-1717753922-r.jpg)
Wyoming road trip, maybe your next epic adventure if you love big skies, unspoiled wilderness, and the feel of the open road beneath your tires. As one of the most magnificently rugged states in the U.S., Wyoming offers an exhilarating mix of towering mountain ranges, vast open plains, geothermal wonders, and frontier towns that have retained their Wild West character. A road trip through Wyoming offers unique freedom and exploration that can be hard to find elsewhere. Going through national parks, along historic trails, or staring at star-filled night skies in unheard-of deserts, Wyoming offers a driving adventure.
No Wyoming road trip is complete without visiting the state’s gem, Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site but also a geothermal wonder and a wildlife sanctuary. Therefore, stop at Yellowstone if you’re planning a Wyoming road trip! Start everything in Cody, a great Western town named after Buffalo Bill, with museums, rodeos, and lots of cowboy charm! Entering Yellowstone from the East Entrance at Cody will prepare you for the wonder of Yellowstone’s vast interior, including Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Be sure to drive the figure-eight loop road inside the park so you can see all it has to offer, without having to return to your starting point. And be sure to include Lamar Valley in your Wyoming road trip; it’s one of the best locations in the US to see wolves and bison out in their habitat.
The Grand Teton Scenic Byway brings you to alpine splendor and one of America's most picturesque mountain ranges for a shorter but no less breathtaking itinerary through Wyoming. The trip begins in Jackson, an upscale locale with high-end hotels, an array of art galleries, and a little bit of the Wild West. Depart Jackson on Highway 191 north into Grand Teton National Park. As you travel along this corridor, you are flanked to your left by the rugged peaks of the Teton Range that seem to rise above glacial lakes and colorful meadows. The views are remarkable, especially early in the morning or later in the evening when the light catches the faces of the mountains. Stop at Jenny Lake and take a boat ride or a short hike to Hidden Falls. The journey through Wyoming is not only about all the great scenery; it is about experiencing the culture and cuisines of the area as well. Enjoy fresh trout at a riverside lodge, walk through the town square of Jackson under the iconic antler arch, or book a night in a rustic cabin with a view of the mountains.
If you want to enjoy peace & quiet and take in the beauty of nature and Wyoming, you'll appreciate a little gem often overlooked by many visitors: the Big Horn Mountain Drive. This drive starts in Sheridan, a place with deep roots in western history and whose buildings are exquisitely restored and await your exploration. The drive follows U.S. Highway 14 from Sheridan, over the Bighorn Mountains, and to Greybull to experience one of the grandest areas of alpine scenery in this state. You will see pristine lakes, winding mountain passes, rushing creeks, and valleys that extend as far as the eye can see. Shell Falls is a great place, along the way, to stretch your legs and witness a glorious waterfall while learning about the geological formations created from millions of years of erosion. Suppose you enjoy a quiet Wyoming road trip. In that case, this drive offers you a chance to experience as much on the way to your destination, while enjoying moments of isolation for wildlife viewing, fishing, and hiking.
In the northeastern corner of the state stands Devil’s Tower, an otherworldly monolith that rises above the surrounding plains like a sentinel from another era. A sacred site for many Native American tribes, this geological marvel is also the first U.S. national monument and a magnet for climbers and spiritual seekers alike. A road trip to Wyoming from the Black Hills region of South Dakota often includes a stop at Devil’s Tower, and it’s easy to see why. The detour off I-90 leads to an area of striking beauty and spiritual resonance. Walk the base trail around the tower, taking time to observe the prayer cloths tied to trees by Indigenous visitors, and marvel at the columnar rock formations.
Check This Out: Wyoming Ghost Towns: Haunting Histories & Lost Legends
The Snowy Range Scenic Byway, or Highway 130, is a bucket list destination for those looking for refreshing mountain air and spectacular alpine views. The byway connects the towns of Laramie and Saratoga and opens in late spring and closes in early fall and is a highlight of any road trip in Wyoming. While driving through the Medicine Bow mountains, there will be glacial lakes, meadows filled with wildflowers, and sweeping overlooks comparable to anything Colorado offers (and is usually a lot less crowded). One of the most stunning stops along the way is Mirror Lake, as it is a great place to take photos or have a picnic. At the terminus of the drive, where you will be arriving in Saratoga, is the Hobo Hot Springs, which is an ideal gift to yourself to relax after a long day of travel. Hobo Hot Springs is a quiet, undeveloped hot spring that is open year-round for public use.
The Wind River Canyon is a significant natural passageway between Shoshoni and Thermopolis, characterized by a narrow passageway, steep cliffs, and significant geological wonders. In this section of U.S. Highway 20, you travel along the Wind River as it winds through the canyon. On either side of the highway, rock walls rise hundreds of feet. This is all part of the driving experience, as you will learn about the significant natural beauty along the way. Geological markers along the roadside point out rock layers that span billions of years, offering a fascinating glimpse into the Earth’s ancient past. Be sure to visit Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, home to free soaking pools and a unique travertine terrace fed by the Big Spring.
In the southern part of the state lies the Red Desert and the Great Divide Basin—one of North America's last intact high-desert ecosystems. This remote and often overlooked region is a spectacular option for a road trip to Wyoming that strays off the beaten path. Start in Rock Springs and make your way north or west, stopping to explore Killpecker Sand Dunes, Boar’s Tusk, and the White Mountain Petroglyphs. The landscape here is stark and haunting windswept dunes, alien rock outcroppings, and vast expanses of sagebrush as far as the eye can see. Camping under the desert sky in this part of Wyoming feels like stepping back into a prehistoric world.
Retracing the paths of those early pioneers across South Pass adds an element of historical context to your adventure around Wyoming. Start in Casper, home of the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, where you can learn more through exhibits about how traversing settlers moved along Oregon, Mormon, and California trails. Then head south to South Pass City, a ghost town preserved as a living history site, back on the road and Hwy 28. You will find original wagon ruts, old mining ghost towns, and large plains that have changed little in over 100 years.
The southwestern portion of Wyoming is home to some of the most awe inspiring canyon country. The Flaming Gorge–Green River Loop is a beautiful 95-mile driving loop where you can explore deep red rock cliffs, geologic features, and the massive Flaming Gorge Reservoir straddling the Utah border. Start your journey in Rock Springs, and then travel to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, making it ideal for a day trip for any boater, angler, or person enjoying a scenic cliffside overlook. Stop at the Red Canyon Overlook or take a hike on the Little Hole Trail for amazing views. Green River provides add some lodging, food and access to water sports for a great base of activity.
If you're entering the state from Colorado, the trip from Cheyenne to Casper offers a wonderful preview of the road trip Wyoming charm. The trip begins in the state capital with Cheyenne, with its rodeo culture, old hotels, and railway heritage. Heading north on I-25, there are stops in places like Wheatland and Douglas where you gain an understanding of the prairie landscape with its cattle ranches, which give you a sense of rural American life. This space embodies the spirit of the American cowboy, and a sense of places to come.
Also Read: Wyoming Travel Tips: Flying in Winter and Summer Seasons
A road trip to Wyoming is a lifestyle, not just a flight of fancy across incredible scenery. It's an invitation to engage with life through exploration, stillness and discovery. A road trips across Wyoming is an experience on its own; through iconic National Parks to sacred Indigenous places, to wild deserts, wherever you go in Wyoming you step into a land that is still blissfully raw and untamed.
This content was created by AI