Lovell, WY to Cheyenne, WY is 423.3 miles and takes about 7h 23m via US 87 and I 90, with a fuel budget near $69 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wyoming, moving from the Mountain West region to the Mountain West region. Expect a primarily highway experience for most of the drive. With a recommended one-day itinerary, this route is straightforward and efficient for getting between these two points.
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
211.7 miles from Lovell, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 87
288.1 mi
4h 38m
Medicine Wheel Passage
52.1 mi
1h 10m
I 90
48.2 mi
48m
US 14
31.7 mi
40m
Central Avenue
2.4 mi
3m
East Main Street
0.5 mi
1m
I 25 BUS
0.3 mi
<1m
West 24th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 87
— 288.1 mi, about 4h 38m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~352 veh/hr typical
· worst 504
Quietest
2 AM
~26 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Lovell, WY and Cheyenne, WY.
1
Start on US 14A; US 310; WY 789
0.5 mi·1 min·East Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 14A
52 mi·1 hr 10 min·Medicine Wheel Passage
3
At end of road, turn left onto US 14
32 mi·40 min·US 14
4
Take the ramp onto I 90; US 87
0.4 mi·50 sec·I 90; US 87
5
Continue on I 90; US 14; US 87
48 mi·47 min·I 90; US 14; US 87
6
Take the exit onto US 87
288 mi·4 hr 38 min·US 87
Exit 56BToward I 25 South, US 87 South: Casper
7
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
8
Turn left onto I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
0.8 mi·1 min·Central Avenue
9
Continue on I 25 BUS; US 85; US 87 BUS
1.6 mi·1 min·Central Avenue
10
Turn right onto West 24th Street
401 ft·10 sec·West 24th Street
11
Arrive at destination
West 24th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 7-hour drive time, starting early in Lovell is recommended to maximize daylight. You have two planned stops, so use them to break up the 288.1-mile stretch on US 87. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as longer stretches between services are possible. The $69 fuel estimate is a good baseline for planning, but always check current prices. Since this is a one-day drive, you have flexibility in timing your stops.
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 211.7 miles from Lovell, WY, or about 3h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 288.1 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 93 miles or 2h 1m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 211.7 miles or 3h 57m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cheyenne, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lovell, 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 Lovell, WY
This is one driving day of about 423.3 miles and 7h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 93 miles from Lovell, 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 US 87 for about 288.1 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 420.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|US 14A / Medicine Wheel Passage
Turn left onto US 14A / Medicine Wheel Passage
Navigation decision point
4
52.6 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|US 14
At end of road, turn left onto US 14
Navigation decision point
3
84.3 mi into trip|~1h 51m in|I 90; US 87
Take the ramp onto I 90; US 87
Navigation decision point
6
132.5 mi into trip|~2h 40m in|US 87
Take the exit onto US 87 toward I 25 South, US 87 South: Casper
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 56B
Toward I 25 South, US 87 South: Casper
6
420.6 mi into trip|~7h 19m 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
$65.98 one way
$131.96 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg148 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$69.54
$139.09
premium
$4.47
$74.56
$149.12
diesel
$4.80
$79.93
$159.85
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$66
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$91–$116
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 148.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
127
1
$44.45
$20.32
Efficient EV
105.8
1
$37.04
$16.93
EV Truck/SUV
169.3
2
$59.26
$27.09
Gas CO2
148 kg
EV CO2
50 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 Jul 16, 2026
Origin
Lovell, WY
Afternoon
in Lovell on Saturday
Local time
3:18 PM
MDT
Current temp
92°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 2 to 6 mph42% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 16 at 2:56PM MDT until July 16 at 11:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 16 at 2:56PM MDT until July 16 at 11:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY
Destination
Cheyenne, WY
Afternoon
in Cheyenne on Saturday
Local time
3:18 PM
MDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
ESE 15 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 16 at 2:56PM MDT until July 16 at 11:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 16 at 2:56PM MDT until July 16 at 11:00PM MDT by NWS Riverton WY
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 23m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordin...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 14.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on highways for about 87% of this 423.3-mile trip. The longest continuous stretch of highway driving is 288.1 miles on US 87. After this, you'll transition to surface roads. Expect a consistent feel of rural cruising for much of this drive.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 288.1 mi on US 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 87 and Medicine Wheel Passage. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near US 14A / Medicine Wheel Passage.
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 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 6 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 14A / Medicine Wheel Passage): Navigation decision point; at 52.6 miles (US 14): Navigation decision point; at 84.3 miles (I 90; US 87): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Cheyenne is the state capital and largest city (approximate 2020 population 64,000) of Wyoming. Cheyenne is a place that celebrates its history and "true Western" culture. It is not uncommon to see cowboy hats, boots, and the belt as daily attire. It is host to the annual Frontier Days, one of the largest rodeos in North America.
Top landmarks
•Wyoming State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Wyoming
•Cheyenne Depot Museum — former railroad station and current museum in Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
•Boeing/United Airlines Terminal Building, Hangar and Fountain
The longest stretch is about 288.1 miles on US 87. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 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 Cheyenne, 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 9 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 0.5 miles (US 14A / Medicine Wheel Passage): Navigation decision point; at 52.6 miles (US 14): Navigation decision point; at 84.3 miles (I 90; US 87): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.4 hours each way, a round trip means 14.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cheyenne, WY before the return drive.
