Kansas to West Yellowstone

[psurich]

We will be traveling to West Yellowstone in June and we are trying to find the best route. We have a Ram diesel pulling a 35' trailer. Does anyone know of any roads that should be avoided because of terrain or lack of fuel stations? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

[psurich]

Thank you for all the help

[colliehauler]

I took 135 to 81 to 80 and spent the night at Cabela's Sidney Nebraska then on to Rawlins North on 287 to 20 going to West Yellowstone. Plenty of fuel stops.

[trailertraveler]

psurich wrote:
Our journey starts about 30 miles north of Wichita.

How much time do you have and what kinds of things do you want to see along the way. You could take I-135 to US-81 to I-80. Along I-80, there is the Great Platte River Archway and Museum, Fort Kearny, and the original Cabela's in Sidney, NE which even has a campground.

If you were to take US-26 West from Ogallala, NE; there is Scotts Bluff National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Guernsey State Park, Register Cliff and Oregan Trail Ruts.

I-25 will take you to Casper and then US-20 will take you to Thermopolis where there is Hot Springs State Park, the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, and the Legend Rock Petroglyph Site.

From Thermopolis, WY-120 will take you to Cody where there is the Buffalo Bill Center, Old Trail Town and the Nightly Rodeo. A loop of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and Beartooth Highway with a stop in Red Lodge makes a nice day trip from Cody.

From Cody it is a pleasant, scenic but sometimes slow drive through the park to West Yellowstone.

I also recommend stopping in the Tetons as mentioned by several others. You could go one way and come back the other.

[psurich]

Our journey starts about 30 miles north of Wichita.

[Thom02099]

padredw wrote:
Best to know where in Kansas you are starting. I may be able to help.

^^^^^ This.

There are alternatives to 70/25/80, depending on where you are starting in Kansas.

Two points that could influence your route decision:

1 - E-470 around Denver. DO NOT TAKE! It's a toll road, and you'll be paying by the axle with a base rate of $3.55 for 2 axles then another $3.55 for each additional axle. and you'll have at least 2 toll plazas you'll go through, perhaps 3 (I forget where the one is right around I-70). It's a license plate reader toll, so you'll get it in the mail about 6 weeks after your trip. ($28.40 or $42.60 for the tolls, depending on 2 or 3 plazas).

An alternative is get off I-70 in Limon and take CO 71 all the way north....all the way to Kimball NE. It's a state highway, decent shape, and is fairly straight (read also boring) driving. It's 146 miles north, there's a half way point in Brush CO, if you need to fuel up. If you've got a full tank in Limon, it should not be an issue. This route, you avoid all of the congestion (which is now pretty much all the time) on I-25 between Denver and Fort Collins CO.

2 - Depending on where you are in Kansas, consider taking US 36 across the top of Kansas to near Idalia, CO, then take US 385 north to US 34. Take US 34 west all the way to Loveland CO, where you'll briefly pick up I-25 north to Fort Collins. In Fort Collins take Exit 269B west into town and follow the signs for the truck route through town to pick up US 287 heading from Ft Collins to Laramie WY. This way, you avoid all of the congestion of the approach to Denver, and the various ways to get through Denver, you avoid the congestion of I-25 from Denver to Fort Collins, and you avoid having to go all the way up to Cheyenne WY and save some time. It's not a difficult drive, lots of 3 lane between Ft Collins and Laramie, with good climb/passing lanes. Rolling terrain, but shouldn't be a challenge to your rig. And it's a beautiful drive as well. Pick up I-80 in Laramie, then follow some of the suggestions already provided.

As for fuel along this 2nd route, there's small towns about every 30-40 miles across the top of Kansas, and a GasBuddy app should help with finding diesel fuel. In Colorado on US 34, there's several goodly sized towns you'll go through and should have diesel available. There won't be anything at all between north of Fort Collins and Laramie WY for fuel (small station in Tie Siding WY, but subject to being closed and uncertain of they carry diesel). Fuel up in Laramie if needed.

[2gypsies1]

As with an Alaskan trip..... drive on the top half of your tank and you'll have no problem. The roads are good for RVers except if you're thinking of taking 22 west to Victor, Idaho to W. Yellowstone... don't do it. It's very steep. Instead, from I-80 at Rock Springs, take 191 to Hwy 89 and Alpine, Wyoming, then take 26 west to Idaho Falls and then north. It's almost flat. Or... go through Jackson/Grand Teton Nat'l Park (you ARE going to visit it, aren't you?) and through Yellowstone to W. Yellowstone. This will be a slow drive though - traffic so plan to spend time in Grand Teton before onward to Yellowstone. In the Tetons there are two campgrounds with no hookups and each has 300 non-reservable sites. Get there before 2pm and you'll get a site. They are Gros Ventre and Colter Bay. Check out the park's web site. The Tetons are gorgeous.

https://www.nps.gov/grte/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/index.htm

[CloudDriver]

Rangerman40 wrote:
70-25-80... get off in Rawlins and Wind your way up toward the Tetons on 287 to 26 through the Wind River Indian Reservation. Hop on 191 in the Tetons and you are golden all the way to West Yellowstone. Fuel stops are a little sporadic once you get off 80 till you hit Dubois. And I believe there are no fuel stations between Dubois and Moran if I remember correctly. This is the scenic route... you could come in the backside through Utah and Idaho taking 80-15-20.

Agree with Rangerman's first route as we have done that a number of times. North of Rawlins there is a gas station (don't know whether they have diesel) at Muddy Gap and several gas stations in Lander. Lander is a significant size town so diesel should be available. Dubois is much smaller so fueling in Lander would be a wise precaution. The next fuel that I can recall is at Colter Bay just north of Moran Junction. When driving through Yellowstone to West Yellowstone fuel is available at Grant Village and Old Faithful. Between Dubois and Moran Junction you will go over the Togwotee Pass. It's a gradual climb and descent, so you should be fine. A beautiful drive and a good chance of snow still being at the top of the pass in June. Good views of the beautiful Teton Range going down the west side.

If you want a more level route, stay on I80 to Rock Springs then take 191 north to Hoback Junction and continue north to Jackson and through Grand Teton NP to Yellowstone. Fuel available in rock Springs, Boulder, Pinedale, Jackson and possibly more.

Personally, I wouldn't stay on I80 all the way to I15 and then up route 20 as it's too much out of the way.

[padredw]

get off in Rawlins and Wind your way up toward the Tetons on 287 to 26 through the Wind River Indian Reservation. Hop on 191 in the Tetons and you are golden all the way to West Yellowstone.

Agree

[Rangerman40]

70-25-80... get off in Rawlins and Wind your way up toward the Tetons on 287 to 26 through the Wind River Indian Reservation. Hop on 191 in the Tetons and you are golden all the way to West Yellowstone. Fuel stops are a little sporadic once you get off 80 till you hit Dubois. And I believe there are no fuel stations between Dubois and Moran if I remember correctly. This is the scenic route... you could come in the backside through Utah and Idaho taking 80-15-20.

[padredw]

Best to know where in Kansas you are starting. I may be able to help.