01
Scenic
Provo & the Wasatch Front
The mountains stay with you for the first hour south of Salt Lake — a dramatic sendoff along the Wasatch Front.
Road trip guide
Salt Lake City
Las Vegas
Salt Lake City to Las Vegas Drive: Route, Drive Time & Best Stops
420 miles down I-15 — red-rock canyons, a national park detour, and the Strip at the finish line.
- Distance
- ~420 miles
- Drive time
- ~6 hours
- Suggested
- 3 days
- Best season
- Spring & fall (Zion is glorious, summer is hot)
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Hear a stop
Las Vegas
Narration
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This is how Wanderply narrates every stop of your trip — the audio a Trip Pass saves to your phone for offline drives. See pricing
Narrated tour
Salt Lake City → Las Vegas, stop by stop
6 narrated stops · ~7 mins of audio · plays offline once saved
- 01 Provo & the Wasatch Front
- 02 Beaver, UT
- 03 Zion National Park
- 04 St. George, UT
- 05 Virgin River Gorge
- 06 Las Vegas
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Quick answer: the drive from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas is about 420 miles and takes about 6 hours without stops, almost all of it on I-15, where much of rural Utah is posted at 80 mph. Beaver is roughly halfway; St. George is about 120 miles short of Vegas and the turnoff for Zion. Las Vegas is on Pacific Time, so you gain an hour on the way down.
Salt Lake City to Las Vegas is a straight shot down I-15 — about 420 miles and six hours — but it passes some of the most spectacular red rock in the country. With a half-day to spare, Zion National Park is right off the highway, and the drive itself saves the best for last: the Virgin River Gorge, one of the most beautiful stretches of interstate in America.
Here's the route, the stops, and a three-day plan. Wanderply can build your version and narrate every stop — including the famous ones on the way into Vegas.
The route
Stops along the way
02
Food / gas
Beaver, UT
The classic halfway stop. Arshel's Café has served road-trippers since 1973 — chicken-fried steak and scones the size of your face.
03
Detour
Zion National Park
Just off I-15 near St. George: the Narrows, Angels Landing, and the shuttle up Zion Canyon. The best detour on the drive.
04
Overnight
St. George, UT
Utah's warm-weather corner and a great base for Zion or Snow Canyon. A natural overnight before the final push.
05
Scenic drive
Virgin River Gorge
A jaw-dropping 20-mile canyon stretch of I-15 through the northwest tip of Arizona — one of the most scenic interstates ever built.
06
Destination
Las Vegas
The Sphere, the Strip, and a base for the Grand Canyon Skywalk and Hoover Dam. Neon after all that red rock.
Suggested plan
A 3-day skeleton
Day 1
SLC → St. George
South down I-15 with a lunch stop in Beaver. Overnight in St. George, gateway to Zion.
Day 2
Zion, then the Gorge
A morning in Zion Canyon, then the stunning drive through the Virgin River Gorge into Nevada. Vegas by evening.
Day 3
Vegas day
The Sphere, a Strip walk, and a day-trip option to Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
Hear every stop, narrated for the drive.
Wanderply doesn't just plan the Salt Lake City → Las Vegas route — it narrates every stop like a podcast you play in the car, with the history and the story of each place. And it all works offline, the whole way.
Build this trip & hear it →Loading typical conditions in Las Vegas…
Book this route
Where to stay
- Hotels in Las Vegas via Stay22
- Hotels in St. George, UT via Stay22
Rent a car
Tours & tickets
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Good to know
Frequently asked
How long is the drive from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas?
About 6 hours of driving for roughly 420 miles on I-15. With a lunch stop and gas, plan on 7. Las Vegas is an hour behind Utah (Pacific vs Mountain Time), so you arrive an hour earlier on the clock than you'd expect.
How many miles is it from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas?
About 420 miles, nearly all on I-15: roughly 300 miles from Salt Lake City to St. George, then about 120 more through the Virgin River Gorge and Mesquite into Las Vegas.
Can you drive from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas in one day?
Easily. It's one interstate the whole way, and most people do it in a single day. Split it into two only if you want a morning in Zion.
Where should I stop halfway?
Beaver, about 210 miles south of Salt Lake City, is the classic halfway stop for gas and food. Cedar City and St. George are good later stops, with St. George the last big Utah town before Nevada.
Can I visit a national park on the way?
Yes. Zion National Park is about 45 minutes off I-15 from St. George via Hurricane and Springdale, and it's the standout detour. Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon's North Rim are within reach with an extra day.
Is the drive EV-friendly?
Yes. I-15 has fast chargers spaced along the whole route, typically at Nephi, Beaver, Cedar City, St. George and Mesquite. Check PlugShare for current stations before you go.
What's the most scenic part of the drive?
The Virgin River Gorge, a 20-mile canyon stretch of I-15 through the corner of Arizona that's regularly called one of the most beautiful interstates in the country. Watch for lane closures; it's frequently under construction.
When is the best time to make this drive?
Spring and fall. Summer is very hot in St. George and Las Vegas. In winter I-15 is usually fine, but storms can bring snow between Nephi and Cedar City, so check UDOT Traffic before you leave.
Make it yours in about 3 minutes.
Tell Wanderply your dates, pace, and who's coming — it builds a day-by-day plan around your must-dos and narrates the whole drive.
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