Denver – 10 Days Exploring Wyoming - Self-Drive Itinerary

DOWNLOAD: 10 DAY WYOMING SELF DRIVE ITINERARY

Denver CO to Cheyenne WY
Cheyenne WY to Hill City (Mount Rushmore) SD
Hill City (Mount Rushmore) SD to Devils Tower WY
Devils Tower WY to Sheridan WY
Sheridan WY to Cody WY
Cody WY to Jackson WY
Jackson WY to Rock Springs WY
Rock Springs WY to Rawlins WY
Rawlins WY to Estes Park CO
Estes Park CO to Denver CO

Distance: 1664 miles

Day 1. Denver CO to Cheyenne WY

Pick up your car or motorhome in Denver. If hiring a motorhome we recommend allowing at least one hour for pick up and time to familiarise yourself with your vehicle before you leave the depot.

Depart this morning and take the I-70 W. Follow the I-25 N and take the exit 10D to Missile Drive in Laramie County. Drive to W 24th Street in Cheyenne.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum is the perfect place to discover the spirit of the American West and the pioneers who were at the forefront of it. Make sure to take some time discovering their large collection of carriages, which is one of the most extensive in America.

For a unique Old West experience, visit the Terry Bison Ranch. You can explore the ranch through its train tours, where you can see ostriches, camels and a herd of bison. Get right into the action by hand feeding the bison, horseback riding or even fishing.

Distance: 100 mi, 1 hour 35 minutes.

Stay: Cheyenne KOA Journey.

Day 2. Cheyenne WY to Hill City (Mount Rushmore) SD

Depart this morning and take the I-25 N/ US-87 N. Take the US-87 N to SD-89 N in Northeast Fall River. Follow the US-385 N and US-16 E to SD-244 E in West Pennington. Follow SD-244 E to Mount Rushmore.

Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic images in America. Featuring sculptures of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, the monument is a representation of the American values of freedom and hope for people from all cultures and backgrounds.

Nearby is the Crazy Horse Memorial. Still under construction, the memorial depicts Crazy Horse, who was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. With a mission to protect and preserve the culture of the Native American people, the sculpture is planned to be one of the largest in the world.

Distance: 268 mi, 4 hours 20 minutes.

Stay: Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch.

Day 3. Hill City (Mount Rushmore) SD to Devils Tower WY

Depart this morning and take the US-16A E and US-16 E to I-190 N in Rapid City. Follow the I-90 W to US-14 W in Crook County. Continue on US-14 W. Drive to WY-110 W in Devils Tower.

The Devils Tower, also known as Bear Lodge Butte, is a large rock protruding out of the Bear Lodge Mountains. The first national monument of the U.S.A., hiking is one of the most popular ways to discover the park.

The Vore Buffalo Jump is an archaeological site, where you can find remnants of the people and animals who lived here. Home to the Plains Indian groups for over three-hundred years, the site has been utilised by at least five tribes. Used as both a live archaeological and educational site, experience what it is like to dig up the past.

Distance: 130 mi, 2 hours 15 minutes.

Stay: Devils Tower/ Black Hills KOA.

Day 4. Devils Tower WY to Sheridan WY

Depart this morning and take the WY-24 W and US-14 W to the 1-90 W in Moorcroft. Follow the I-90 W to WY-336 W/E 5th Street in Sheridan County.

For those interested in the history of the area, visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield. The area is a memorial to the battle that occurred on June 25 and 26 in 1876. The museum has a number of cultural and natural collections commemorating this battle.

For an afternoon of hiking and exploring, visit the Bighorn National Forest and discover the Big Horn Mountains. The national forest is not just for hiking, the diverse range of landscapes means activities such as fishing, horseback riding and snowmobiling are all a stone’s throw away.

Distance: 165 mi, 2 hours 30 minutes.

Stay: Peter D’s RV Park.

Day 5. Sheridan WY to Cody WY

Depart this morning and return to the I-90 W. Take exit 9 for US-14 W towards Ranchester-Dayton/ Greybull-Lovell/ Yellowstone-Teton National Parks. Turn left onto the US-14 W. Turn right onto US-14 W/ US-16 W/ US-20 W/ WY-789 N/ N 6th Street. Follow to Cody.

The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a five-in-one museum, covering everything you need to know about the West. The museums include Draper Natural History Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, and the Cody Firearms Museum. Situated just by Yellowstone, discover a diverse range of tales, from the founder of the town ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody to the Plains Indian peoples.

Cody is also right next to the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone National Park was the very first national park established in America, and considered to be the first national park in the world. Visit the Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin, to see the water naturally burst up from the ground. Likewise, the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces are a spectacular natural phenomenon. Walk along the boardwalks set above the constantly changing steaming thermal ground.

Distance: 147 mi, 2 hours 50 minutes.

Stay: Cody KOA Holiday.

Day 6. Cody WY to Jackson WY

Depart this morning and take the WY-120 E to the US-20 E in Thermopolis. Continue on the US-20 E to Fremont County. Continue on the WY-134 W to US-26 W, and follow to Jackson.

Ride the Jackson Hole tram 4,139 vertical feet high for a stunning aerial view of the Bridger Teton National Park. With 360 degree views, you may even spot some local wildlife along the way. When you reach the top, you will have access to hikes including the Cirque Trail to the Gondola Summit and restaurants for some lunch.

Distance: 296 mi, 5 hours.

Stay: The Virginian Lodge.

Day 7. Jackson WY to Rock Springs WY

Depart this morning and follow the US-191 S to 9th Street in Rock Springs.

The WWCC Natural History Museum will take you back in time to the prehistoric era, where dinosaurs walked the lands. Full of fossils discovered in the area, this museum is of particular note due to its large dinosaur collection. From seeing the skeleton of a large Tyrannosaurus Rex to the Foucault Pendulum, there is plenty to learn from here.

Distance: 179 mi, 3 hours.

Stay: Rock Springs/ Green River KOA.

Day 8. Rock Springs WY to Rawlins WY

Depart this morning and follow the I-80 E to the I-80BL/ WY-789 N in Carbon County. Follow the I-80BL/ WY-789 N in Rawlins.

Wyoming’s Frontier Prison was Wyoming’s first state prison, housing approximately 13,500 prisoners throughout its eighty-year history. Take a tour through the prison and walk through the original ‘death house’, and see the cells in which they lived.

Distance: 108 mi, 1 hour 40 minutes.

Stay: Rawlins KOA Journey.

Day 9. Rawlins WY to Estes Park CO

Depart this morning and take the I-80 E and US-287 S to Laporte. Follow N Taft Hill Road, Wilson Avenue and Co Road 17 to US-287 S in Berthoud. Continue on US-287 S. Take the US-36 W to Virginia Drive in Estes Park.

Estes Park is a great way to access the Rocky Mountains National Park. The Rocky Mountain National Park is full of activities for nature lovers. In winter, it is the perfect place to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding. There are also free tours available with rangers who lead you around the park while you snowshoe or sled.

Distance: 220 mi, 4 hours.

Stay: Estes Park KOA.

Day 10. Estes Park CO to Denver CO

Depart this morning and follow the US-36 E to CO-66 E in Boulder County. Take the I-25 S in Mead. Follow it to Denver.

For sporting fans, catch a game of baseball at Coors Field, and cheer on the Colorado Rockies. Considered to be a field that is easy to get a home-run on, there is always a good game on with some exciting action. It is an essential American experience while over in the States.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is perfect for an educational, fun family day out. Whether you want to watch a film or documentary on the enormous IMAX screen, or immerse yourself in space and the stars at the Planetarium, the museum is the place to learn in a fun and exciting way.

Allow 60 minutes to return your campervan.

Distance: 71 mi, 1 hour 30 minutes.

Stay: Flying Saucer RV Park.

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