Help with travel times in Wyoming
 

We will be visiting Wyoming during part of a trip next summer. We will be staying in Signal Mountain Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, and are considering visiting Thermopolis on the way home (continuing on through Nebraska on Hwy. 80). We would plan on spending the night in Thermopolis. The computer mapping programs are telling me it would take 5 1/2 hours to drive the 185 miles from Grand Teton to Thermopolis on hwy 26/287. I realize the roads are two lane, but will it really take that long? Thanks.

Hi Jane. I have driven that road from <BR>the Tetons all the way to Rawlins on our way to Denver. From the map it looks like you would go to Riverton and then north to Themopolis. The length of time that you quote means an average speed of less than 40 mph. I did NOT find the road to be that slow. Of course, your time depends on how much you stop. But there is not much to stop and see on that route. I took it because I thought I could see the peaks of the Wind River Range, but I found that not to be the case. Some of the little towns will slow you down some, but still I think you can average more like 50 mph unless something out of the ordinary happens to delay you. From Signal Mountain lodge the distance to Thermopolis is more like 195 miles according to my map -- Rand McNally. <BR>The only thing I know of that might slow you down is if you detour by Fort Washakie and visit the replica of the old fort and also the grave of Sacajawea. <BR>That would add 25 miles or so to the trip and at least an hour of time. <BR>If I were estimating time for myself, I would figure on 4 hours, with no detour and no stopping for sightseeing. But who knows? You might spot something in Dubois that catches your eye and causes you to take a 30 - 45 minute stop.

Jane, <BR> <BR>I don't know what mapping programs you've used, but I find Mapblast.com to provide much more accurate driving times than Mapquest.com. <BR> <BR>Mapblast gives a driving time of about 4 1/2 hours from Jackson to Thermopolis via Hwy 26 (218 mi) - so perhaps 30 minutes less from Signal Lodge. (Mapquest's answer is almost an hour longer.) From Signal Lodge, 4 hours seems about right to me. <BR> <BR>Dave

Hi Jane. It should take you no more than 4 hours to drive from Teton Park to Thermopolis. Hwy 26/287 will take you over the Continental Divide, then drop out of the mountains into Dubois, which is located on the edge of the national forest and Butch Cassidy's badlands. Dubois is a cute western town with wooden sidewalks. Well worth stopping to take a look. The roads are two lane most of the way to Thermopolis, but once you drop out of the mountains you should make good time.

Jane, <BR>We did a significant amount of driving around Wyoming last summer, and encountered a significant amount of road construction everywhere. This may even add to your travel time, so be aware. We enjoyed the spectacular scenery and wildlife everywhere, so were not that annoyed, but did spend lots of time sitting in traffic on 2 land highways where one side was closed to let traffic pass & construction go on. Keep this in mind!