To see some of the country's most beautiful scenery formed where the High Planes meet the Rocky Mountains, you better head to Wyoming. While best known for Yellowstone Park, this western state also boasts the Grand Tetons, the Bighorns, the Sierra Madre, Jackson Hole, the Winds, and much more. Here are five great road trip ideas to kick off your trip through the West.
1. The Northern Line. Start in the Black Hills and end in Yellowstone National Park. This 400-mile long trip will take you past Sundance, Devils Tower, Bighorn Mountains, Red Gulch/Alkali Scenic Backway, Cody, and Beartooth Highway, spanning about ten days. Get in a good amount of hiking and rock climbing on this route!
2. Park-to-Park Highway. For world-class parks, museums from the Old West, fishing and hot springs, this 550-mile highway stretch is your best bet. Spend ten days passing Cheyenne, Fort Laramie, Oregon Trail Ruts, Boysen State Park, Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway, Thermopolis hot springs, Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway and Yellowstone National Park.
3. Mountain-to-Mountain Route. If you're there for one reason and one reason only (mountains!) this route obviously is the best choice. This 500-mile route goes from the Rocky Mountains to the Grand Tetons, taking you past haunted prisons, countless festivals depending on the time of year, and endless opportunities for hiking, biking, rock climbing and photo-ops.
4. Salt Lake to Yellowstone. Take this 350-mile stretch from Salt Lake City to the Utah border to stop through Evanston, Fort Bridger, Flaming Gorge, Fossil Butte, Snake River Canyon, Jackson, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. This route provides the unique opportunity for watersports year round when you stop at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
5. The Wild West Tour. If you're a cowboy or cowgirl at heart, you may prefer this authentic Western route. For 425 miles, you'll pass rodeos, ghost towns, outlaw hideouts, historic museums and beyond. Key stops include Cheyenne, Laramie, Douglas, Casper, Buffalo, Gillette and Sundance.
