school and museum in Payson, Utah, United States
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 53m. Total distance: 46.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 44 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (US 89 / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (SR 209 / 9000 South): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: 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 Payson, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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