Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 7m
Distance
108.1 mi
174 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sandy, UT
Wikimedia Commons
Richmond, UT
Kelly
The drive from Sandy, UT to Richmond, UT covers 108.1 miles and takes about 2h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Highway, US 89, Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 65.8 miles on Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
54 miles from Sandy, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Highway | 65.8 mi | 1h 9m |
| US 89 | 18.9 mi | 22m |
| Main Street | 10.2 mi | 15m |
| 1000 West | 5.5 mi | 8m |
| 1100 South | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Airport Road | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| I 15 Business | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 9000 South | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 132 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,018 veh/hr typical · worst 6,983
Quietest
2 AM
~309 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 79 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Sandy, UT and Richmond, UT.
Start on 8800 South
At end of road, turn left onto US 89
Turn right onto SR 209
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15
Take the exit onto I 15 Business; I 84 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 Business; I 84 Business
Merge onto US 91; I 15 Bus; I 84 Bus
Continue on US 89; US 91
Turn left onto SR 252
Turn right onto SR 252
Turn left onto US 91
Turn right onto Main Street
Arrive at destination
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.
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 24 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54 miles or 58m 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 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Richmond, UT than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Sandy, 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 Sandy, UT
This is one driving day of about 108.1 miles and 2h 7m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
54 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.
A short stop after about 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 54 miles from Sandy, UT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Veterans Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 65.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 29.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto US 89 / State Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto SR 209 / 9000 South
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 15: Salt Lake City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway toward Salt Lake City
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$18.75 one way
$37.49 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $19.61 | $39.21 |
| premium | $4.95 | $21.07 | $42.13 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $23.83 | $47.66 |
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: 37.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 32.4 | 0 | $11.35 | $5.19 |
| Efficient EV | 27 | 0 | $9.46 | $4.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 43.2 | 0 | $15.13 | $6.92 |
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Sandy on Friday
Local time
4:45 PM
MDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Richmond on Friday
Local time
4:45 PM
MDT
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
National Historical Park
One of the greatest technological achievements of the 19th century is the completion of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States. Visitors to the park can see the location of the L...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
108.1 mi in 2h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
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 US 89 / State Street.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 108.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway 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 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
Total Climb
2,057 ft
Total Descent
1,908 ft
Highest Point
5,876 ft
~77.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,650 ft
Notable High Points
Founded 1871
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.
Top landmarks
Founded 1859
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 7m. Total distance: 108.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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