Evanston, WY to Newcastle, WY is 488.6 miles and takes about 9h 8m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $87 and enough daylight to finish in a day if you start early, though it's better as a 2-day trip. This drive stays within Wyoming, moving through the Mountain West region. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel. It's a good option if you're looking for a straightforward drive across the state.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
244.3 miles from Evanston, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
205.8 mi
3h 20m
WY 220
63.7 mi
1h 12m
WY 387
51.3 mi
58m
Highway 450
45.6 mi
1h 7m
3rd Street
44.1 mi
50m
Clareton Highway
20.6 mi
30m
I 25
20.1 mi
18m
Horseshoe Road
17.9 mi
20m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 205.8 mi, about 3h 20m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~576 veh/hr typical
· worst 814
Quietest
2 AM
~88 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.5×
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 Evanston, WY and Newcastle, WY.
1
Start on Bear River Drive
351 ft·17 sec·Bear River Drive
2
Turn left onto I 80 BUS; US 189 BUS
0.7 mi·1 min·Front Street
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 80 East, US 189 North
4
Merge onto I 80; US 189
206 mi·3 hr 20 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5
Take the exit onto WY 789
0.4 mi·52 sec·WY 789
Toward I 80 Business East, WY 789 North: Rawlins
6
Turn left onto I 80 Bus; US 30 Bus; WY 789
1.7 mi·2 min·West Spruce Street
7
Turn left onto US 287; WY 789
44 mi·50 min·3rd Street
8
Continue on WY 220
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·WY 220
9
Turn left onto WY 257
7.3 mi·8 min·Casper West Belt
10
Continue on US 20; US 26
3.0 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
11
Turn left
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 87 North: Midwest
12
Merge onto I 25; US 87
20 mi·18 min·I 25; US 87
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
14
Turn right onto WY 259
18 mi·20 min·Horseshoe Road
15
Turn right onto WY 387
51 mi·58 min·WY 387
16
Turn right onto WY 59
2.7 mi·3 min·State Highway 59 South
17
Turn left onto WY 450
21 mi·30 min·Clareton Highway
18
Continue on WY 450
46 mi·1 hr 7 min·Highway 450
19
At end of road, turn right onto US 16
0.7 mi·1 min·US Highway 16
20
Continue on US 16
2.1 mi·3 min·West Main Street
21
Arrive at destination
US 16
Trip Plan
Given the 9-hour drive time, splitting this into two days is highly recommended. Plan to leave early on your first day and cover roughly half the distance, or aim to reach a town with lodging around the halfway point. You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface roads, so keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially on the longer stretches. The last significant fuel stop before hitting Newcastle might be in Casper, so plan accordingly.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 244.3 miles from Evanston, WY, or about 4h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 205.8 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 107 miles or 1h 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 244.3 miles or 4h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 244.3 miles or 4h 7m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Newcastle, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Evanston, 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.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Evanston, WY
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Newcastle, WY
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 107 miles from Evanston, WY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 205.8 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 347.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|I 80 BUS; US 189 BUS / Front Street
Turn left onto I 80 BUS; US 189 BUS / Front Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East, US 189 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, US 189 North
5
206.8 mi into trip|~3h 23m in|WY 789
Take the exit onto WY 789 toward I 80 Business East, WY 789 North: Rawlins
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 Business East, WY 789 North: Rawlin...
5
326.9 mi into trip|~5h 42m in
Turn left toward I 25 North, US 87 North: Midwest
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 25 North, US 87 North: Midwest
4
347.4 mi into trip|~6h 2m in
Take the exit toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$86.54 one way
$173.09 round trip
$4.50/gal25.4 MPG avg171 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.79
$92.22
$184.44
premium
$5.10
$98.01
$196.02
diesel
$6.34
$121.98
$243.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$87
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$217–$327
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 171 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
146.6
1
$51.30
$23.45
Efficient EV
122.2
1
$42.75
$19.54
EV Truck/SUV
195.4
2
$68.40
$31.27
Gas CO2
171 kg
EV CO2
57 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 19, 2026
Origin
Evanston, WY
Late night
in Evanston on Monday
Local time
3:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Newcastle, WY
Late night
in Newcastle on Monday
Local time
3:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Mostly Clear
E 7 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
9h 8m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 38% of your time on major highways, with the longest continuous stretch covering 205.8 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The route transitions from highway to surface roads, with WY 220 and WY 387 forming significant portions of the drive. Expect a good amount of rural cruising once you leave the main interstate.
38% 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: 205.8 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
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 I 80 BUS; US 189 BUS / Front Street.
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 9h 8m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 15 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (I 80 BUS; US 189 BUS / Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 206.8 miles (WY 789): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 205.8 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 244 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 15 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 Newcastle, 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 15 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 (I 80 BUS; US 189 BUS / Front Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 206.8 miles (WY 789): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.1 hours each way, a round trip means 18.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Newcastle, WY before the return drive.
