Spanning 179.2 miles across Wyoming’s Mountain West region, this drive connects Basin to Gillette in approximately 3 hours and 18 minutes. Given the manageable duration, you can easily complete the entire trek in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to budget roughly $28 for fuel to cover the distance between these two points. Navigating the route involves traveling along Greybull Avenue, Skyline Drive, and South Warren Avenue. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive rather than a straight interstate shot, it requires your full attention behind the wheel. It is a straightforward trip that serves as a practical link between these two Wyoming towns.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
102.1 miles from Basin, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
115.9 mi
1h 56m
Greybull Avenue
78.8 mi
1h 43m
South 4th Street
7.7 mi
9m
I 90 Business
1.2 mi
3m
Skyline Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
West 4th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
South Warren Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
East 4th Street
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 115.9 mi, about 1h 56m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~222 veh/hr typical
· worst 325
Quietest
2 AM
~12 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 49 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Basin, WY and Gillette, WY.
1
Start on US 16; US 20; WY 789
7.7 mi·9 min·South 4th Street
2
Turn right onto US 14
79 mi·1 hr 43 min·Greybull Avenue
3
Take the ramp onto I 90; US 87
0.4 mi·50 sec·I 90; US 87
4
Continue on I 90; US 14; US 87
115 mi·1 hr 55 min·I 90; US 14; US 87
5
Take the exit onto I 90
0.4 mi·47 sec·I 90
6
Turn left onto I 90 Business; WY 50
0.2 mi·26 sec·Skyline Drive
7
Turn slight right onto I 90 Business; US 14; US 16; WY 59
1.2 mi·3 min·I 90 Business; US 14; US 16; WY 59
8
Turn right onto South Warren Avenue
0.1 mi·33 sec·South Warren Avenue
9
Turn left onto West 4th Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·West 4th Street
10
Arrive at destination
East 4th Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a compact trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time around your personal schedule. You only need to account for one planned stop throughout the 179.2-mile journey, making it simple to manage your travel time. Be mindful that because the route relies on local roads like South Warren Avenue, you should keep an eye on your fuel gauge before leaving Basin, even with the estimated $28 cost. If you find the turn-heavy sections tiring, use your single stop to stretch and reset before tackling the remainder of the drive. A smart strategy is to check local road reports for these specific avenues before you head out to ensure a smooth transition between towns.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 102.1 miles from Basin, WY, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 115.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 45 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102.1 miles or 2h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gillette, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Basin, WY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Basin, WY
This is one driving day of about 204.2 miles and 3h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Basin, WY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 115.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.7 and 204 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
7.7 mi into trip|~9m in|US 14 / Greybull Avenue
Turn right onto US 14 / Greybull Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
86.5 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|I 90; US 87
Take the ramp onto I 90; US 87
Navigation decision point
3
202.1 mi into trip|~3h 49m in|I 90
Take the exit onto I 90
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
4
202.5 mi into trip|~3h 50m in|I 90 Business; WY 50 / Skyline Drive
Turn left onto I 90 Business; WY 50 / Skyline Drive
Navigation decision point
5
204 mi into trip|~3h 54m in|West 4th Street
Turn left onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.83 one way
$63.66 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$33.55
$67.10
premium
$4.47
$35.97
$71.94
diesel
$4.80
$38.56
$77.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.3
0
$21.44
$9.80
Efficient EV
51.1
0
$17.87
$8.17
EV Truck/SUV
81.7
1
$28.59
$13.07
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Basin, WY
Night
in Basin on Saturday
Local time
11:51 PM
MDT
Current temp
63°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
S 1 to 7 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:04PM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 10:17AM MDT until July 20 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Cheyenne WY
Destination
Gillette, WY
Night
in Gillette on Saturday
Local time
11:51 PM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
SE 5 to 8 mph21% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:04PM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 10:17AM MDT until July 20 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Cheyenne WY
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 55m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a drive that prioritizes local navigation over high-speed interstate cruising. With 0% of the journey spent on major highways, the experience is defined by the winding nature of the roads rather than long, monotonous stretches. You will spend your time navigating turn-heavy segments that demand consistent engagement from the driver. Since the route avoids traditional highway infrastructure, the pace remains steady and focused on local road conditions. Expect a technical drive where the road personality shifts constantly as you transition through the Mountain West landscape.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 115.9 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 7.7 miles in near US 14 / Greybull Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 55m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.7 miles (US 14 / Greybull Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 86.5 miles (I 90; US 87): Navigation decision point; at 202.1 miles (I 90): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Gillette is a city in Northeast Wyoming halfway between Sundance and Sheridan on I-90. Gillette is a coal mining town with a population of about 33,000 (2020). Because of the coal, oil, and natural gas production, the city calls itself the energy capital of the nation.
The longest stretch is about 115.9 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through WY can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.7 miles (US 14 / Greybull Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 86.5 miles (I 90; US 87): Navigation decision point; at 202.1 miles (I 90): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Gillette, WY, but most travelers stay overnight.
