The drive from Ranchester, WY to Evanston, WY covers 487.3 miles and takes about 8h 18m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, US 87, County Road 308 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 205.5 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $77.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
243.6 miles from Ranchester, WY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 11m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Ranchester, WY to Evanston, WY covers 487.3 miles and takes about 8h 18m, 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 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 205.5 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 49 miles in near US 87.
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 8h 18m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 12 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 49 miles (US 87): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 160.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 160.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
49 mi into trip|~50m in|US 87
Take the exit onto US 87 toward I 25 South, US 87 South: Casper
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 56B
Toward I 25 South, US 87 South: Casper
5
160.4 mi into trip|~2h 35m 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
160.7 mi into trip|~2h 36m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
486.3 mi into trip|~8h 16m in
Take the exit toward WY 89 North, WY 150: Front Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5
Toward WY 89 North, WY 150: Front Street
4
487.2 mi into trip|~8h 18m in|Bear River Drive
Turn right onto Bear River Drive
Navigation decision point
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 Ranchester, WY to Evanston, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Port Of Entry along the way.
Port Of Entry
160.4 mi in|~2h 35m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
205.5 mi
3h 20m
US 87
111.4 mi
1h 45m
County Road 308
63.7 mi
1h 12m
I 90
48.2 mi
48m
US 287
44.1 mi
50m
Casper West Belt
7.3 mi
8m
US 20
2.7 mi
3m
West Spruce Street
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 205.5 mi, about 3h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ranchester, WY and Evanston, WY.
1
Start on US 14
0.8 mi·1 min·Dayton Street
2
Take the ramp onto I 90; US 87
0.4 mi·50 sec·I 90; US 87
3
Continue on I 90; US 14; US 87
48 mi·47 min·I 90; US 14; US 87
4
Take the exit onto US 87
111 mi·1 hr 45 min·US 87
Exit 56BToward I 25 South, US 87 South: Casper
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
7
Turn right onto US 20; US 26
2.7 mi·3 min·US 20; US 26
8
Continue on WY 257
7.3 mi·8 min·Casper West Belt
9
Turn right onto WY 220
64 mi·1 hr 12 min·County Road 308
10
Continue on US 287; WY 789
44 mi·50 min·US 287; WY 789
11
Turn right onto I 80 Bus; US 30 Bus; WY 789
1.5 mi·2 min·West Spruce Street
12
Take the ramp onto WY 789
0.6 mi·1 min·WY 789
13
Merge onto I 80; US 30; WY 789
206 mi·3 hr 20 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 5Toward WY 89 North, WY 150: Front Street
15
Turn right onto WY 89
0.6 mi·1 min·Front Street
16
Turn right onto Bear River Drive
351 ft·10 sec·Bear River Drive
17
Arrive at destination
Bear River Drive
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 243.6 miles from Ranchester, WY, or about 4h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 205.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 107 miles or 1h 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 243.6 miles or 4h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 243.6 miles or 4h 11m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Evanston, WY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ranchester, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ranchester, WY
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Evanston, WY
Aim for roughly 244 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 107 miles from Ranchester, WY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 205.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 243.6 mi from Ranchester, WY
· 4h 11m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$77.22 one way
$154.44 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg171 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$80.94
$161.88
premium
$4.53
$86.93
$173.85
diesel
$5.61
$107.59
$215.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 170.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
10 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
EVgo Charging Station
Evanston, Wyoming
EVgo
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Evanston, Wyoming
Tesla
1 DCFC
EVgo Charging Station
Rock Springs, Wyoming
EVgo
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station 116013
Rawlins, Wyoming
Electrify America
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station
Evanston, Wyoming
Electrify America
1 DCFC
Pilot Flying J Charging Station
Rawlins, Wyoming
Other
1 DCFC
Pilot Flying J Charging Station
Evanston, Wyoming
Other
1 DCFC
Flying J EV Charging Station
Evanston, Wyoming
Other
1 DCFC
Other: 5
EVgo: 2
Electrify America: 2
Tesla: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
146.2
1
$51.17
$23.39
Efficient EV
121.8
1
$42.64
$19.49
EV Truck/SUV
194.9
2
$68.22
$31.19
Gas CO2
170 kg
EV CO2
57 kg (66% 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
Ranchester, WY
Evening
in Ranchester on Thursday
Local time
6:58 PM
MDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Evanston, WY
Evening
in Evanston on Thursday
Local time
6:58 PM
MDT
Current temp
64°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
24 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
8h 18m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ranchester, WY to Evanston, WY covers 487.3 miles and takes about 8h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, US 87, County Road 308. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 244 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 243.6 miles from Ranchester, WY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $77.22 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 2 meaningful breaks 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 8h 18m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 12 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: at 49 miles (US 87): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 160.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 160.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Ranchester, WY to Evanston, WY, road signs begin pointing toward Port Of Entry along the way.
