Cody to Pine Bluffs is 433.4 miles and takes about 7h 43m via I 25, WY 120, and US 20-26, with a fuel budget near $73 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Wyoming, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. It's a straightforward trip with a significant portion on the interstate, making it a practical choice for a single day's travel. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to cross the state without complex navigation.
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
216.7 miles from Cody, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 25
113.6 mi
1h 47m
WY 120
81.5 mi
1h 29m
West US Highway 20-26
60.7 mi
1h 8m
Purple Heart Trail
39 mi
37m
US 20
33.7 mi
39m
East 2nd Street
33.1 mi
37m
Central Avenue
2.9 mi
3m
Greybull Highway
1.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 113.6 mi, about 1h 47m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 56 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~378 veh/hr typical
· worst 559
Quietest
2 AM
~27 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 89 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 Pine Bluffs, 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 left onto US 20; US 26
33 mi·37 min·East 2nd Street
10
Continue on US 20; US 26
61 mi·1 hr 8 min·West US Highway 20-26
11
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
2.7 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
12
Take the exit
63 mi·1 hr 6 min
13
Continue on I 25; US 26; US 87
34 mi·31 min·I 25; US 26; US 87
14
Continue on I 25; US 87
76 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 25; US 87
Toward Cheyenne
15
Continue on I 25; US 85; US 87
4.0 mi·4 min·I 25; US 85; US 87
16
Take the exit onto I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
0.3 mi·35 sec·I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
Exit 12Toward I 25 Business, US 85 South: Central Avenue, Warren Gate 5
17
Turn left onto I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
0.8 mi·1 min·Central Avenue
18
Continue on I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
2.1 mi·2 min·Central Avenue
19
Continue on I 180; I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
1.1 mi·2 min·North Greeley Highway
20
Turn left
0.2 mi·28 sec
21
Merge onto I 80
39 mi·37 min·Purple Heart Trail
22
Take the exit onto US 30
0.3 mi·41 sec·US 30
Toward US 30 East: Pine Bluffs
23
Turn left onto US 30; I 80 Business
0.3 mi·32 sec·Parson Street
24
Continue on US 30; I 80 Business
0.2 mi·19 sec·US Highway 30
25
Turn slight right onto West 3rd Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·West 3rd Street
26
Arrive at destination
West 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Given the 7h 43m estimated drive time, starting your day early from Cody is advisable to comfortably reach Pine Bluffs before dark. You'll have two suggested stops, but with a longest stretch of 113.6 miles, plan your own breaks strategically, especially for fuel and rest. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, particularly as you move onto the non-interstate portions of WY 120 and US 20-26, as services might be more spread out. This is a manageable one-day drive, so you have flexibility in how you pace yourself.
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 216.7 miles from Cody, WY, or about 4h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.6 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 95 miles or 1h 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 216.7 miles or 4h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pine Bluffs, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cody, WY
This is one driving day of about 433.4 miles and 7h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 95 miles from Cody, 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 113.6 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 388.9 — 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|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
388.9 mi into trip|~6h 56m in|I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
Take the exit onto I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS toward I 25 Business, US 85 South: Central Avenue, Warren Gate 5
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 12
Toward I 25 Business, US 85 South: Central Aven...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$76.77 one way
$153.53 round trip
$4.50/gal25.4 MPG avg152 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.79
$81.80
$163.60
premium
$5.10
$86.94
$173.87
diesel
$6.34
$108.20
$216.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$102–$127
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 151.6 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
130
1
$45.51
$20.80
Efficient EV
108.4
1
$37.92
$17.34
EV Truck/SUV
173.4
2
$60.68
$27.74
Gas CO2
152 kg
EV CO2
51 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Cody, WY
Late night
in Cody on Monday
Local time
12:15 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Clear
W 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Pine Bluffs, WY
Late night
in Pine Bluffs on Monday
Local time
12:15 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
W 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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
8 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 43m 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?
About 67% of this route is on highways, meaning you'll spend a good amount of time cruising at higher speeds. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 113.6 miles on I 25, offering a chance for steady progress. As you transition off the main interstate, expect more varied speeds and potentially more local traffic on roads like WY 120 and US 20-26. This is primarily a highway-focused drive with significant sections of open-road cruising.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 113.6 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and WY 120. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Beck 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 43m, 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
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,219 ft4,552 ft
Total Climb
3,677 ft
Total Descent
3,626 ft
Highest Point
6,219 ft
~371.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,667 ft
Notable High Points
5,757 ft at ~31 miles+759 ft prominence
5,973 ft at ~154.8 miles+373 ft prominence
6,219 ft at ~371.4 miles+269 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cody, WY and Pine Bluffs, WY, road signs point toward Cheyenne and Warren Gate 5.
Cheyenne
309.4 mi in|~5h 41m|via I 25; US 87
Warren Gate 5
388.9 mi in|~6h 56m|via I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
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 113.6 miles on I 25. 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 Pine Bluffs, 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. 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 7.7 hours each way, a round trip means 15.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Pine Bluffs, WY before the return drive.
