Riverton, WY to Guernsey, WY is 231.1 miles and takes about 4h 12m via US 20 and I-25, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Mountain West region, traveling entirely within Wyoming. Expect a mix of highway cruising and more direct surface road travel. With just one recommended stop and a manageable drive time, this route is well-suited for a single-day adventure. It's a straightforward option if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently.
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
115.5 miles from Riverton, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 20
79.6 mi
1h 30m
North Federal Boulevard
39 mi
44m
I 25
34.1 mi
31m
US 26
15.6 mi
19m
South Wyoming Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 79.6 mi, about 1h 30m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~315 veh/hr typical
· worst 469
Quietest
2 AM
~24 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 89 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 Riverton, WY and Guernsey, WY.
1
Start on US 26; WY 789
39 mi·44 min·North Federal Boulevard
2
Continue on US 20; US 26
77 mi·1 hr 27 min·US 20; US 26
3
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
2.7 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
4
Take the exit
63 mi·1 hr 6 min
5
Continue on I 25; US 26; US 87
34 mi·31 min·I 25; US 26; US 87
6
Take the exit onto US 26
16 mi·19 min·US 26
Toward Guernsey, Torrington
7
Turn right onto South Wyoming Avenue
54 ft·1 sec·South Wyoming Avenue
8
Arrive at destination
South Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 12m estimated drive time, starting your trip in Riverton mid-morning should allow you to reach Guernsey with plenty of daylight to spare. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. The fuel cost is estimated at $41, so factor that into your budget. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 79.6-mile stretch on US 20, as services might be more spaced out in that section. This is a drive you can comfortably complete in one day.
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 115.5 miles from Riverton, WY, or about 2h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 79.6 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 51 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.5 miles or 2h 11m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Guernsey, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Riverton, 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 Riverton, WY
This is one driving day of about 231.1 miles and 4h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Riverton, 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 US 20 for about 79.6 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
4 of 4
4 decision points cluster between mile 115.9 and 231.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
115.9 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|US 20; US 26
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
Navigation decision point
4
118.6 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
215.5 mi into trip|~3h 53m in|US 26
Take the exit onto US 26 toward Guernsey, Torrington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Guernsey, Torrington
4
231.1 mi into trip|~4h 12m in|South Wyoming Avenue
Turn right onto South Wyoming Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.63 one way
$83.25 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$43.47
$86.94
premium
$5.11
$46.46
$92.91
diesel
$6.18
$56.22
$112.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.3
0
$24.27
$11.09
Efficient EV
57.8
0
$20.22
$9.24
EV Truck/SUV
92.4
1
$32.35
$14.79
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Riverton, WY
Late night
in Riverton on Monday
Local time
3:33 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Clear
WSW 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Guernsey, WY
Late night
in Guernsey on Monday
Local time
3:33 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Clear
WNW 5 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
8 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 12m 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 231.1-mile drive has a 56% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 79.6 miles on US 20 before transitioning to other main roads. The profile is mixed highway and surface, so be prepared for a change in road type and speed limits as you progress. Expect to merge onto I-25 for a significant part of the latter half of the trip.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 79.6 mi on US 20.
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 115.9 miles in near US 20; US 26.
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 12m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 115.9 miles (US 20; US 26): Navigation decision point; at 118.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 215.5 miles (US 26): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,190 ft4,348 ft
Total Climb
1,736 ft
Total Descent
2,342 ft
Highest Point
6,190 ft
~66 mi in
Elevation Range
1,842 ft
Notable High Points
6,190 ft at ~66 miles+478 ft prominence
5,308 ft at ~132 miles+76 ft prominence
4,956 ft at ~214.6 miles+265 ft prominence
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 Riverton, WY to Guernsey, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Torrington along the way.
The longest stretch is about 79.6 miles on US 20. 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.
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 115.9 miles (US 20; US 26): Navigation decision point; at 118.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 215.5 miles (US 26): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Guernsey, WY, but most travelers stay overnight.
