Lusk to Cody is 318 miles and takes about 5 hours 57 minutes via West Yellowstone Highway and I 25, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Mountain West region, moving from one part of Wyoming to another. It's a solid single-day trip that offers a mixed driving experience, allowing you to see a good chunk of the state without feeling rushed. If you're looking for a straightforward journey with a manageable drive time, this route should fit the bill.
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
159 miles from Lusk, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
West Yellowstone Highway
93.8 mi
1h 46m
Broadway Street
81.5 mi
1h 29m
I 25
62.8 mi
1h 6m
Idaho Street
31.7 mi
38m
US Highway 20
23.3 mi
25m
US Highway 18/20
18.1 mi
19m
US 20
3 mi
3m
Greybull Highway
1.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
West Yellowstone Highway
— 93.8 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lusk, WY and Cody, WY.
1
Start on US 18; US 20; US 85
0.5 mi·1 min·South Main Street
2
Turn right onto US 18; US 20
0.2 mi·25 sec·West 8th Street
3
Continue on US 18; US 20
23 mi·25 min·US Highway 20
4
Continue on US 18; US 20
18 mi·19 min·US Highway 18/20
5
Take the exit onto I 25; US 20
63 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 25; US 20
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
7
Keep slight left at fork
350 ft·10 sec
8
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
3.0 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
9
Turn right onto US 20; US 26
94 mi·1 hr 46 min·West Yellowstone Highway
10
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789
32 mi·38 min·Idaho Street
11
Turn left onto South 8th Street
0.5 mi·2 min·South 8th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Turn left onto WY 120
82 mi·1 hr 29 min·Broadway Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
At end of road, turn left onto US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
1.4 mi·1 min·Greybull Highway
14
Continue on US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
0.7 mi·2 min·17th Street
15
Continue on US 14; US 16; US 20; WY 120
413 ft·18 sec·Sheridan Avenue
16
Turn right onto US 14A; WY 120
98 ft·3 sec·16th Street
17
Arrive at destination
US 14A; WY 120
Trip Plan
Given the drive duration of under 6 hours, you have flexibility in when you depart, but an early start is recommended to maximize daylight. Plan for at least one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 93.8-mile stretch on West Yellowstone Highway, as services might be less frequent. While this is a one-day drive, consider the $50 fuel cost and factor that into your budget for the day's travel.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159 miles from Lusk, WY, or about 2h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 93.8 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 70 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 159 miles or 2h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cody, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lusk, 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 Lusk, WY
This is one driving day of about 318 miles and 5h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Lusk, 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 West Yellowstone Highway for about 93.8 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 318 — 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 18; US 20 / West 8th Street
Turn right onto US 18; US 20 / West 8th Street
Navigation decision point
5
104.9 mi into trip|~1h 52m in
Take the exit toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Sho...
5
233.7 mi into trip|~4h 22m in|South 8th Street
Turn left onto South 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
234.3 mi into trip|~4h 24m in|WY 120 / Broadway Street
Turn left onto WY 120 / Broadway Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
318 mi into trip|~5h 57m in|US 14A; WY 120 / 16th Street
Turn right onto US 14A; WY 120 / 16th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.39 one way
$100.78 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg111 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$52.82
$105.64
premium
$4.53
$56.73
$113.45
diesel
$5.61
$70.21
$140.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
95.4
1
$33.39
$15.26
Efficient EV
79.5
0
$27.83
$12.72
EV Truck/SUV
127.2
1
$44.52
$20.35
Gas CO2
111 kg
EV CO2
37 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Lusk, WY
Evening
in Lusk on Saturday
Local time
7:10 PM
MDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cody, WY
Evening
in Cody on Saturday
Local time
7:10 PM
MDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live 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
23 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
5h 57m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 trip features a mixed drive profile, with 34% of the route utilizing major highways like I 25. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 93.8 miles on West Yellowstone Highway, which likely offers a different pace than the interstate sections. Expect varying road conditions and speeds as you transition between these different types of roadways. The journey progresses from more open highway to potentially more winding or local road segments as you approach your destination.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 93.8 mi on West Yellowstone 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 0.5 miles in near US 18; US 20 / West 8th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 57m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (US 18; US 20 / West 8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 104.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 233.7 miles (South 8th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lusk, WY to Cody, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Port Of Entry along the way.
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 93.8 miles on West Yellowstone Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 18; US 20 / West 8th Street): Navigation decision point; at 104.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 233.7 miles (South 8th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 11.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cody, WY before the return drive.
