Spanning 391.9 miles across the Mountain West, this trip from Cheyenne to Cody takes approximately 7 hours and 1 minute of pure drive time. While it is technically possible to complete this journey in a single day, be prepared for a substantial amount of time behind the wheel. Budgeting roughly $62 for fuel is a smart starting point, though your final costs will depend on your vehicle's efficiency. You will navigate a mix of major interstates and regional highways, making it a functional connection rather than a quick jaunt. Since both cities are located within Wyoming, you will experience the consistency of the high-plains landscape throughout the entire traverse. It serves as a practical route for those looking to bridge the distance between these two iconic Wyoming hubs efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
195.9 miles from Cheyenne, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 25
177.3 mi
2h 53m
West Yellowstone Highway
93.8 mi
1h 46m
Broadway Street
81.5 mi
1h 29m
Idaho Street
31.7 mi
38m
US 20
3 mi
3m
Greybull Highway
1.4 mi
1m
Randall Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
17th Street
0.7 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 177.3 mi, about 2h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cheyenne, WY and Cody, WY.
1
Start on West 24th Street
292 ft·12 sec·West 24th Street
2
Turn right onto Carey Avenue
0.1 mi·13 sec·Carey Avenue
3
Turn slight left onto Randall Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·Randall Avenue
4
Turn right onto Hynds Boulevard
338 ft·5 sec·Hynds Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
6
Merge onto I 25; US 87
1.5 mi·1 min·I 25; US 87
7
Continue on I 25; US 85; US 87
3.9 mi·4 min·I 25; US 85; US 87
8
Continue on I 25; US 87
76 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 25; US 87
9
Continue on I 25; US 26; US 87
34 mi·31 min·I 25; US 26; US 87
10
Continue on I 25; US 20; US 26; US 87
62 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 25; US 20; US 26; US 87
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
12
Keep slight left at fork
350 ft·10 sec
13
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
3.0 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
14
Turn right onto US 20; US 26
94 mi·1 hr 46 min·West Yellowstone Highway
15
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789
32 mi·38 min·Idaho Street
16
Turn left onto South 8th Street
0.5 mi·2 min·South 8th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Turn left onto WY 120
82 mi·1 hr 29 min·Broadway Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
At end of road, turn left onto US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
1.4 mi·1 min·Greybull Highway
19
Continue on US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
0.7 mi·2 min·17th Street
20
Continue on US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
413 ft·18 sec·Sheridan Avenue
21
Turn right onto US 14A; WY 120
98 ft·3 sec·16th Street
22
Arrive at destination
US 14A; WY 120
Trip Plan
Planning for two scheduled stops is your best strategy to keep fatigue at bay during this 7-hour trek. Because the longest stretch is over 177 miles, ensure your fuel tank is topped off before tackling the interstate portion to avoid any mid-trip anxiety. Leaving Cheyenne early in the morning is highly recommended to ensure you reach Cody before the day concludes, especially if you want to avoid driving the final local road segments in the dark. The primary advantage of this route is its straightforward nature, so use your two planned stops to break up the drive into manageable 3-hour blocks. Keep a close watch on your odometer to track your progress against the 391.9-mile total distance as you transition between the interstate and secondary highways.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 195.9 miles from Cheyenne, WY, or about 3h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177.3 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 86 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 195.9 miles or 3h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cody, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cheyenne, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cheyenne, WY
This is one driving day of about 391.9 miles and 7h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Cheyenne, WY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 25 for about 177.3 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 391.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Carey Avenue
Turn right onto Carey Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
178.7 mi into trip|~2h 56m in
Take the exit toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Sho...
5
307.6 mi into trip|~5h 25m in|South 8th Street
Turn left onto South 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
308.1 mi into trip|~5h 28m in|WY 120 / Broadway Street
Turn left onto WY 120 / Broadway Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
391.9 mi into trip|~7h 1m in|US 14A; WY 120 / 16th Street
Turn right onto US 14A; WY 120 / 16th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$62.10 one way
$124.20 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg137 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$65.10
$130.19
premium
$4.53
$69.91
$139.82
diesel
$5.61
$86.53
$173.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$87–$112
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 137.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
117.6
1
$41.15
$18.81
Efficient EV
98
1
$34.29
$15.68
EV Truck/SUV
156.8
1
$54.87
$25.08
Gas CO2
137 kg
EV CO2
46 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Cheyenne, WY
Evening
in Cheyenne on Saturday
Local time
7:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cody, WY
Evening
in Cody on Saturday
Local time
7:08 PM
MDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
75°F
Riverton, WY
196 mi in
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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 1m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a varied experience as you transition from interstate cruising to more localized travel. About 46% of your journey will be spent on highways, starting with a significant 177.3-mile stretch on I-25 that allows you to cover ground quickly. As you progress, the road profile shifts into a mixed drive, incorporating the West Yellowstone Highway and Broadway Street. This transition moves you away from the high-speed interstate environment and into a setting that requires more attention to changing road types. Navigating these different road classifications means your driving pace will naturally fluctuate, keeping the journey from feeling like a monotonous, singular experience.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 177.3 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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 0.1 miles in near Carey Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 12 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Carey Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 178.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 307.6 miles (South 8th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Cheyenne, WY to Cody, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Port Of Entry along the way.
Cody is in Northwest Wyoming, close to the east side Yellowstone National Park. Unlike Jackson, with its pet spas and high-end shopping, Cody is more authentically cowboy. Cody is famous for its rodeo, which occurs nightly during the summer, and for its proximity to fantastic wilderness adventures in Yellowstone and in the national forests surrounding the park.
The longest stretch is about 177.3 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cody, WY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 0.1 miles (Carey Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 178.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 307.6 miles (South 8th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.0 hours each way, a round trip means 14.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cody, WY before the return drive.
