I-80 · CO / WY / UT
Denver to Salt Lake City drive weather
Denver, CO to Salt Lake City, UT · 518 miles, about 7 h 13 min by the planner's route
Also covers the drive back from Salt Lake City to Denver.
The fastest drive from Denver to Salt Lake City goes north on I-25 toward Wyoming and then west on I-80 across the whole state, past Laramie, Rawlins, Rock Springs and Evanston, before dropping through Parleys Canyon into Salt Lake City. The Wyoming stretch closes in winter more often than almost any interstate in the country.
Plan this drive with your own departure timeConditions at Fri, 1:00 AM MST
Highest risk along I-80: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Clear driving for the whole 7 h 13 min.
Conditions: Cloudy, Mostly cloudy, Clear and more
Checkpoints along I-80
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | Fri 2:00 AM | 39°Fpavement 39°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Wellington, CO | Fri 3:00 AM | 32°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Laramie, WY | Fri 4:00 AM | 29°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Rawlins, WY | Fri 5:00 AM | 33°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| I-80 between Rawlins, WY and Green River, WY | Fri 6:00 AM | 32°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Green River, WY | Fri 7:00 AM | 31°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Evanston, WY | Fri 8:00 AM | 31°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Summit Park, UT | Fri 9:00 AM | 37°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Fri 9:13 AM | 45°F | low | Nothing flagged |
Weather to know about on this drive
- Sherman Hill summit at 8,640 ft between Cheyenne and Laramie is the highest point on I-80; the Laramie–Rawlins stretch past Elk Mountain gets sustained crosswinds over 50 mph.
- Ground blizzards with clear skies overhead are common in Wyoming: the snow is blowing, not falling. When WYDOT closes the gates, motels in Laramie, Rawlins and Rock Springs fill within the hour.
- Utah's Traction Law applies in Parleys Canyon during severe winter weather; UDOT can put it in place up to 24 hours before a storm begins.
- Four NWS offices cover the drive: Boulder, Cheyenne, Riverton and Salt Lake City (which also forecasts the Evanston area). This page shows alerts from all four.
Official sources for every state on the route
- COtrip (CDOT)
- WYDOT 511 (wyoroad.info)
- UDOT Traffic
- UDOT Wasatch Back Traction Law
- NWS Boulder
- NWS Cheyenne
- NWS Riverton
- NWS Salt Lake City
Mountain passes and corridors on this drive
Questions about driving from Denver to Salt Lake City
- What is the weather like driving from Denver to Salt Lake City in winter?
- The Wyoming stretch decides it. Wind, blowing snow and black ice close I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins or at Elk Mountain dozens of times each winter, often for a few hours to a day. WYDOT 511 has closures; this page shows the forecast at each checkpoint and active NWS warnings.
- Which part of the drive is most affected by weather?
- I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins, including Elk Mountain, followed by Sherman Hill east of Laramie. Parleys Canyon at the Utah end can be under the Traction Law in a storm.
- Is there an alternative to I-80 through Wyoming?
- Not a good one. US-30 parallels I-80 west of Laramie and closes under the same conditions. If a closure is likely, wait it out in Cheyenne or Rock Springs.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authorities linked above have the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Traveling for the holiday? Read Thanksgiving travel weather · all holiday drives · winter road conditions by corridor