Rawlins to Gillette is 246.3 miles and takes about 4h 41m via WY 220 and WY 387, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wyoming, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. It's a solid day trip for anyone looking to cover ground efficiently in the state. You'll be on mostly highway for this stretch, making it a straightforward drive. Consider this route if you need a direct path between these two Wyoming cities.
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
123.2 miles from Rawlins, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
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
South Douglas Highway
5 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
WY 220
— 63.7 mi, about 1h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rawlins, WY and Gillette, WY.
1
Start on West Spruce Street
50 ft·5 sec·West Spruce Street
2
Turn right onto US 287; WY 789
44 mi·50 min·3rd Street
3
Continue on WY 220
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·WY 220
4
Turn left onto WY 257
7.3 mi·8 min·Casper West Belt
5
Continue on US 20; US 26
3.0 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
6
Turn left
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 25 North, US 87 North: Midwest
7
Merge onto I 25; US 87
20 mi·18 min·I 25; US 87
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
9
Turn right onto WY 259
18 mi·20 min·Horseshoe Road
10
Turn right onto WY 387
51 mi·58 min·WY 387
11
Turn left onto WY 59
33 mi·35 min·State Highway 59 South
12
Continue on WY 59
5.0 mi·9 min·South Douglas Highway
13
Turn left onto East 4th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East 4th Street
14
Arrive at destination
East 4th Street
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour, 41-minute drive, it's best to depart in the morning to allow ample daylight for your 246.3-mile journey. With only one planned stop and a fuel cost estimated at $39, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. The longest stretch without services is 63.7 miles on WY 220, so ensure your fuel tank is adequately filled before you begin that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you transition from WY 387 into Gillette, as services might be more spread out on the approach.
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 123.2 miles from Rawlins, WY, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.7 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 54 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 123.2 miles or 2h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 48m
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 Rawlins, 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 Rawlins, WY
This is one driving day of about 246.3 miles and 4h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Rawlins, 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 220 for about 63.7 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 118 and 208.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
118 mi into trip|~2h 15m 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
4
138.5 mi into trip|~2h 35m in
Take the exit toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Horse Ranch Creek Road
4
138.9 mi into trip|~2h 36m in|WY 259 / Horseshoe Road
Turn right onto WY 259 / Horseshoe Road
Navigation decision point
4
156.8 mi into trip|~2h 56m in|WY 387
Turn right onto WY 387
Navigation decision point
4
208.1 mi into trip|~3h 55m in|WY 59 / State Highway 59 South
Turn left onto WY 59 / State Highway 59 South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.03 one way
$78.06 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg86 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$40.91
$81.82
premium
$4.53
$43.94
$87.87
diesel
$5.61
$54.38
$108.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
73.9
0
$25.86
$11.82
Efficient EV
61.6
0
$21.55
$9.85
EV Truck/SUV
98.5
1
$34.48
$15.76
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Rawlins, WY
Late night
in Rawlins on Sunday
Local time
1:44 AM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Gillette, WY
Late night
in Gillette on Sunday
Local time
1:44 AM
MDT
Current temp
73°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
9 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
4h 41m 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 is predominantly highway, with 69% of the route on faster roads. You'll experience a long 63.7-mile stretch on WY 220 before transitioning to other state highways. After the highway segments, you'll navigate through town on 3rd Street in Gillette. Expect plenty of open road cruising, as there are no significant mountain grades or dense urban merging mentioned.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.7 mi on WY 220.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WY 220 and WY 387. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 118 miles in.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 41m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 118 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 138.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 138.9 miles (WY 259 / Horseshoe Road): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 41m. Total distance: 246.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 63.7 miles on WY 220. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 118 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 138.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 138.9 miles (WY 259 / Horseshoe Road): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Gillette, WY, but most travelers stay overnight.
