Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City drive: Distance, time & best stops

The best road trip stops on the Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City drive are Rawlins WY, Rock Springs WY and Evanston WY. The distance from Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City by car is 439 miles, with a 6h45m driving time.

Planning a Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City road trip itinerary

The Cheyenne to Salt Lake City drive connects the capitals of Wyoming and Utah.

Cheyenne is the capital of Wyoming, and it has an agreeable collection of museums. The Nelson Museum of the West evokes the old West, with a massive collection of spurs, saddles and other artifacts. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum does much the same, but puts more focus on wagons and Native American tribes.

It’s all railroads at the Cheyenne Depot Museum, while history meets nature at the Wyoming State Museum. You can also learn more about spookier local history on a fun ghost tour.

Top Cheyenne accommodation choices include the spacious Home2 Suites and the affordable Comfort Inn and Suites.

Salt Lake City is the home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but life here goes beyond the Mormon faith.

Top Salt Lake City experiences include Great Salt Lake boat tours, trips to the world’s largest copper mine and walking tours around highlights such as Temple Square and Pioneer Park.

You can also take introductory bus tours, evening ghost tours and craft brewery tours by bike.

For Salt Lake City accommodation, plump for the SpringHill Suites if you want spacious and downtown. The Grand America Hotel, meanwhile, is more memorable sumptuous.

Cheyenne to Salt Lake City distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City is 439 miles. You can expect a driving time of around six hours and 45 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-80.

The best stops to add to a Cheyenne to Salt Lake City road trip itinerary are Rawlins WY, Rock Springs WY and Evanston WY.

Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City road trip attractions: Rawlins WY

Rawlins WY is generally used as a pitstop, although you can learn about local history at the Carbon County Museum. Much more interesting, however, is the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum.

This hulking former prison is hugely atmospheric, and the tours explain how bleak conditions were for inmates. Overcrowding, solitary confinement and bitterly cold winters were all part of the package.

Best stops between Cheyenne WY and Salt Lake City: Rock Springs WY

Rock Springs WY can be used as a gateway to Flaming Gorge, which lies to the south near the Utah border. But if passing through, the most intriguing attraction is the Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility. This is where wild horses are brought to when captured before being acclimatised and moved elsewhere. The facility is sometimes open for tours, but if not, there’s a viewing area just to the north of the town.

Cheyenne WY to Salt Lake City drive: Evanston WY

Evanston WY is the hub town for the underrated Bear River State Park. You can visit for picnics and playgrounds, kayaking and river swimming, hiking and biking. But the prime reason to spare a few hours in this western Wyoming state park is the wildlife viewing. The herds of bison and elk are pretty easy to spot from the scenic overlooks.