# Road trip from Vegas to Wyoming in November, anything I need to know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924 "2014-10-10T03:41:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/21 "2014-10-11T13:01:37Z")
Slow down near the Sinclair exit on I-80 east of Rawlins WY. The highway patrol is almost always present there. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/22 "2014-10-11T14:51:19Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Now we’re talking about just doing a day long stopover in Salt Lake City to check out a couple of sights. I was thinking “Hey, she’s a huge Doctor Who fan, maybe we could drive out to the Valley of the Gods real quick-like…” > > OK, so did you know that the Valley of the Gods is like 6 hours away from Salt Lake City? I keep forgetting that Texas isn’t the only big state out there. We could go there, but I’d have to make the trip even longer to allow for it. Trying to figure out how hard it would be to get out there and make that the midway stop instead, but If that’s your limit, try Carhenge in Alliance, NE. It’s up 80 from Cheyenne and hey, it’s a recreation of Stonehenge using 70s-era automobiles. How much better could it be. And people ain’t screwing around about snow and ice. My mom retired to Wyoming and I’ve been out there in August when ice has come down and real snow in September. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/23 "2014-10-11T17:21:38Z")
[Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=Carhenge+in+Alliance,+NE&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=y2Y5VJaZL-nE8AGAmIHABg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1024&bih=648) of Carhenge in Alliance, NE. Unique! ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/24 "2014-10-11T21:51:04Z")
Another cool sight if you were doing a little side trip from SLC is [Spiral Jetty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Jetty), which is sort of on the way to Golden Spike. Although it would be a good idea to do some inquiring that time of year about Golden Spike since it is really out in the middle of nowhere, the UP mainline having bypassed it in favor of a causeway across the Salt Lake. Also Spiral Jetty is occasionally submerged so check the lake level (there’s a link in the wiki page), although with recent climate trends it’s usually above water. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/25 "2014-10-11T23:12:44Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > It really depends on the weather though - I think they may close 34 if the weather gets bad enough. I’ve gone through there in October before major snows, so everything was easy and pleasant, but I don’t know how bad it can get in November. You’ve been lucky. Trail Ridge Road generally closes for the season between mid-October and the first week of November, not to reopen until a week or two either side of Memorial Day While I-70 is a stunning drive through the wonderful scenery of Colorado, it’s no better than the I-40/25 route as far as time. If they have time to spare in Cheyenne, I’d definitely second the drive from I-25 via U.S. 34 (at Loveland) to Estes Park, or a very enjoyable (though roundabout) route from Cheyenne to Laramie would be west from Ft. Collins on Colo. Rt. 14, north from Walden on Colo. Rt. 130, which turns into 230 in Wyoming, east on Wyo. Rt. 130 to Laramie and I-80. North/south of that route is not so great, but the east/west sections are just fucking gorgeous mountains. I’ll chime in with all the others that you need to be very alert for weather when driving through the mountains, and if you hear on the radio that your route is closed 100 miles ahead, just stop right then. You won’t find a motel room available where the closure is. Just wait till the road is open again. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/26 "2014-10-11T23:50:51Z")
You might want to pick up a book or article about the “Donner Family” and read beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/27 "2014-10-12T00:51:34Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > You might want to pick up a book or article about the “Donner Family” and read beforehand. Hmm, so you’re saying we should bring a couple friends for the trip just in case? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/28 "2014-11-22T07:32:03Z")
Nice. I get to Salt Lake City and find a weather forecast for a snow storm starting tomorrow and dropping snow for several days after that. So should I stay in Salt Lake City and wait it out (incurring several days worth of hotel room fees assuming the place has vacancies) or set out first thing in the morning? I have no idea how effective the DOT folks in Utah are at snow control. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/29 "2014-11-22T13:08:24Z")
Checking the weather for SLC, it looks to me like you’re gonna see some snow, but it’s only going to be bad if you’re heading east into the mountains so you should be fine just heading south on I-15. Querying the locals to interpret the forecast probably wouldn’t be a bad idea though. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/30 "2014-11-22T13:24:11Z")
Oh, oops, misread the direction. Looks like you ARE headed straight east! Still definitely do inquire locally, but it looks like you might be able to avoid the worst of it by heading southeast and bypassing most of the Wasatch going down through Provo and cutting east on US-40 and then cutting back north up to I-80 before you hit the high Rockies passes (like maybe US-191 up to Rock Springs). I’d probably do that and just plan on taking it slow before waiting in SLC for days and days for it to clear. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924/31 "2014-11-22T17:52:28Z")
Wife and I are thinking we’ll just leave early tomorrow and plan to take our time. Packing trail mix, beef jerky, and a big jug of water (and treats for the cat). Once we’re into Wyoming, it looks like it’s all partly cloudy weather and flat grasslands the rest of the way to Cheyenne. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-from-vegas-to-wyoming-in-november-anything-i-need-to-know/700924.md?page=1)