There is a moment, somewhere past the last Las Vegas exit, when the city finally lets go and I-15, UT-9, UT-12 and UT-24 opens up ahead of you. That is the start of one of the most driven routes in America: roughly 520 miles and 10 hours of wheel time to Moab. 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 Las Vegas
Aim to clear Las Vegas 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 201 miles to Springdale.
The headline stop on this route is Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Springdale
Springdale sits about 201 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, Scenic Byway 12 over Hogsback ridge is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Bryce Canyon City
Bryce Canyon City sits about 284 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.
Torrey, the last stretch
Torrey sits about 370 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 Moab
The final 150 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Capitol Reef's Fruita orchards; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, Scenic Byway 12 over Hogsback ridge, Capitol Reef's Fruita orchards and Delicate Arch at sunset, 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 Springdale, Bryce Canyon City and Torrey, UT, which keeps each day under eight hours and leaves time for the stops that make the trip.
Check live gas prices along I-15, UT-9, UT-12 and UT-24 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
