Best route to Dubois WY from the Twin Cites

[zimmbob]

Is it 94 to Billings and down, or 212 to Rapid City and down to Casper, or is it 90 over to Rapid City and then down to Casper?

I can see what the map says, but I know that it's always off some on time, and really, sometimes it's about the easier drive. Like I'm sure it's not all that great meandering through the Black Hills, but going 94 is also like 150 longer.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Matt

 

[borderstaff]

I asked this question 2 years ago and Firecatguy gave me the route he liked best: Take 90 west to Rapid City, Then south on 16T/79 to 18 west through Hot Springs, 18/85 south to Lusk, then head west on 18/20 to Hwy 25 to Riverton, and Hwy 26 West to Dubois.

Staying to the south vs. 94 usually gives you better roads although on my trip we had about 300 miles of glare ice and -30 temps on the drive out. Something froze on the Ford 6.0 diesel and I was getting 6mpg for the last 400 miles of the trip. Thankfully on the way home I was back up to 12mpg and we only had 300 miles of ice to contend with...

Have FUN!!! I've been reading a lot of other posts on this site where everyone has complained about the poor winter. I live in St. Paul but have only ridden out west the last 4 years. The 1000 miles drive is long but I can choose between Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana when I go on a trip - someone always has snow. I was in Montana for a week before Christmas and the snow was excellent and we hardly saw any other people in 5 days of riding off trail.

 

[boatingbent]

I use to run the way Borderstaff is talking above but not after last week coming home from out there .....I live just south of Rochester so I just jump on I 90 and head west ...

If coming out of the twin Cities I would Guess take 169 down to I 90 and take I 90 all the way to Gilette Wyoming Take exit 124 (Hwy 50) at Gilette south to Hwy 387 turn Right (west) and take it to the small town of Midwest where you will hang a Left on Hwy 259 stay on Hwy 259 for like 17 Miles and you will hit Interstate 25 to Casper ....

I left TML Early New Years eve day and my GPS showed an Arrival time of 8;47PM and that was going the Casper, Douglas, Lusk, Hot springs, rapid City way...I did not correct anything on the GPS I just took off and let the GPS recalculate as I went the other way ... I arrived at home at 7:50 PM so I almost shaved an hour off my arrival time .... Now Mind you I was going over the speed limit + in my Pickup I have an extra 60 Gallons of Fuel that all I have to do is throw a switch inside the cab and it fills my main tank so I only had one fuel stop......Also I checked Wyoming web cams to see which roads and what not was ice covered and on our way out Hwy 50 Looked Slippery on the Web cam so I took 59 in Gilette down to 387 instead of 50 .....Difference for Hwy 59 and 50 in Gilette is Hwy 59 there is something like 30 maybe more lights going through where Hwy 50 only has 2

 

[zimmbob]

Thanks guys. Good info. One of the guys that is going with us is a trucker, and he runs out that way all the time, but not specifically to Dubois. He goes out to Seattle. So he knows many of the road, but just wanted to get some options from those heading right to Dubois. Should be fun. Can't wait for Feb 7th!

 

[boatingbent]

Most truckers (I use to be one and still drive now and again)will go the Lusk way if the Truck is headed towards California cause of the smaller Scale Port of entry v/s the one at Sundance...

 

[Firecatguy]

yeap thats why we went that way the guys I go with been running out that way for years...from st paul area we make Tog in 15and half hr to 16.......

 

[rmkking]

Just pulling into the twin cities and it took 15 hours. I agree with the drop down off 90 in Rapid City except take 79 down to Hot springs driving through Custer on 16 sucks. 79 is straight and 4 lanes. Good roads all the way except for the first 15 coming down to Dubois.

 

[CrossfireLOW]

Do you guys go through Riverton? I have been out there every year since 07 and we have always by-passed it by taking 134/133. We always thought it looks more direct and it avoids having to go through the "big" city. Also, 134/133 really isn't any more remote or isolated of a highway than any other 2 lane highway in Wyoming from my (limited) experience.

 

[boatingbent]

Been to Tog 4 or 5 times now I have yet to make it into the town of Riverton....Yes I take that same Shortcut

 

[Firecatguy]

we go into riverton to fill the 140gal of fuel back up and it always in the 60s there so we hit the truck wash and giver her a clean up from the road slime also hit the dealer there for anything like stickers etc......