North Rock Springs, WY to Gillette, WY is 358.6 miles and takes about 6h 37m via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $60 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Wyoming's Mountain West region, offering a straightforward path across the state. You'll primarily be on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, so expect consistent highway cruising for a significant portion. It’s a practical option if you need to connect these two Wyoming points efficiently, with a manageable duration for a single-day trip.
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
179.3 miles from North Rock Springs, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
106.1 mi
1h 42m
WY 220
63.7 mi
1h 12m
WY 387
51.3 mi
58m
3rd Street
44.1 mi
50m
State Highway 59 South
32.8 mi
35m
I 25
20.1 mi
18m
Horseshoe Road
17.9 mi
20m
Casper West Belt
7.3 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 106.1 mi, about 1h 42m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~453 veh/hr typical
· worst 725
Quietest
2 AM
~88 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 69 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 North Rock Springs, WY and Gillette, WY.
1
Start on Mesa Drive
0.7 mi·2 min·Mesa Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto CR 58
1.9 mi·3 min·Yellowstone Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 191
1.0 mi·2 min·Elk Street
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
5
Merge onto I 80; US 30
106 mi·1 hr 42 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6
Take the exit onto WY 789
0.4 mi·52 sec·WY 789
Toward I 80 Business East, WY 789 North: Rawlins
7
Turn left onto I 80 Bus; US 30 Bus; WY 789
1.7 mi·2 min·West Spruce Street
8
Turn left onto US 287; WY 789
44 mi·50 min·3rd Street
9
Continue on WY 220
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·WY 220
10
Turn left onto WY 257
7.3 mi·8 min·Casper West Belt
11
Continue on US 20; US 26
3.0 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
12
Turn left
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 87 North: Midwest
13
Merge onto I 25; US 87
20 mi·18 min·I 25; US 87
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
15
Turn right onto WY 259
18 mi·20 min·Horseshoe Road
16
Turn right onto WY 387
51 mi·58 min·WY 387
17
Turn left onto WY 59
33 mi·35 min·State Highway 59 South
18
Continue on WY 59
5.0 mi·9 min·South Douglas Highway
19
Turn left onto East 4th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East 4th Street
20
Arrive at destination
East 4th Street
Trip Plan
Consider departing from North Rock Springs in the morning to make the most of daylight for the 6h 37m drive. With a total of 358.6 miles, it’s a route best tackled in one day, but plan for a brief stop to break up the drive. The longest stretch without a significant change is over 100 miles, so ensure you're comfortable with that segment before leaving. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you transition to WY 220 and WY 387, as services might be more spaced out than on the main interstate.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 179.3 miles from North Rock Springs, WY, or about 3h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106.1 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 79 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 179.3 miles or 3h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gillette, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North Rock Springs, 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 North Rock Springs, WY
This is one driving day of about 358.6 miles and 6h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 79 miles from North Rock Springs, 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 106.1 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 230.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|CR 58 / Yellowstone Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR 58 / Yellowstone Road
Navigation decision point
4
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in|US 191 / Elk Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 191 / Elk Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.5 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
110.1 mi into trip|~1h 51m 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
230.2 mi into trip|~4h 11m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$64.59 one way
$129.18 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg126 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$67.46
$134.91
premium
$5.11
$72.09
$144.17
diesel
$6.18
$87.24
$174.47
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$65
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$90–$115
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 125.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
107.6
1
$37.65
$17.21
Efficient EV
89.7
1
$31.38
$14.34
EV Truck/SUV
143.4
1
$50.20
$22.95
Gas CO2
125 kg
EV CO2
42 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
North Rock Springs, WY
Late night
in North Rock Springs on Monday
Local time
3:34 AM
MDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Sunny
WSW 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Gillette, WY
Late night
in Gillette on Monday
Local time
3:34 AM
MDT
Current temp
63°F
Sunny
NE 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
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
6h 37m 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?
This route has a 48% highway share, meaning you'll transition from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway to surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 106.1 miles, indicating a good period of consistent speed. After that, expect a change in driving feel as you move onto WY 220 and WY 387, likely involving more varied speed limits and potentially less direct routes. The shift from high-speed highway to secondary roads is a key aspect of this drive.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 106.1 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 0.7 miles in near CR 58 / Yellowstone Road.
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 6h 37m, 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 0.7 miles (CR 58 / Yellowstone Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (US 191 / Elk Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Gillette is a city in Northeast Wyoming halfway between Sundance and Sheridan on I-90. Gillette is a coal mining town with a population of about 33,000 (2020). Because of the coal, oil, and natural gas production, the city calls itself the energy capital of the nation.
The longest stretch is about 106.1 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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 Gillette, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 8 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 0.7 miles (CR 58 / Yellowstone Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (US 191 / Elk Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.6 hours each way, a round trip means 13.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Gillette, WY before the return drive.
