Which Is Farther from California: Utah or Colorado?

From a California starting point (e.g., Los Angeles), Colorado is significantly farther than Utah:

• Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, UT: ~650 miles (1,046 km)
• Los Angeles to Denver, CO: ~950 miles (1,529 km)

The difference is roughly 300 miles (480 km), making Colorado the longer drive by about 4–5 hours.