WY 120 Shoshoni to Cody

Scubadude62-WO

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Oak Harbor, WA
Planning out a future trip and wondering what the grade and alignment are between Shoshoni and Cody.

I'm comfortable driving through the mountains with my rig, just my first time on this particular route, and wondering what to expect.

We'll be hopping off I-80 near North Platte, heading towards Yellowstone.

Thanks!

40' DP with a toad.
 
We have been on the road that goes through Worland with the motorhome. Not bad at all. I don’t think we have taken the shorter route on WY120, but it looks like it stays in river valleys pretty much the entire way.
 
Driven that road last 50 years.. good road, nice shoulders, very few hills. tunnels between Shoshone and Thermopolis but semi's drive thru nonprobem.. beautiful section of drive...
 
From Shoshoni WY to Thermopolis, you will pass through the Wind River Canyon. Stretching 34 miles between Shoshoni and Thermopolis, follows the Wind River (also known as the Bighorn River) and includes areas where the canyon walls rise dramatically. While the overall drive is scenic and not a continuous steep climb, you should be aware of potential elevation changes and associated hazards when traveling through the Wind River Canyon, especially near the river and rock formations. There are some short, steep downgrades but nothing approaching what you would see on a major mountain road. There are scenic turnouts that you may want to stop to take pictures. (I used to love that drive when we lived in WY.)

Thermopolis is at an elevation of roughly 4,324 feet, while Cody sits at an elevation of 5,010 feet. The route between the two towns is generally ascending and is 84 miles of rolling countryside.

From North Platte I suggest taking US26 to Shoshoni, which will be generally following the Oregon Trail and there are numerous historic sites along the route which you may wish to visit. I recommend at least stopping briefly at Scott's Bluff Natl. Monument, at the Gurnsey Oregon Trail ruts, and at Ft. Laramie. In Douglas there is nice camping in the city park right on the river. There is no mountainous driving between North Platte and Shoshoni.

From Cody to Yellowstone NP there is some mountain travel but none that is particularly challenging.
 
I agree, the section of the highway between Shoshoni and Thermopolis is perhaps one of the most scenic drives I have been on outside of a National park, and has a number of scenic overlook pull outs. The most scenic part of the drive starts 10 or so miles north of Shoshoni
 
From Shoshoni WY to Thermopolis, you will pass through the Wind River Canyon. Stretching 34 miles between Shoshoni and Thermopolis, follows the Wind River (also known as the Bighorn River) and includes areas where the canyon walls rise dramatically. While the overall drive is scenic and not a continuous steep climb, you should be aware of potential elevation changes and associated hazards when traveling through the Wind River Canyon, especially near the river and rock formations. There are some short, steep downgrades but nothing approaching what you would see on a major mountain road. There are scenic turnouts that you may want to stop to take pictures. (I used to love that drive when we lived in WY.)

Thermopolis is at an elevation of roughly 4,324 feet, while Cody sits at an elevation of 5,010 feet. The route between the two towns is generally ascending and is 84 miles of rolling countryside.

From North Platte I suggest taking US26 to Shoshoni, which will be generally following the Oregon Trail and there are numerous historic sites along the route which you may wish to visit. I recommend at least stopping briefly at Scott's Bluff Natl. Monument, at the Gurnsey Oregon Trail ruts, and at Ft. Laramie. In Douglas there is nice camping in the city park right on the river. There is no mountainous driving between North Platte and Shoshoni.

From Cody to Yellowstone NP there is some mountain travel but none that is particularly challenging.
This is what I was looking for - thanks!

What you suggest is what I was planning, mostly. Overnight in North Platte, Scottsbluff, Casper and Shononi, then on to Yellowstone. I've driven the Cody/Yellowstone route several times.
 
I agree, the section of the highway between Shoshoni and Thermopolis is perhaps one of the most scenic drives I have been on outside of a National park, and has a number of scenic overlook pull outs. The most scenic part of the drive starts 10 or so miles north of Shoshoni
Thanks! This will be an area we've never driven through before.
 
This is what I was looking for - thanks!

What you suggest is what I was planning, mostly. Overnight in North Platte, Scottsbluff, Casper and Shononi, then on to Yellowstone. I've driven the Cody/Yellowstone route several times.
Do you have any specific campgrounds scouted out in North Platte and Scottbluff? as those are on my potential route if I use the eastern route option to avoid potential high winds on my western option. (I will decide which route depending on weather forecast in 3-4 days.
 
Do you have any specific campgrounds scouted out in North Platte and Scottbluff? as those are on my potential route if I use the eastern route option to avoid potential high winds on my western option. (I will decide which route depending on weather forecast in 3-4 days.
I do. We'll stay at the Holiday RV Park in North Platte. Nicely shaded, yet sky access for the satellite. We love the little greasy spoon diner next door for breakfast.

Near Scottsbluff, I chose Bayard City Park. We'll pull in early, so will have some time to drive over to Chimney Rock.

In Casper, we'll probably stay at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds, if available.

Finally, Cross Roads RV park in Shohoni gets good reviews.

We're going to shoot for Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone, but if it's full already, we'll stay in West Yellowstone.
 
Ah, thanks I will check them out if I go the eastern route, I am pulling out from home next Wednesday (weather permitting) I am doing the drive up solo and my wife is flying up to meet me after she attends a 5 day conference in Casper, I have reservations for 2 nights at the Wyoming Fairgrounds in Douglas, then on to Meeteese, WY between Thermomopolis and Cody for 2 nights at an RV park that changed owners a year or so ago, and has apparently been doing major renovations. This stop is to let my wife recover from here conference, catch up on laundry, etc. probably driving over the Cody to do a few tourist things during the day. Followed by 6 nights at Bridge Bay campground, 1 night at Grant, then down to Grand Tetons for 3 nights at Coulter Bay, then 2 nights at Gros Ventre (my wife then flies home in the morning after the 1st night at Gros Ventre, and I head over to Gillette for the FRVA (FMCA) convention before making the solo drive back home to Louisiana. This will be 12 nights in a row of dry camping which is the longest dry camping stretch we have done in 9 years of owning this coach, we have done 5-7 days dry camping multiple times, but usually we move around every few days and intersperse a full hookup commercial campground in order to dump, refill tanks, do laundry and resupply.
 
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We drove Northbound WY120 with our 40'5er towed with a duramax dually. It's a nice relaxing drive IMO. As Kirk said you are driving uphill, but the rock formations along the river makes it appear to be driving downhill.
Consider stopping at the RV park in downtown Thermopolis, then it's a short drive to the hot springs, where you can swim in the hot swimming pool or the hotter springs outside; that sure takes any stress away.
The steepest part of that drive is from the Yellowstone East entrance to the lake, but they have pullouts on the Westbound uphill lane.
 
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@Scubadude62-WO

Fishing Bridge is reservation only. Keep an eye out for cancellations. Sometimes you get lucky.

We'll be there 14th July.
We will just miss you, heading to Yellowstone now, then Grand Tetons leaving there on July 11th to head to the FRVA (FMCA) convention in Gillette, I will be driving WY 120 on Friday
 
We will just miss you, heading to Yellowstone now, then Grand Tetons leaving there on July 11th to head to the FRVA (FMCA) convention in Gillette, I will be driving WY 120 on Friday
That's a pity. 😞
 
heading to Yellowstone now, then Grand Tetons
You make me jealous! We lived in Wyoming for 18 years and have been back several times since but my wife's RV days are behind her so that pretty much means that mine are too. We still have friends in several parts of WY.
 

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