Denver to Salt Lake City distance
Denver and Salt Lake City are 372 miles (598 km) apart in a straight line and 520 miles (838 km) apart by road: about 9 hr of driving without stops, mostly on I-80 and I-25. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing, the approximate flight time and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 520 mi (838 km)
- Driving time
- 9 hr
- Straight line
- 372 mi (598 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 372 mi (598 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 520 mi (838 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 9 hr no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +40% 1.40 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 58 mph (93 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 283° (west) leaving Denver toward Salt Lake City |
| Midpoint | 40.3015° N, 108.4119° W near Maybell (Colorado) |
| Halfway by road | Near Wamsutter (Wyoming) 260 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Approximate flight | 1 hr 15 min estimate: 30 min + the straight line at 800 km/h |
| Elevation | Denver: 5,276 ft (1,608 m) · Salt Lake City: 4,264 ft (1,300 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Denver: 740,613 · Salt Lake City: 218,428 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Denver to Salt Lake City by road
The fastest driving route is 520 miles (838 km) long and takes about 9 hr without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-80 (387 mi), I-25 (68.1 mi), and US 287 (46.3 mi).
It goes through 3 states: Colorado (104 mi), Wyoming (338 mi), and Utah (78.2 mi). That’s an average of 58 mph (93 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 4 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 10 hr 20 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Denver and Salt Lake City are 372 miles (598 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 40% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 140. That’s a big detour: the fastest route strays quite far from the straight line. Of the 40 US pairs in this series, it has the biggest detour (the average is 14%).
From Denver, Salt Lake City lies to the west (bearing 283°), and from Salt Lake City, Denver lies to the east. The straight line reaches Salt Lake City on a bearing of 279°: on a sphere the bearing keeps changing along the way, which is why the shortest route looks slightly curved on a flat map.
Halfway between Denver and Salt Lake City
Halfway along the straight line, 186 miles (299 km) from each city, is the point 40.3015° N, 108.4119° W. It falls near Maybell (Colorado, pop. 35), 22.7 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 260 miles (419 km) from each city, near Wamsutter (Wyoming, pop. 197), 8.8 mi away. The two midpoints are 102 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Denver and Salt Lake City share the same time all year: both are on Mountain Time.
A direct flight would take about 1 hr 15 min. That’s an estimate: 30 minutes for takeoff, climb, descent and landing, plus the 598 km straight line at 800 km/h (about 497 mph), a typical airliner cruising speed. Real schedules depend on wind, routing and airports, and not every pair has a direct flight.
The two cities
Denver sits at 5,276 ft (1,608 m) and Salt Lake City at 4,264 ft (1,300 m), 1,012 ft (308 m) lower.
Denver has 740,613 people and Salt Lake City 218,428 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Denver to Salt Lake City?
372 miles (598 km) in a straight line and 520 miles (838 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-80 and I-25).
How long is the drive from Denver to Salt Lake City?
About 9 hr without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 4 stops of 20 minutes, about 10 hr 20 min.
Where is the halfway point between Denver and Salt Lake City?
In a straight line, near Maybell (Colorado). By road, 260 mi from each city, near Wamsutter (Wyoming).
How long is the flight from Denver to Salt Lake City?
About 1 hr 15 min, estimated from the straight-line distance (598 km): 30 minutes for takeoff and landing plus the trip at 800 km/h. Real flight times vary with wind and routing.
Are Denver and Salt Lake City in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Mountain Time all year.
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology