Powell, WY to Rock Springs, WY is 301.2 miles and takes about 5h 50m via WY 120 and Highway 28, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within Wyoming, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. Most of the route is highway driving, making it a straightforward option if you're looking to cover ground efficiently. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, so plan for a practical, no-frills transit between these two Wyoming locations.
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
150.6 miles from Powell, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
WY 120
81.5 mi
1h 29m
Highway 28
66.5 mi
1h 15m
Farson Mercantile
38.1 mi
43m
US 20
31 mi
36m
US 26
18.9 mi
21m
West 2nd Street
18.2 mi
20m
Powell Highway
14.7 mi
15m
South Main Street
9.8 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
WY 120
— 81.5 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Powell, WY and Rock Springs, WY.
1
Start on North Bent Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·North Bent Street
2
Turn right onto US 14A; WY 295
1.2 mi·2 min·East Coulter Avenue
3
Continue on US 14A
4.2 mi·4 min·Medicine Wheel Passage
4
Continue on US 14A
1.2 mi·2 min·Main Street
5
Continue on US 14A
15 mi·15 min·Powell Highway
6
Turn left onto CR 3CX
1.8 mi·3 min·Beacon Hill Road
7
At end of road, turn right onto US 14; US 16; US 20
0.5 mi·53 sec·Greybull Highway
8
Turn left onto WY 120
82 mi·1 hr 29 min·WY 120
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto South 8th Street
0.5 mi·2 min·South 8th Street
10
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789
0.7 mi·1 min·Shoshoni Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 20; WY 789
31 mi·36 min·US 20; WY 789
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto US 26; WY 789
18 mi·20 min·West 2nd Street
13
Continue on US 26; WY 789
19 mi·21 min·US 26; WY 789
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on WY 789
9.8 mi·11 min·South Main Street
15
Turn left onto US 287; WY 789
8.4 mi·9 min·East Main Street
16
Continue on WY 28
66 mi·1 hr 15 min·Highway 28
17
Turn left onto US 191
38 mi·43 min·Farson Mercantile
18
Continue on US 191
2.3 mi·5 min·Elk Street
19
Turn left onto I 80 Business; US 30 Business
0.3 mi·27 sec·Bridger Avenue
20
Turn right onto M Street
0.2 mi·33 sec·M Street
21
Continue on Broadway Street
401 ft·16 sec·Broadway Street
22
Turn left onto F Street
230 ft·11 sec·F Street
23
Turn left onto 2nd Street
0.2 mi·33 sec·2nd Street
24
Turn right onto Edgar Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Edgar Street
25
At end of road, turn right onto Agate Street
422 ft·23 sec·Agate Street
26
Turn left onto Collins Street
84 ft·3 sec·Collins Street
27
Arrive at destination
Collins Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour 50 minute drive time, starting your trip from Powell, WY in the morning is recommended to allow ample daylight for the 301.2-mile journey to Rock Springs, WY. With only one recommended stop, you can be flexible with your timing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the stretch around Farson Mercantile, which can be more remote. The estimated fuel cost is around $49, so factor that into your budget. This is a manageable one-day drive, so you can depart when convenient.
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 150.6 miles from Powell, WY, or about 2h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 81.5 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 66 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 150.6 miles or 2h 54m 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 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rock Springs, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Powell, 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 Powell, WY
This is one driving day of about 301.2 miles and 5h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Powell, 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 WY 120 for about 81.5 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 23.3 and 300.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
23.3 mi into trip|~29m in|US 14; US 16; US 20 / Greybull Highway
At end of road, turn right onto US 14; US 16; US 20 / Greybull Highway
Navigation decision point
6
23.8 mi into trip|~29m in|WY 120
Turn left onto WY 120
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
105.9 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|US 20; WY 789 / Shoshoni Street
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789 / Shoshoni Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
299.9 mi into trip|~5h 47m in|M Street
Turn right onto M Street
Navigation decision point
5
300.3 mi into trip|~5h 48m in|2nd Street
Turn left onto 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.95 one way
$93.89 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg105 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$49.48
$98.97
premium
$4.47
$53.05
$106.11
diesel
$4.80
$56.87
$113.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 105.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
90.4
1
$31.63
$14.46
Efficient EV
75.3
0
$26.36
$12.05
EV Truck/SUV
120.5
1
$42.17
$19.28
Gas CO2
105 kg
EV CO2
35 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Powell, WY
Evening
in Powell on Saturday
Local time
7:27 PM
MDT
Current temp
93°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
N 6 mph37% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 2:52PM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 12:12PM MDT until July 20 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Cheyenne WY
Destination
Rock Springs, WY
Evening
in Rock Springs on Saturday
Local time
7:27 PM
MDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
E 7 mph12% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 2:52PM MDT by NWS Salt Lake City UT
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 12:12PM MDT until July 20 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Cheyenne 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
3 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
5h 50m 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 drive covers 301.2 miles with 66% on highways. You'll experience 81.5 miles on WY 120 as the longest continuous stretch before transitioning to other roads like Highway 28. Expect mostly highway cruising for the bulk of your time, with a shift to more rural road conditions as you approach Farson Mercantile and beyond. The profile is largely highway, suggesting fewer turns and a consistent pace for much of the trip.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 81.5 mi on WY 120.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WY 120 and Highway 28. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 23.3 miles in near US 14; US 16; US 20 / Greybull Highway.
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 50m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 23.3 miles (US 14; US 16; US 20 / Greybull Highway): Navigation decision point; at 23.8 miles (WY 120): Lane positioning matters here; at 105.9 miles (US 20; WY 789 / Shoshoni Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mountain driving with significant elevation changes
Powell is a small town in Northwest Wyoming. It is home to Northwest College, a public community college. There were 6,300 people living in Powell in 2020.
Rock Springs is the biggest city in Sweetwater County in Southwest Wyoming. It had a population of 23,000 in 2019. Rock Springs' nickname is: "Home of 56 Nationalities". The town has a rich western and coal mining history.
The longest stretch is about 81.5 miles on WY 120. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
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 4 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 23.3 miles (US 14; US 16; US 20 / Greybull Highway): Navigation decision point; at 23.8 miles (WY 120): Lane positioning matters here; at 105.9 miles (US 20; WY 789 / Shoshoni Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.8 hours each way, a round trip means 11.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Rock Springs, WY before the return drive.
