The drive from Cheyenne, WY to Basin, WY covers 371.3 miles and takes about 6h 41m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 25, West Yellowstone Highway, Park Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 177.3 miles on I 25.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $58.84 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
185.7 miles from Cheyenne, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 5m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 41m. Total distance: 371.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Cheyenne, WY to Basin, WY covers 371.3 miles and takes about 6h 41m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 25 is the longest continuous segment at about 177.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 0.1 miles in near Carey Avenue.
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 41m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Carey Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 178.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Carey Avenue
Turn right onto Carey Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
178.7 mi into trip|~2h 56m in
Take the exit toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Sho...
4
179.1 mi into trip|~2h 57m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
182.1 mi into trip|~3h 1m in|US 20; US 26 / West Yellowstone Highway
Turn right onto US 20; US 26 / West Yellowstone Highway
Navigation decision point
5
275.9 mi into trip|~4h 47m in|US 20; WY 789 / Idaho Street
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789 / Idaho Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
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 Cheyenne, WY to Basin, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Port Of Entry along the way.
Port Of Entry
178.7 mi in|~2h 56m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 25
177.3 mi
2h 53m
West Yellowstone Highway
93.8 mi
1h 46m
Park Street
32.4 mi
39m
Idaho Street
31.9 mi
38m
North 10th Street
29.8 mi
32m
US 20
3 mi
3m
Randall Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
South 6th Street
0.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 177.3 mi, about 2h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cheyenne, WY and Basin, WY.
1
Start on West 24th Street
292 ft·12 sec·West 24th Street
2
Turn right onto Carey Avenue
0.1 mi·13 sec·Carey Avenue
3
Turn slight left onto Randall Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·Randall Avenue
4
Turn right onto Hynds Boulevard
338 ft·5 sec·Hynds Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
6
Merge onto I 25; US 87
1.5 mi·1 min·I 25; US 87
7
Continue on I 25; US 85; US 87
3.9 mi·4 min·I 25; US 85; US 87
8
Continue on I 25; US 87
76 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 25; US 87
9
Continue on I 25; US 26; US 87
34 mi·31 min·I 25; US 26; US 87
10
Continue on I 25; US 20; US 26; US 87
62 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 25; US 20; US 26; US 87
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
12
Keep slight left at fork
350 ft·10 sec
13
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
3.0 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
14
Turn right onto US 20; US 26
94 mi·1 hr 46 min·West Yellowstone Highway
15
Turn right onto US 20; WY 789
32 mi·38 min·Idaho Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto US 20; WY 789
0.8 mi·2 min·South 6th Street
Use the slight left / right lanes.
17
Continue on US 20; WY 789
32 mi·39 min·Park Street
Use the left / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto North Railway Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·North Railway Avenue
19
Continue on Russell Avenue
0.1 mi·21 sec·Russell Avenue
20
Turn left onto US 16; US 20; WY 789
30 mi·32 min·North 10th Street
21
Arrive at destination
US 16; US 20; WY 789
Trip Plan
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 185.7 miles from Cheyenne, WY, or about 3h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177.3 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 82 miles or 1h 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 185.7 miles or 3h 5m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Basin, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cheyenne, 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 Cheyenne, WY
This is one driving day of about 371.3 miles and 6h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 82 miles from Cheyenne, 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 I 25 for about 177.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 185.7 mi from Cheyenne, WY
· 3h 5m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
111.4
1
$38.99
$17.82
Efficient EV
92.8
1
$32.49
$14.85
EV Truck/SUV
148.5
1
$51.98
$23.76
Gas CO2
130 kg
EV CO2
43 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Cheyenne, WY
Late night
in Cheyenne on Saturday
Local time
3:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Basin, WY
Late night
in Basin on Saturday
Local time
3:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°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
28 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
6h 41m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cheyenne, WY to Basin, WY covers 371.3 miles and takes about 6h 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 25, West Yellowstone Highway, Park Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 185.7 miles from Cheyenne, WY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $58.84 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 41m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Carey Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 178.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Cheyenne, WY to Basin, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Port Of Entry along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
