With long stretches of open highway, traveling through Wyoming can lead you through some of the country’s most stunning vistas. Before you head out on the road, be sure to check weather conditions, emergency alerts and a map of the state’s major highways.
Driving Tips
Road conditions in Wyoming are generally very good with all services available in towns along the way and at well spaced intervals on most highways.
Insurance coverage is mandatory.
Wyoming drinking and driving laws are strictly enforced and prosecuted.
Wyoming's high altitude may somewhat affect your car's performance. Drivers should be aware of their car's limitations when passing others at high altitudes.
Some of the scenic byways, and roads in high snowfall areas, are open only in the summer months.
During the winter months, highways and roads linking major towns and resorts are kept clear and passable. Road conditions can vary widely, however, based on the region of the state and the altitude to be traveled.
Speed limits are well posted on most two-lane highways. 55 - 65 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. On freeways, the limits range from 55 - 75 mph.
Open stretches of highway may be open grazing range for livestock and wildlife. Be careful of animals crossing the roads and walking along the roadway.
For more road information, call 1-888-WYO-ROAD or visit www.wyoroad.info.
National Park Passes
If you are planning to visit Wyoming's national parks or monuments on your travels, the National Parks Pass, which can be purchased at the parks' entrances or at www.nationalparks.org, is a great bargain.
Packing for a Successful Trip
Dress in Wyoming is casual - jeans, sweatshirts, shorts, T-shirts, windbreakers and flannels. Whatever you choose to wear, always be sure to have the option to add or subtract layers.
Temperatures sometimes reach the 90s, but the nights are cool, particularly in the mountains. Even in summer months, snow in the higher elevations is common. Wyoming has the second highest average elevation in the United States. Be careful of the sun’s power in our thinner atmosphere: bring a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses to ensure an easy and comfortable time.
Our elevation also results in less oxygen in the air. If arriving from lower elevations, beware of strenuous activity until your body has adjusted. For those needing supplemental oxygen, check with your local oxygen provider for short-term use of portable oxygen concentrators. Finally, carry any necessary prescriptions in case you need to purchase refills while on your trip.
Although you won't find Butch Cassidy sneaking out a saloon's back door (like he used to in Baggs) or an innkeeper poisoning patrons with arsenic to steal their gold (like Polly Bartlett in the mining town of South Pass City), Wyoming's bars and saloons are still full of the Wild West – not to mention modern-day quirkiness and characters. Follow this three-day driving itinerary to experience some of the state's most interesting places to saddle up (and I mean that literally if we're talking about The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson) and grab a cold one or just gawk at these Wyoming watering-hole wonders. read more
You can play in one of nature's largest sandboxes in the country just a few miles north of Rock Springs at the Killpecker Sand Dunes. The dunes seem out of place in southwest Wyoming. It's the kind of environment you'd expect to find in the deserts of Africa or the Mid-East. There's an off-road vehicle "play area" for desert toys and lots of space to walk around in the sand. read more
