The drive from Monticello, UT to Sandy Hills, UT covers 276.4 miles and takes about 5h 29m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, South Main Street, Veterans Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 172.1 miles on Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.80 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
138.2 miles from Monticello, UT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 43m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 29m. Total distance: 276.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 29m drive with frequent turns across 276.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 172.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 85.4 miles in near US 191.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 276.4 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 85.4 miles (US 191): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 236.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 272.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
85.4 mi into trip|~1h 45m in|US 191
Take the exit onto US 191 toward I-70 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I-70 West
7
236.3 mi into trip|~4h 42m in
Take the exit toward I 15 North: Salt Lake City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 15 North: Salt Lake City
7
272.1 mi into trip|~5h 21m in
Take the exit toward SR 151: 10600 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 293
Toward SR 151: 10600 South
9
272.2 mi into trip|~5h 21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Monroe Street North, 10600 South East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Monroe Street North, 10600 South East
8
272.2 mi into trip|~5h 21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward East 10600 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward East 10600 South
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Monticello, UT to Sandy Hills, UT, road signs begin pointing toward Salt Lake City along the way.
The midpoint is around 138.2 miles from Monticello, UT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 172.1 miles.
Arriving in Sandy Hills, UT
The final approach into Sandy Hills, UT usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Sandy Hills, UT.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Arches National Park
National Park
Discover a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balance...
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
$12
near mile 257.3
Canyonlands is a wilderness of canyons, buttes, and spires carved by the Colorado River and Green River. The park is divided into four distinct districts; no roads join them together. The districts sh...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
$30
near mile 38.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.80 one way
$87.60 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg97 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$45.91
$91.82
premium
$4.53
$49.31
$98.61
diesel
$5.61
$61.03
$122.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 96.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82.9
1
$29.02
$13.27
Efficient EV
69.1
0
$24.18
$11.06
EV Truck/SUV
110.6
1
$38.70
$17.69
Gas CO2
97 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Monticello, UT
Morning
in Monticello on Friday
Local time
11:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Sandy Hills, UT
Morning
in Sandy Hills on Friday
Local time
11:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Fairview, UT
138 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
21 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 29m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Monticello, UT to Sandy Hills, UT covers 276.4 miles and takes about 5h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, South Main Street, Veterans Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 138.2 miles from Monticello, UT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.80 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 276.4 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 85.4 miles (US 191): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 236.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 272.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Monticello, UT to Sandy Hills, UT, road signs begin pointing toward Salt Lake City along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Arches National Park, Timpanogos Cave National Monument and Canyonlands National Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
