Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 55m
Distance
444 mi
715 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$77
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Jackson, WY
Wikimedia Commons
Newcastle, WY
Daniel Smyth
Jackson, WY to Newcastle, WY is 444 miles and takes about 8h 55m via US 20, with a fuel budget near $77 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 mostly highway trip, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for efficiency. With two recommended stops, this route is best suited for an overnight journey to break up the 8 hours and 55 minutes of driving.
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
222 miles from Jackson, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 20m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 79.9 mi | 1h 30m |
| South 1st Street | 77.9 mi | 1h 27m |
| East Highway 287 | 53.2 mi | 1h |
| WY 387 | 51.3 mi | 58m |
| Highway 450 | 45.6 mi | 1h 7m |
| North Federal Boulevard | 39 mi | 44m |
| North Highway 89 | 29.3 mi | 40m |
| Clareton Highway | 20.6 mi | 30m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~237 veh/hr typical · worst 371
Quietest
2 AM
~20 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 86 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Jackson, WY and Newcastle, WY.
Start on US 26; US 89; US 191
Continue on US 26; US 89; US 191
Enter roundabout onto US 26; US 89; US 191
Continue on US 26; US 89; US 191
Continue on US 26; US 287
Continue on US 26; US 287
Turn right onto US 26; US 287
At end of road, turn left onto US 26; WY 789
Continue on US 20; US 26
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
Turn left
Merge onto I 25; US 87
Take the exit
Turn right onto WY 259
Turn right onto WY 387
Turn right onto WY 59
Turn left onto WY 450
Continue on WY 450
At end of road, turn right onto US 16
Continue on US 16
Arrive at destination
Given the 8-hour, 55-minute drive time, splitting this trip over two days is highly recommended. Plan to depart in the morning to maximize daylight and stop for the night roughly halfway. The fuel cost is estimated at $77, so ensure your tank is full before leaving Jackson. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch between services could be up to 79.9 miles on US 20. Factor in your two planned stops for rest and refueling.
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.
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 98 miles or 2h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 222 miles or 4h 20m 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 222 miles or 4h 20m
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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Newcastle, WY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Jackson, 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 Jackson, WY
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Newcastle, WY
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
222 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Shoshoni, WYNight 1
222 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Shoshoni, WY after about 222 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 98 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 222 miles from Jackson, WY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 79.9 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 222 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 302.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto US 26; US 89; US 191 / North Highway 89
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto US 26; US 287 / South 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto US 26; WY 789 / North Federal Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Turn left toward I 25 North, US 87 North: Midwest
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Regular Gas
$77.00 one way
$154.00 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $80.53 | $161.06 |
| premium | $4.95 | $86.53 | $173.06 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $97.87 | $195.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 155.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $47 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 133.2 | 1 | $46.62 | $21.31 |
| Efficient EV | 111 | 1 | $38.85 | $17.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 177.6 | 2 | $62.16 | $28.42 |
Gas CO2
155 kg
EV CO2
52 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Jackson on Wednesday
Local time
1:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Sunny then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in Newcastle on Wednesday
Local time
1:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Park
Soaring over a landscape rich with wildlife, pristine lakes, and majestic alpine vistas, the Teton Range stands as a testament to generations of stewards. For over 11,000 years, communities have thriv...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
You'll spend about 64% of this 444-mile drive on highways, primarily US 20. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 79.9 miles, also on US 20. After the highway portion, you'll transition to South 1st Street and East Highway 287. Expect to encounter more rural cruising as you move away from the main interstate feel.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 20 and South 1st Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 6.8 miles in near US 26; US 89; US 191 / North Highway 89.
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 8h 55m, 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 6.8 miles (US 26; US 89; US 191 / North Highway 89): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 85.5 miles (US 26; US 287 / South 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 163.4 miles (US 26; WY 789 / North Federal Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Total Climb
3,294 ft
Total Descent
5,201 ft
Highest Point
8,240 ft
~63.4 mi in
Elevation Range
3,909 ft
Notable High Points
Jackson is the largest town (population 11,000 in 2020) in the Jackson Hole valley in Teton County, Northwest Wyoming, close to the south end of Grand Teton National Park. It is the gateway to two of the United States' best-known national parks, Grand Teton and nearby Yellowstone. Many famous people maintain vacation homes in and around this area. The combined elements of beautiful mountain scenery, Old West heritage, tourist traps and celebrity residents give this small town a unique atmosphere both cosmopolitan and frontier.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 55m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Jackson, WY or browse trips ending in Newcastle, WY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WY road trips.
