Riverton to Kemmerer: A Wyoming Road Trip Guide

The drive from Riverton, WY to Kemmerer, WY follows US-26 and US-287 for 170 miles, taking about 3 hours of driving time. The route begins on the Wind River Indian Reservation and climbs over the southern end of the Wind River Range, then descends into the sagebrush basins of the Green River Valley. Early travelers on the Lander Cutoff of the Oregon Trail used a similar corridor in the 1850s.

This trip is a study in Wyoming's geological variety: you'll cross the Wind River Canyon's ancient granites, skirt the Oregon Buttes, and finish in a town that calls itself the 'Fossil Basin.'

The road is generally safe, but wildlife, especially mule deer and pronghorn, can appear without warning, particularly at dawn and dusk. Use caution in the canyon and through open grazing areas. The highway has narrow shoulders in places; if you break down, pull completely off the pavement.

• Family stops: Boysen State Park (swimming, fishing), Lander City Park (playgrounds, picnic area), Fossil Butte National Monument (visitor center with interactive exhibits).
• Pet-friendly: The route includes several pull-offs and a designated off-leash area at Boysen, but keep pets leashed in parks due to wildlife. Wind River Canyon has pull-outs ideal for short leg-stretches.
• Fatigue management: Plan stops in Shoshoni (fuel and restrooms), Lander (food and shade), and Farson (ice cream and a break). Rest areas are scarce; consider a nap at a pull-off with a view.

Hidden gems: The Shoshoni Petroglyphs, just north of town, require a short gravel-road detour. Similarly, a dirt road west of Lander leads to the historic Louis Lake Lodge, a remote fishing spot. For a different kind of experience, the Hudson Callister Memorial Park in Kemmerer offers a quiet green space.

Always check weather conditions before remote stretches, as sudden storms can produce slick roads. In winter, carry tire chains and emergency gear. The route is well-maintained, but maintenance typically occurs on weekdays, so watch for flaggers.

US-26 and US-287 are the primary roads for the entire route. They are two-lane highways for the vast majority, with only the Riverton area offering divided lanes. The speed limit is 65 mph (105 km/h) for most of the drive, except through towns and a few slower zones.

• Fuel is available in Riverton, Shoshoni, Lander, and Farson, but the stretch from Shoshoni to Lander has 50 miles without services, and from Lander to Farson 55 miles.
• The cheapest gas along the route is typically in Riverton; prices rise in smaller towns.
• GPS coverage is generally reliable, but downloading offline maps is wise for the remote stretches.
• There are no tolls on this route, nor any planned construction as of this year

Wind River Canyon, a narrow granite gorge between Boysen Reservoir and Shoshoni, is a highlight. Here, the Wind River cuts through the Owl Creek Mountains, and the canyon walls expose 2.8-billion-year-old granites.

Further south, just outside Lander, the Sinks Canyon State Park surprises with the Popo Agie River that vanishes into limestone caverns and resurfaces a quarter-mile downstream. The town of Lander itself is a hub for outdoor recreation and has a vibrant local commerce scene, with breweries and climbing gyms.

Farson Mercantile, in the small town of Farson, is a beloved pit stop famous for its enormous ice cream cones and hearty burgers. This is a genuine local business that has been serving travelers for decades. For those interested in paleontology, the route passes the Fossil Butte National Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of the few in Wyoming), preserving 50-million-year-old lakebed fossils of fish, mammals, and plants.

The region's climate is arid, with high desert conditions. Expect significant temperature swings, especially in spring and fall, when daytime highs may reach 70°F (21°C) but drop to freezing at night. These extremes affect the landscape, creating vast expanses of sagebrush and colorful badlands.