Backcountry Discovery Route – Wyoming (WYBDR)

The Wyoming Backcountry Discovery Route crosses the Continental Divide five times in 550 miles, which tells you everything about what you’re signing up for. This isn’t a weekend warrior trail—it’s a legitimate backcountry traverse that runs from Colorado’s border to Montana’s, threading through some of the most remote country Wyoming has to offer. Your odometer will spin for five to seven days straight, climbing 18,500 feet of elevation gain through high desert, alpine passes, and genuine middle-of-nowhere territory where cell service is a memory and the nearest fuel stop might be 150 miles away.

The route demands a stock 4WD with decent ground clearance, but it won’t break your rig if you’ve got basic trail sense. Multiple water crossings keep things interesting, though nothing that’ll swamp a properly driven truck. The real challenge is the sheer scope—this is big country driving where preparation matters more than horsepower. You’ll top out at 10,200 feet before dropping back down into sagebrush flats, then climbing again. And again. The Divide doesn’t give up easy passage, and neither does Wyoming. July through September is your window; outside those months, you’re gambling with snow at elevation and mud season in the valleys.

Dispersed camping is available throughout, which is good because you’ll need it. This route runs through BLM, Forest Service, and state lands where finding a flat spot to pitch camp is part of the daily routine. Water can be scarce between mountain crossings, so plan accordingly. The landscape shifts constantly—from the rolling hills near Laramie to the serious alpine country around the Divide crossings, then back to high desert that stretches to every horizon. Navigation requires attention; this isn’t Interstate 80.

What you get for the commitment is genuine solitude in country most people only see from 30,000 feet. The WYBDR delivers what Wyoming promises but rarely gives up easily—endless views, complete silence, and the kind of driving where you cover serious ground through landscape that hasn’t changed much since the fur trappers pushed through. It’s honest backcountry travel for rigs and drivers ready to spend a week earning it. Have a dirty day.