The Ultimate Wyoming Road Trip Itinerary

Stop 1: Vedauwoo, Wyoming

The ultimate Wyoming road trip begins by crossing into the southeast corner of the state from Colorado or Nebraska. Vedauwoo Recreation Area is a great place to take a hike, climb some cracks, pedal your bike or set up camp and enjoy the scenic rock formations and clear starry skies. Camping can be found just a few miles off the interstate, but it is best to stock up with supplies in Cheyenne or Laramie.

Day 2: Laramie to Saratoga, Wyoming

Enjoy a morning sunrise at Vedauwoo and then drive 20 minutes to historic downtown Laramie for breakfast at J’s Prairie Rose Cafe. On the West side of town stop into the Wyoming Territorial Prison to catch the trail of Butch Cassidy and other 19th century outlaws who terrorized the plains. Depart Laramie and head over the Continental Divide (Highway 130 is closed in winter) to the tiny outpost of Saratoga. Treat yourself to a leg stretch among the 12,000 foot peaks in the Snowy Range, take a dip in a freezing alpine lake or just admire the wild flowers along the way.

Once you descend into Saratoga you can warm up at the free Hobo Hot Pools and then walk a few blocks to dinner and live music downtown. Inexpensive camping can be found in town or a short drive away in the National Forest

Day 3: Saratoga to Pathfinder Reservoir

Central Wyoming offers a good opportunity to go fishing, sit on a lakeside beach and learn wagon trail history at Muddy Gap and Independence Rock. The two-and-a-half hour drive from Saratoga is a slice of quintessential high plains scenery that a historic outpost for the wagon trains heading west. The nearby Alcova and Pathfinder Reservoirs have abundant accommodations and the marinas rent both petrol and human powered watercraft.

Day 4: Central Wyoming to Lander

Lander is paradise on earth for the outdoor recreation enthusiast. Within an hour of town, you can paddle world class rivers, climb overhanging limestone cliffs and even take a trip into the rugged Wind River Mountains. The town offers free camping in the city park and more than a couple great bars on Main Street.

Day 5-6: Lander to Moran, Wyoming

 Jenny LakeAlta, United StatesThe Tetons @ Jenny Lake. Hot damn. Everywhere in this park is stunning. #nationalpark

Moran is the perfect place to send mail before you explore Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. While there is nothing more than a Post Office in Moran proper, there is camping and dude ranch accommodation in the Buffalo Valley. You are only about a 15-minute drive from the nearest National Park and 45 minutes north of Jackson.

 Grand Teton National ParkWest Yellowstone, United StatesJUST LOOK. Holy cow. #photography #hiking #nationalpark

From here you should take at least one day to hike in Grand Teton National Park and two days to explore the wildlife and geothermal wonders in Yellowstone.

Day 6-7: Moran to Yellowstone

It is best to break up the drive through Yellowstone for at least one night, but you could easily spend a week here if you are an outdoors person or wildlife enthusiast. Hotel and lodge accommodation is hard to come by in high season, but there are car camping spots and if you are willing to hike for a couple miles there are an abundance of backcountry camping opportunities.

 Lewis Lake CampgroundYellowstone National Park, United StatesGreat campground in #yellowstone $12 a night – an hour to #oldfaithful and two hours to #bison and popular areas – oftentimes open for walk ins during high season #lake access

Please be bear aware and commit to Leave No Trace Principles while visiting the park. If you go off-trail, pay attention to the ground under-foot. There are hidden thermal seeps and pools.

Day 8: Yellowstone to Cody

 Madison Junction CampgroundYellowstone National Park, United StatesCamping at Madison campground is the perfect location to discover bison right at your doorstep.
Take a 1 minute walk to Madison River, perfect for photography opportunities for landscape and wildlife.
The campground has flushable toilets and potable water.
It’s a great location and perfect for families.
#camping #hiking #photography #wildlife #yellowstone #familyfriendly #adventure #vacation #nationalpark

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as you exit Yellowstone through the East Gate. Cody – named after the frontier entertainer ‘Buffalo Bill Cody’ – is the next outpost of civilization you will encounter.

Day 9: Cody to Thermopolis or Tensleep

Travel into the heart of central Wyoming toward the world’s largest mineral hot springs in Thermopolis. If you are a quick soaker you can head another hour northeast to settle in Tensleep for the night. This tiny town of a couple hundred residents is the perfect place to rest up for another day exploring the Big Horn mountains. The brewery on the West side of town offers cheap camping, hot shower and cold brews.

Day 10: Tensleep to Devil’s Tower

Spend the morning dangling a worm in Meadowlark Lake or ramble into the Big Horn National Forest to find some solitude in the high mountains. This is a great place to take a detour on foot into the Cloud Peak Wilderness and even attempt to stand atop a 13,000-foot peak.

Day 11: Devils Tower

 Devils Tower National MonumentDevils Tower, United States#hiking #camping

Visiting Devil’s Tower (known to the original Native Americans as Bear Lodge) can be done as a roadside stop, but witnessing the sunset or sunrise over the country’s first National Monument makes it worth spending the night. If you feel compelled to stand atop the tower get in touch with local rock climbing legend Frank Sanders at The Devils Tower Lodge.

Finishing your Wyoming road trip in the northeast corner of the state locates you near Custer State Park, the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore (over the border in South Dakota).