You can make Salt Lake City to Las Vegas in about 6 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 425 miles on I-15, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Salt Lake City
Aim to clear Salt Lake City 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 249 miles to Cedar City.
The headline stop on this route is Cedar Breaks. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Cedar City
Cedar City sits about 249 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, Kolob Canyons in Zion is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
St. George, the last stretch
St. George sits about 304 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 121 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Virgin River Gorge; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Cedar Breaks, Kolob Canyons in Zion and Virgin River Gorge, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Cedar City or St. George, UT is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along 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.
