Cody to Evanston is 377.1 miles and takes about 6h 58m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $61 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wyoming, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. The route is a mix of highway cruising and surface roads, making for a varied driving experience. Given the duration and distance, it's entirely feasible as a single-day drive, but be prepared for some time on less direct routes.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
188.6 miles from Cody, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 36m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
99.2 mi
1h 37m
WY 120
81.5 mi
1h 29m
Highway 28
66.5 mi
1h 15m
Farson Mercantile
38.1 mi
43m
US 20
31 mi
36m
US 26
18.9 mi
21m
West 2nd Street
18.2 mi
20m
South Main Street
9.8 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 99.2 mi, about 1h 37m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~608 veh/hr typical
· worst 843
Quietest
2 AM
~88 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 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 Cody, WY and Evanston, WY.
1
Start on US 14A; WY 120
504 ft·22 sec·16th Street
2
Turn left onto Beck Avenue
493 ft·17 sec·Beck Avenue
3
Turn right onto US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
0.7 mi·1 min·17th Street
4
Continue on US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
1.4 mi·1 min·Greybull Highway
5
Turn right onto WY 120
82 mi·1 hr 29 min·WY 120
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn right onto South 8th Street
0.5 mi·2 min·South 8th Street
7
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789
0.7 mi·1 min·Shoshoni Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on US 20; WY 789
31 mi·36 min·US 20; WY 789
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto US 26; WY 789
18 mi·20 min·West 2nd Street
10
Continue on US 26; WY 789
19 mi·21 min·US 26; WY 789
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on WY 789
9.8 mi·11 min·South Main Street
12
Turn left onto US 287; WY 789
8.4 mi·9 min·East Main Street
13
Continue on WY 28
66 mi·1 hr 15 min·Highway 28
14
Turn left onto US 191
38 mi·43 min·Farson Mercantile
15
Continue on US 191
0.9 mi·1 min·Elk Street
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
17
Merge onto I 80; US 30
99 mi·1 hr 37 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 5Toward WY 89 North, WY 150: Front Street
19
Turn right onto WY 89
0.6 mi·1 min·Front Street
20
Turn right onto Bear River Drive
351 ft·10 sec·Bear River Drive
21
Arrive at destination
Bear River Drive
Trip Plan
For this 6h 58m drive, consider an early morning departure from Cody to maximize daylight. With a single recommended stop, you'll have plenty of time to break up the 377.1 miles. The fuel cost is estimated at $61, so plan accordingly. Pay attention to the transition from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway to WY 120 and Highway 28, as these surface roads may have lower speed limits and more local traffic. Ensure you have enough fuel before heading into longer stretches, especially the 99.2-mile segment on the highway.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 188.6 miles from Cody, WY, or about 3h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.2 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 83 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 188.6 miles or 3h 36m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Evanston, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cody, 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 Cody, WY
This is one driving day of about 377.1 miles and 6h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 83 miles from Cody, 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 99.2 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 376.2 — 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|Beck Avenue
Turn left onto Beck Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120 / 17th Street
Turn right onto US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120 / 17th Street
Navigation decision point
5
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|WY 120
Turn right onto WY 120
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
84.3 mi into trip|~1h 35m in|US 20; WY 789 / Shoshoni Street
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789 / Shoshoni Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
376.2 mi into trip|~6h 55m in
Take the exit toward WY 89 North, WY 150: Front Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5
Toward WY 89 North, WY 150: Front Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$67.92 one way
$135.85 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg132 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$70.94
$141.87
premium
$5.11
$75.81
$151.61
diesel
$6.18
$91.74
$183.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$93–$118
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 131.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $40 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
113.1
1
$39.60
$18.10
Efficient EV
94.3
1
$33.00
$15.08
EV Truck/SUV
150.8
1
$52.79
$24.13
Gas CO2
132 kg
EV CO2
44 kg (67% 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Cody, WY
Late night
in Cody on Monday
Local time
3:32 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Sunny
ENE 6 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Evanston, WY
Late night
in Evanston on Monday
Local time
3:32 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Mostly Sunny
WSW 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
60°F
Riverton, WY
189 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
6h 58m 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?
This drive is about 52% highway, with the remainder on surface roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 99.2 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway before transitioning to other roadways. Expect a mix of driving experiences, from faster highway speeds to more deliberate travel on WY 120 and Highway 28. The shift from primary highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you progress through the state.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.2 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
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 0.1 miles in near Beck Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
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 6h 58m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 13 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Beck Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120 / 17th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (WY 120): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
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.
Evanston is a city in Southwest Wyoming. The town was founded during the construction of the first transcontinental railroad and maintains a strong railroad history. The population was 11,700 people in 2020.
The longest stretch is about 99.2 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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.
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 Evanston, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 (Beck Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120 / 17th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (WY 120): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.0 hours each way, a round trip means 13.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Evanston, WY before the return drive.
