There is a moment, somewhere past the last Denver exit, when the city finally lets go and I-70 and I-15 opens up ahead of you. That is the start of one of the most driven routes in America: roughly 750 miles and 11 hours of wheel time to Las Vegas. Done right, it is not a slog. It is a string of good towns, better food stops and a couple of sights worth the detour.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Denver
Aim to clear Denver before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 232 miles to Grand Junction.
The headline stop on this route is Glenwood Canyon. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Grand Junction
Grand Junction sits about 232 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Nearby, San Rafael Swell on I-70 is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Richfield, the last stretch
Richfield sits about 458 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Las Vegas
The final 291 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Zion detour from St. George; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Glenwood Canyon, San Rafael Swell on I-70 and Zion detour from St. George, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
Split the drive near the halfway mark. Most travelers sleep in Grand Junction, CO or Richfield, UT, which keeps each day under eight hours and leaves time for the stops that make the trip.
Check live gas prices along I-70 and I-15 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
