Valentine NE to Thermopolis WY: Scenic High Plains Road Trip

This 377-mile route from Valentine, NE to Thermopolis, WY follows US-20 west, then US-385 north, then US-16/US-20 into Wyoming. It takes roughly 6 hours and 15 minutes of pure driving time, not counting stops.

The drive traces the southern edge of the Black Hills and crosses the Powder River Basin, a landscape shaped by ancient seas and volcanic activity, with public lands offering a sense of remoteness that is increasingly rare on American highways.

Fuel stops are sparse; fill up in Valentine, then again in Lusk (approx. 75 miles in) and Gillette (a detour) or Upton. Gas prices in Wyoming tend to be 10-20 cents cheaper per gallon than in Nebraska.

Cash-wise, you'll need about $30 for park entry fees if you visit any of the major attractions like Hot Springs State Park (free) or Wind Cave (fee). Most small-town diners accept cards, but carry cash for roadside vendors.

• US-20 and US-385 are well-maintained two-lane highways.
• Cell service is patchy; download offline maps before you leave.
• The route is not tolled.
• Speed limits range from 55-70 mph; watch for wildlife at dawn and dusk.

The highways are safe but isolated; at night, deer and antelope crossings are common, and winter storms can bring sudden whiteouts. Carry a survival kit, blankets, and extra water.

For families, the route offers ample kid-friendly breaks: the Nebraska Sandhills are great for a quick climb, and in Wyoming, the Wind Cave National Park (a short detour) offers cave tours, while Devils Tower (further detour) is a famous landmark. Hot Springs State Park has a large public pool.

For pets, most towns have small dog parks, and many motels are pet-friendly, but national parks require leashes. Rest areas are separated by long stretches, so plan to stop every 2 hours to stretch and switch drivers.

Locally, you'll find roadside cafes and ranch hotels, often family-run, serving steaks and homemade pie. In Thermopolis, the Wyoming Dinosaur Center is a not-to-miss stop for its active dig site.

Just west of Valentine, the route crosses the Niobrara River, a national scenic river known for its cliffs and waterfalls. Further along, you'll enter the Nebraska National Forest - actually a grassland - where the sandhills give way to buttes.

In Wyoming, the landscape shifts to sagebrush plains and red-hued badlands near the Wyoming/NE border. The Wildcat Hills and Scotts Bluff National Monument are worth a short detour south of the route, but off-route gems include the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, featuring Miocene mammal fossils, and the unique view of the Oregon Trail ruts at Guernsey.

For a deeper approach to finding hidden stops, the route's small towns each offer a slice of frontier commerce: Lusk has the Stagecoach Museum, Upton boasts a classic soda fountain, and in Thermopolis, the Hot Springs State Park is a major economic driver, with a free public bathhouse first opened in 1896.