How long does it take to drive across Wyoming

When an Iowa-girl meets and marries a Utah-boy, it's inevitable that the two of them are going to make the drive back and forth every once in awhile. I think in 11 years I've made the trek more than 25 times. Trust me, very little of this 1000-mile section of I-80 is very interesting! About a year ago my sister moved to western Nebraska and I'm so excited to have somebody else out here "in the west" with me, but after visiting her there three separate times, I'm ready to scream from the mountaintops that Wyoming is really, REALLY boring!

Table of Contents Show

How many miles is it across Wyoming?
How long does it take to drive through Wyoming on I 80?
How many miles is it across Wyoming on Interstate 80?
Is I 80 through Wyoming Scenic?

This is Wyoming...

Seriously, even the shape of Wyoming is boring.
I'm not exaggerating, this is traced straight out of my Rand McNally Atlas.

Unfortunately, I-80 does not go anywhere close to there...

(an approximate drawing)

Let me take you along the longest of 5 hour drives. (I will say one nice thing about driving through Wyoming: the major towns are all equally spread apart at about 100 miles. It does make it easier to envision how long until your next reprieve) Here we go...

Evanston to Green River/Rock Springs

With Utah as my starting/stopping point, this section is pretty much a throw away for me. Either we're barely on the road so it's still exciting, or we're almost off the road so we're only thinking about finally getting there. There are two things to note, however...

Little America-An AWESOME Oasis of Green in the middle of nowhere. I'm going to write about it more in a separate post, so for now know it's a gas station/play area/restaurant/hotel stop thriving where nothing else is living.
The Green River Tunnel. I-80 crosses the bluff above Green River and you have to go through this tunnel to get to the other side. A Greyhound driver once told me he saw a compact car literally blown off the road from winds coming down the canyon on the west end. I've experienced the strong winds a handful of times and will add my testimony that this is definitely a place to exercise perfect 10 & 2 on the wheel.

Rock Springs to Rawlins

Brown, brown, brown, brown, brown, train, train, brown, brown, brown...You get the picture. When you finally do get to Rawlins look north of the highway for a small conglomeration of horse and llama corrals. They really will make you feel for a second like you're in cowboy country. Also watch for the Kermit the Frog house. You'll know it when you see it.

Rawlins to Laramie

There is nothing more disconcerting than coming up on a section of interstate temporarily closed due to severe winter weather. And something very eerie about being the first car through the crossing gates when the road reopens. If it is going to happen while you're driving across Wyoming, odds are pretty good it's going to be on this particular stretch of the highway. I have been in white-out blizzards here as late as Memorial Day and even when the weather is warmer, wind and fog can be a major hazard. On my recent drive, in fact, this is the only place I encountered snow. What is there to see along here, then? Impressive miles and miles of snow fencing.

Laramie to Cheyenne

The good news about Laramie (if you're traveling east) is that it's the beginning of the end of your drive through Wyoming. The distance from there to Cheyenne is only about 45 miles and after what you've been through, it goes so quickly! In addition, there are actually a few interesting things to see...

Medicine Bow National Forest-there is a REALLY steep climb east of Laramie that takes you out of the brown through a red rock canyon up into an evergreen forest. It is such a treat on the eyes! In winter the snow on the side of the roads can be higher than your car, though, so be careful. Also, I've rarely made it through this stretch without some kind of heavy fog impeding me.
Most people would never put Wyoming and Abraham Lincoln in the same sentence, but here he is right on the side of the road immortalized in stone at the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Monument.
And just for something strange, there is a monument in the interstate median with a tree growing out of a boulder. I've never stopped because it's in a very odd place, but you should. It seems like something interesting. Now that I think about it, it's pretty amazing they didn't destroy it during the construction of I-80 on either side.

Cheyenne to Pine Bluff (Nebraska Border)

Whether the end or the beginning,
you'll be excited to finally be here!

It's all back to normal driving now. If you're just coming into Wyoming, it's pretty exciting to just FINALLY be out of Nebraska. And if you're on your way out of Wyoming, you're singing the praises (which won't last long if you're now heading across all of Nebraska) of dropping down onto the western plains with new scenery coming up ahead.

Obviously I write a little tongue-in-cheek, and the other parts of Wyoming I've traveled to are absolutely beautiful and interesting. But, I'll tell you, I don't look forward to making the exact same trip again the next time!

Where is that section of road you could do without ever driving again?

More Information

For a much more in-depth and motivating

log of I-80 across the state of Wyoming,

or, at least take something along to keep you entertained...

How many miles is it across Wyoming?

From the north border to the south border it is 276 miles (444 km); and from the east to the west border is 365 miles (587 km) at its south end and 342 miles (550 km) at the north end.

How long does it take to drive through Wyoming on I 80?

Roads Through Wyoming: I-80.

How many miles is it across Wyoming on Interstate 80?

Interstate 80 (I-80) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. In Wyoming, the Interstate Highway runs 402.76 miles (648.18 km) from the Utah state line near Evanston east to the Nebraska state line in Pine Bluffs.

Is I 80 through Wyoming Scenic?

Taking I-80 east to west across Wyoming, the vast expanse and rugged landscapes of the state unfurl in spectacular fashion, while pit stops in small towns and urban hubs break up the drive and ramp up the fun.