Wyoming Road Trip Ideas: 11 Best Road Trips + Itinerary

Wyoming, with its Wild West relics and legends, its majestic mountains and valleys, its pristine national and state parks, and so much more, is a land just begging to be explored. If you are looking for the best road trips in Wyoming, you have come to the right place. Whether you have one day or two weeks, prefer small towns or stunning vistas, we have a trip for you. It’s time to pack the car and hit the road on a journey you will never forget.

1-Day Road Trip In Wyoming

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• Route: Rock Springs > Green River
• Distance: 24 miles
• Trip Time: 1.5 hours driving time

If you have just one day to get out and explore and you want to see some of what makes Wyoming uniquely beautiful, we highly recommend the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Tour. The gorgeous drive is just 24 miles long and takes less than two hours to complete if you drive straight through, but the striking landscape and the opportunity to watch Wyoming’s majestic wild horses will make you want to take it slow, make some stops, and soak in what has been called one of the best scenic drives in the state. Start your trip in Rock Springs and leisurely make your way down to beautiful Green River, a little city worth exploring on its own.

3-Day Weekend Road Trip In Wyoming

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• Route: Jackson > Yellowstone > Cody > Bighorn National Forest > Sheridan
• Distance: 420 miles
• Trip Time: 9 hours 50 minutes driving time

If you were to set off for a long weekend on a scenic trip, what could be better than spending a few days exploring Wyoming’s iconic mountain ranges? This three-day mountain road trip is a truly unforgettable adventure that takes you through the Grand Tetons, the Absarokas, and The Big Horns in northern Wyoming. Along the way, you will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy hiking, small towns, roadside vista points, wildlife, and natural wonders. It is hard to say which day of this trip is the most amazing, but we can say this road trip through Wyoming will feed any mountain lover’s soul.

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Beartooth Scenic Highway Road Trip

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• Route: Beartooth Scenic Highway
• Distance: 68 miles
• Trip Time: 1 hour 40 minutes driving time

Arguably one of the best Wyoming road trips is the stunning Beartooth Scenic Highway. This scenic road, beginning at the Montana border and the entrance to Shoshone National Forest, could be easily driven in under two hours without stopping, but there is so much to take in and explore along the way, you might want to stretch it out to a full day, or even two! You will wind through pine-forested slopes, glacier-carved lakes and rock formations, and a snowy range, and a quick dip over the Montana border. The spectacular, changing landscape comes with fantastic vista points and hiking opportunities. Keep in mind that the highway is only open during summer and fall months.

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Continental Divide Road Trip

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• Route: Jackson > Cody > Meeteetse > Thermopolis > Shoshoni > Riverton > Hudson > Lander > Dubois > Jackson
• Distance: 500 miles
• Trip Time: 9.5 hours driving time

The Rocky Mountain Continental Divide, also referred to as the “spine of the continent,” is a geologic wonder. Rivers that flow on the west side of the crest drain to the Pacific Ocean whereas those on the east side drain into the Atlantic Ocean. This exciting road trip around the Continental Divide has it all - national parks, charming small towns, hot springs, hiking, a Native American reservation, historic sites, and more. You will cross over the Divide at least a few times and see plenty of Wyoming beauty and character. Your trip starts in Jackson so you may want to stop by the Jackson Home Ranch Visitor Center to start off your big adventure.

Best Wyoming Road Trip For Spring

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• Route: Thermopolis > Saratoga > Jackson Hole > Kelly > Mammoth
• Distance: 724 miles
• Trip Time: Approximately 14 hours driving time

In late spring, as the rains let up and flowers start blooming, it feels like high time to get outside. With this unique Wyoming road trip itinerary, you will travel through hundreds of miles of the state’s breathtaking scenery and stop at some extraordinary thermal springs where you can relax and soak in the warm mineral waters and take in the views. Each stop has something special to offer, such as the boardwalk trails at Thermopolis and Mammoth Hot Springs, and the canyon views from Jackson Hole’s Granite Hot Springs.

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Best Summer Road Trip In Wyoming

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• Route: Osprey Falls > Undine Falls > Tower Fall and Upper Falls, Yellowstone > Fairy Falls > Kepler Cascades > Lewis Falls > Moose Falls
• Distance: 166 miles
• Trip Time: 4 hours 20 minutes driving time

The next time you start making summer plans, consider taking a couple of days and setting off on a spectacular waterfall road trip. This itinerary gives you plenty of time to enjoy hiking and spending time at eight of Wyoming’s impressive waterfalls. Each day, plan to sit and enjoy a picnic lunch with an outstanding view, and enjoy a relaxing evening at a charming Yellowstone hotel. We can’t think of a more refreshing summer road trip.

Best Wyoming Road Trip For Fall

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• Route: Oxbow Bend > Paintbrush Canyon > Snake River Overlook > Paradise Ranch, Buffalo > Devils Tower > Casper Mountain
• Distance: 695 miles
• Trip Time: 14 hours driving time

One of the most stunning natural displays in Wyoming is the changing of colors in autumn. During September and October each year, vibrant shades wash over the state, painting it in golds and reds that we just can’t get enough of. If you feel the same way, get your sweaters and camera ready, and head out on this gorgeous fall foliage road trip that takes you to some of the most stunning locations in the state.

Best Winter Road Trip In Wyoming

Campbell County Festival of Lights/Facebook

• Route: Cheyenne > Casper > Gillette > Laramie > Cody
• Distance: 986 miles
• Trip Time: 16 hours 13 minutes driving time

During winter months, twinkling lights lend a captivating ambiance to everyday places and things throughout the state. It is lovely to happen upon a pretty light display, but even more wonderful to be able to make a trip of it and see as many lights as possible. This enchanting light display road trip takes you to some of the best holiday lights of the season - perfect for a little family getaway.

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Family Friendly Wyoming Road Trip

Cowtown Candy Company/Google Local

• Route: Jackson > Afton > Cody > Lovell > Meeteetse > Casper > Laramie
• Distance: 697 miles
• Trip Time: Approximately 13 hours driving time

Sometimes a road trip is about the scenery, and sometimes it’s about the stops. This chocolate shop road trip is definitely the latter! Go on a sweet tour of Wyoming’s best old-school candy-makers, sampling tasty treats along the way. This getaway is great for families - you won’t have any complaints about time on the road when everyone knows the next stop means another bite of homemade chocolate, fudge, old-fashioned candies, ice cream, fancy desserts, and more. A bonus highlight is visiting the cool town that was named after Buffalo Bill Cody. This may just be one of the best road trips in Wyoming!

Road Trip to Wyoming Landmarks & Natural Wonders

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• Route: Yellowstone National Park > Bighorn Canyon > Devils Tower > Hells Half Acre > Red Desert > Periodic Spring > Grand Teton National Park > Sinks Canyon State Park > Thermopolis
• Distance: 1,426 miles
• Trip Time: 25 hours driving time

This state has no shortage of incredible natural beauty. You could live here for years and hardly see any of the awe-inspiring places in Wyoming, but that would be a shame. So we have put together the ultimate road trip to Wyoming’s natural wonders. Your multi-park road trip starts in the first national park in the USA, home to Yellowstone Lake, a prismatic hot spring, Old Faithful geyser and Geyser Basin, and its very own Grand Canyon. If you are especially adventurous, you can go rock climbing at Devils Tower or hike the sand dunes of the Red Desert. This multi-day trip will change your view of Wyoming forever.

Road Trip to Best Small Towns in Wyoming

Atkach24, CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

• Route: Shell > Dayton > Ranchester > Sheridan > Big Horn > Buffalo > Ten Sleep
• Distance: 239 miles
• Trip Time: Approximately 5 hours driving time

Clearly, there is much to see, do, and explore in this remarkable state - mountains, rivers, natural wonders, small towns, wildlife, etc. We really have it all. And while it is impossible to see everything the Cowboy State has to offer in a single trip, this road trip to the best Bighorn Mountain towns does a pretty amazing job of packing in it. You will visit seven small towns, each with something unique and inviting to offer, and in between, you will explore impressive sites like Shell Falls, Ten Sleep Canyon, and all of the backroad scenery you could ask for in such a short trip. This trip is also wonderfully flexible. It is short enough to complete in as little as a day or you can stretch it out as long as you’d like, adding overnight stays in one or more of these lovely towns, side roads, hiking, etc. Make it exactly what you want it to be; you won’t forget it.

It’s high time to set off on an epic Wyoming road trip, map in hand. Which of these trips would you plan to do first? Have you followed any of these or similar itineraries? We would love to hear about your road trip experiences and your favorite stops along the way! We think every season is road trip season, but if you do plan to travel during wet, cold, or snowy months, make sure you check out these road trip tips for a safe and enjoyable journey!

For road trip planning and packing tips, check out OnlyInYourState’s Ultimate Road Trip Packing List. Whether you’re leaving for a single day or a week-long road trip, you can’t forget the snacks: here are 50 on-the-go snack ideas perfect for traveling.