Wyoming is home to 19 different National Scenic Byways, and if you’re looking for a unique way to see the Cowboy State, traveling this back road is the way to do it. Each of the Wyoming Scenic Byways will take you on an adventure – though farmlands and ranches, up to the mountains, across gorges and through wildlife preserves – but there’s one in particular that’s worth driving before snow shuts it down for the season in just a few months.
Wyoming’s Snowy Range Road, also known as Wyoming 130, is one of the most underrated drives in America. In 1988, the Snowy Range Road became America’s second National Scenic Byway.
Flickr / Jimmy Emerson, DVM
You can drive just about 100 miles from the beginning of the highway in Carbon County to the end in Laramie, and you’ll take in quite the sight along the way.
Flickr / Allan Henderson
Wyoming 130 winds its way through Saratoga and into the Snowy Range mountains before bringing you back towards I-80 in Albany County.
Travel Wyoming
The path was forged in the 1870s, when it was cleared for Wagon use. IN the 1920s, it was widened, and ten years later it was paved.
Flickr / MSWine
Along the way, you’ll pass glacial lakes, beautiful meadows full of wildflowers, imposing mountains, and impressive overlooks.
Visit Laramie
You’ll have roadside views of Medicine Bow Peak, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Brown’s Peak as you drive through Medicine Bow National Forest. Keep an eye out for roadside overlooks!
Flickr / Coulter Sunderman
The towering mountains, high elevation, and winding mountain passes along the way will take your breath away. At an top elevation of nearly 11,000 feet… that’s a literal statement.
Travel Wyoming
Depending on the weather, the Snowy Range Road usually closes for the winter in November.
Flickr / Alan Keep an eye on the forecast if you’re planning a trip - or better yet, take the drive now and enjoy the splendid summer scenery.
What’s your favorite drive in Wyoming? Other notable excursions include the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and the Beartooth Highway, which can both be tackled in one long, scenic day.
Flickr / Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Flickr / Allan Henderson
Travel Wyoming
Flickr / MSWine
Visit Laramie
Flickr / Coulter Sunderman
Flickr / Alan
Keep an eye on the forecast if you’re planning a trip - or better yet, take the drive now and enjoy the splendid summer scenery.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
