These 8 Scenic Country Roads In Wyoming Are Sublime
Choose almost any road to travel in Wyoming, and it will likely be a country road. These roads will take you the “scenic route” — they may not be the fastest way from Point A to Point B, but they’re absolutely worth the extra travel time. In fact, the views on these backroads are some of the most beautiful you will ever see. Take these scenic country roads in Wyoming for an unforgettable drive.
Beartooth Scenic Highway is a National Scenic Byways All-American Road that is 68 miles long and snakes through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming before heading straight into Yellowstone National Park at the Northwest Entrance. It is one of the highest elevation highways in Wyoming and is one of the most scenic drives in America.
From the highway, you can enjoy fantastic views of the Beartooth Mountains, Absaroka Mountains, and high alpine plateaus. This area is full of glacial lakes, forests, waterfalls, and wildlife. The highway is surrounded by the Gallatin and Shoshone National Forests and runs parallel to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
The Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway runs along the northwestern part of Wyoming. The byway begins in Shoshoni at milepost 100, follows U.S. 20 N through the Wind River Canyon, the Wind River Indian Reservation, and ends just north of Thermopolis at milepost 134. When you leave Shoshoni, you will head into Boysen State Park where you will have views of the yellow and red rock of the Owl Creek Mountains and Boysen Reservoir. From there you head for Wind River Canyon where you can enjoy the dramatic rock walls and cliffs. Be sure to watch for mountain sheep hanging out along the cliffs. The drive ends at Thermopolis which is home to the world's largest mineral hot spring.
The Snowy Range Scenic Byway is known as the "Great Skyroad." It's a scenic alternative to I-80. This byway is located in the southeastern section of the state and crosses the Medicine Bow Mountain Range. It crosses the 2nd highest mountain pass in Wyoming. Part of the drive includes 29 miles of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest along Highway 130. The 1-hour drive passes by lakes, meadows, mountain streams, and granite peaks. The byway closes mid-November and reopens by Memorial Day weekend.
The Buffalo Bill Scenic Highway meanders through the North Fork of the Shoshone River through Wapiti Valley and finally into the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The scenic byway starts west of Cody at the border of the Shoshone National Forest. It takes about 45 minutes to drive this 27-mile stretch.
The Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway stretches out for 163 miles between Pinedale and Dubois. The route is made up of U.S. 26/287 and U.S. 26/89/191 and passes through the badlands and ranch lands. Pictured is the Teton Range from just east of Togwotee Pass on the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway.
The Chief Joseph Scenic Highway runs from Cody to the Beartooth Highway and the Northeast Gate of Yellowstone National Park. The route crosses the Shoshone National Forest by way of the Absaroka Mountains and into Clarks Fork Valley. This route is a 47-mile drive. Pictured is the Sunlight Bridge over Sunlight Creek, one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway.
The Seminoe to Alcova Scenic Backway is a 64-mile route that runs through South Central Wyoming. It leads over the Seminoe Mountains, and by the Alcova Reservoir, Pathfinder Reservoir, Fremont Canyon, Seminoe Reservoir, Pedro Mountains, and Seminoe State Park. You will encounter prairie, desert, and mountains along the way.
The Big Spring Scenic Byway runs through southwestern Lincoln County from Kemmerer to Cokeville. It goes into the Tunp Mountain Range and into the Bridger National Forest. The 68-mile route takes you by emigrant trails, river valleys, mountain ranges, and forests.
What are your favorite scenic country roads in Wyoming? Let us know where you want to drive with our Nomination Form.
Address: Beartooth Highway, Wyoming, USA
Address: Wyoming 296, WY-296, Wyoming, USA
Address: Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, N Fork Hwy, Cody, WY 82414, USA
Address: Wind River Canyon, Wyoming 82443, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Scenic Country Roads In Wyoming
February 07, 2021
Kim Magaraci
What are the most beautiful places in Wyoming?
The most breathtaking places in Wyoming can be found in all corners of the state. Devils Tower in the Black Hills shows unique topography left over by the movement of mountains and erosion over millions of years. The Bighorn Basin is a high mountain desert basin surrounded by remarkable and young mountain ranges in the Rockies. The Cloud Peak Wilderness will take your breath away with its trails and view. In our National Parks, it’s hard to top the views from Jenny Lake or Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park, or the Midway Geyser Basin and Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park.
What are the best road trips through Wyoming?
Take a road trip through Wyoming to see its beauty up close! The Beartooth Highway is consistently named one of the best drives in the country, and it connects to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway for an even longer and beautiful drive. Take the Snowy Range Scenic Byway to see our stunning and snowy mountains in Southern Wyoming, and explore the Star Valley along the road between Bear Lake and the Jackson Hole Valley. Looking for more? Here’s the scoop on 10 of our favorite scenic road trips in Wyoming.
What unique tours in Wyoming can I take?
Wyoming is home to all sorts of fun, unique tours. Explore the wildlife tours through the National Elk Refuge, Hayden Valley, and Lamar Valley. Take a historic tour of the Cheyenne Train Depot, or explore what life was like along the Oregon Trail with a wagon train trip! In Cody, the Trolley Tour shows off the Buffalo Bill Reservoir on one of the most memorable tours you can take in Wyoming.
Address: Beartooth Highway, Wyoming, USA
Address: Wyoming 296, WY-296, Wyoming, USA
Address: Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, N Fork Hwy, Cody, WY 82414, USA
Address: Wind River Canyon, Wyoming 82443, USA
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I am a freelance writer who also has been a small business owner and worked in the fields of insurance, accounting, and education. I enjoy spending time with family, reading, writing, photography, music, running, sports, and of course traveling!
