Wyoming is a vast state with open lands and stretching skies that, during the summer, makes for a grand roadtrip.

Whether looking for your new favorite food stop, to satisfy that history buff buried in your soul, or to capture the nature of the land and reset your inner self, Wyoming just needs a quick drive-around to fulfill your need.

SweetwaterNOW’s route takes you clockwise through the state starting from Rock Springs. The trip takes a total of 24 hours and 45 minutes of driving time with, at most, 3 hours and 45 minutes between each stop. The route takes you to Kemmerer, Lander, Dubois, through Yellowstone National Park to Cody, Thermopolis, through Basin and Greybull to Sheridan, Buffalo, Gillette, Newcastle, Casper, Wheatland, Cheyenne, Laramie, and Rawlins before getting you home to Rock Springs or Green River.

For driver safety, always travel with at least one other person. Do not drive for more than four hours at a time. Please make sure someone back home knows where you are, what you’re doing, and how you’re doing.

SweetwaterNOW’s route has been planned out on Google Maps in Part One, taking you from Rock Springs to Sheridan, and in Part Two, from Sheridan to Rock Springs.

For the Foodies

What’s a roadtrip without food and a good drink? For everyone that enjoys trying something new and tasting new flavors, we’ve put together a small list of stops to fill your stomachs at for each location!

• Kemmerer: Place on Pine, Scroungy Moose Pizza, and Kettle Restaurant
• Lander: Cowfish, Oxbow Restaurant, and The Lander Bar
• Dubois: Crooked Creek Ranch, The V Cafe, and the Rustic Pine Tavern
• Cody: Irma Restaurant and Grille, Cody Steakhouse, and Granny’s Restaurant
• Thermopolis: Thermopolis Safari Club, The Crow Bar, and One Eyed Buffalo
• Sheridan: Frackelton’s, Wyoming’s Rib and Chop House, and PO News & Flagstaff Cafe
• Buffalo: Bozeman Trail Steak House, Busy Bee Cafe, and South Fork Mountain Lodge Restaurant
• Gillette: The Prime Rib Restaurant & Wine Cellar, Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant, and The Railyard Gillette
• Newcastle: Isabella’s, Donna’s Mainstreet Diner, and The Antlers
• Casper: Fire Rock Steakhouse & Grill, Eggington’s, and Silver Fox Restaurant
• Wheatland: Windy Peaks Brewery & Steakhouse, Vimbo’s Restaurant & Lounge, and Western Sky’s Family Diner
• Cheyenne: Sanford’s Grub & Pub, T Toe’s Steakhouse & Saloon, and The Albany
• Laramie: Altitude Chophouse & Brewery, Sweet Melissa Cafe, and Crowbar & Grill
• Rawlins: Buck’s Sports Grill, Big City Bar & Grill, and Cappy’s Restaurant & Bar

History Buffer

You can’t go anywhere without looking into the local history. History buffs can confirm! Each location has it’s own unique stories to tell and you should take advantage of them for either yourself, or the little ones you might have brought along with you!

• Kemmerer: J.C. Penney House, Ulrich’s Fossil Gallery, and the Fossil Butte National Monument
• Lander: Museum of the American West, Lander Downtown Historic District, and Remount County Pioneer Museum
• Dubois: Petroglyphs at Whiskey Basin, National Museum of Military Vehicles, and Dubois Museum
• Cody: Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Old Trail town, and Wyoming Veterans Memorial Park
• Thermopolis: Hot Springs County Museum & Cultural Center, Legend Rock Petroglyph Site, and the historical downtown area
• Sheridan: Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site, the Connor Battlefield, and the Museum at the Bighorns
• Buffalo: Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum, Hoofprints of the Past Museum, and Hole-in-the-Wall
• Gillette: Campbell County Rockville Museum, Front Relics & Auto Museum, Eagle Butte Coal Mine
• Newcastle: Anna Miller Museum, Weston County Courthouse, and the Beaver Creek Loop tour
• Casper: Fort Caspar Museum, the Bishop House, and Independence Rock
• Wheatland: Laramie Peak Museum, Register Cliff, and Fort Laramie
• Cheyenne: Cheyenne Depot Museum, Wyoming State Museum, and Historic Governor’s Mansion
• Laramie: Laramie Plains Museum at the Ivinson Mansion, the American Heritage Center, and the Laramie Railroad Depot
• Rawlins: Frontier Prison, Carbon County Museum, and Rawlins Interpretive Trail

Nature’s Friends

You don’t drive anywhere and not plan to see the scenes through your car windows. Why not step out into it too? Here are some natural spaces in each pitstop you take along this roadtrip!

• Kemmerer: Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, Hams Fork River, and Lake Viva Naughton
• Lander: Sink Canyon State Park, Popo Agie Falls Trail, and Wild Iris Wall
• Dubois: Wind River Lake, Jade Lake Trail, and Whiskey Mountain and Lake Louise Trails
• Cody: Yellowstone National Park, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, and Clarks Fork Yellowstone River
• Thermopolis: Hot Springs State Park
• Sheridan: Welch Ranch Recreation Area and Black Tooth Park
• Buffalo: Clear Creek Trail System, Brush Creek Trail, and Firebox Park
• Gillette: Red Rock Trails, Field of Dreams Loop, and Gillette Fishing Lake
• Newcastle: Roughneck Falls, Jewl Cave National Monument, and Needles Eye Tunnel
• Casper: Garden Creek Falls, Morad Park, and Seminole Dam
• Wheatland: Guernsey State Park, Oregon Trail Ruts State Historic Park, and Cottonwood Draw Wildlife Habitat Management Area
• Cheyenne: Curt Gowdy State Park and Soapstone Prairie Natural Area
• Laramie: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Deerwood Ranch Wild Horse EvoSanctuary, and Happy Jack Trailhead
• Rawlins: Rawlins Springs Park

A Playlist from Wyoming Arts Council

No roadtrip is complete without a playlist blaring through your speakers! The Wyoming Arts Council created its playlist for summer 2025 and included podcasts as well.

Songs include:

• Nicholas Cantine | Drift
• Screen Door Porch | Morning Sun
• Peter Blomberg | South 22nd (ellington version)
• Beth Vanderborgh with Thertesa Bogard | Amoroso – Valse Lente, Op. 160
• Walk the Doctor | The Metaphysical
• Hoi Ann | Ms. Wishi-Washi
• Box Elder | Origami Bats
• Six Below Zero | Nihilistic
• Jeff & Ryan | Mogwai
• Stay Awhile | Probably Guy Mowing
• YOTP | Fifth Direction
• Days Long Gone | By the Way
• Pleasure People | Afraid
• Kaspen Haley and Boxelder Stomp | One Mile Closer
• A Band Named Sue | Let Yourself Be
• Dave Munsick | This Old Town
• Buffalo Bill Boycott | Secret Stash
• Cory McDaniel Duo | Wicked Chicken
• De Gringos Y Gremmies | Pisolino a Una Cascata
• Zach | Dreaming Real Life
• Chris Alma Jose | Me and My Samsonite
• Inland Isle | Born Ahead
• Hilary Camino | Release Your Grip
• Jamie Hansen | Expectations
• Livvy Wilson | Six Strings
• Kalyn Beasley | Had to Go There
• Tris Munsick & The Innocents | Wild Child
• Patrick W Stafford | Johnson County
• Strumbucket | Friends Like You
• Jason Lenyer Buchanan | If the Creek Don’t Rise
• Liam and Layne | Cheyenne
• Banditti | Belle Fourche
• Jordan Hoff | Before the First Snow
• Benyaro | Time With Yourself

Suggested podcasts are:

• That Doesn’t Happen Every Day | The Lady of Arlington 
• Wyoming’s Wind River Country: Yellowstone’s Unique Neighbor | Beneath the Boulder: Exploring Boulder Choke Cave in Sinks Canyon
• Pioneers of Outlaw Country: Wyoming History | Mary Hayes Picard, The Outlaw’s Angel of Mercy 
• Get Even Outdoors | A Grizzly Stole My Elk – Jack Call
• That Doesn’t Happen Every Day | That Time They Made a Horror Movie in The Old Penitentiary