U.S. Route 14 in Wyoming
Encyclopedia
In the U.S. state
of Wyoming
U.S. Route 14
(normally called U.S. Highway 14, Highway 14 or US 14) runs east west across the northern part of the state. The road connects South Dakota on the east with Yellowstone National Park
on the west. It is mostly a two lane surface road except for several sections that it shares with Interstate 90
.
there is an unsigned section within the park itself starting at a junction with U.S. Route 89
and U.S. Route 287
at West Thumb and following the northern shore of Yellowstone Lake
. From the park US 14 is co-signed with U.S. Route 16
and U.S. Route 20
. The roads lead east out of the Absaroka Range
and down the Shoshone River
valley to Cody
. Here, U.S. Route 14 Alternate (US 14A) splits north toward Powell
, while US 14/16/20 continues east across the Bighorn Basin
to Greybull
. At Greybull, US 14 and US 20 go south, while US 14 travels east to Shell
, and the western slope of the Big Horn Mountains
. The road ascends a windy path through steep Shell Canyon and rejoins US 14A at the top of the range at Burgess Junction. The road is designated as Bighorn Scenic Byway between Shell and Dayton
on the eastern side of the mountain rage. On the east side of the Bighorns, the road merges with Interstate 90
and travels southeast to Sheridan, Wyoming
. From Sheridan, the road continues east, rejoining with US Route 16 near Clearmont
. The roads travel across the Powder River Country
to Gillette, Wyoming
where it joins again with Interstate 90 to Moorcroft
. From here, it diverges north from Interstate 90 briefly to junction with Wyoming Highway 24
with access to Devils Tower National Monument
. US 14 turns south and rejoins Interstate 90 which it follows to the eastern border of Wyoming and South Dakota
.
. In 1936, the road was extended to the Wyoming border and US 16 was rerouted through Newcastle
and the old US 16 was re designated as US 14. Prior to 1940, US 14 followed the route currently serviced by US 14A through Lovell
and Powell
. In 1940, the highway took over Wyoming Highway 520 between Burgess Junction and Greybull, and the old road was renamed Wyoming Highway 14. Due to confusion, it was recommissioned as US 14A in 1965. In the 1960s portions of the highway in the eastern part of the state became Interstate 90.
for U.S. Highway 14 between Cody and Burgess Junction. At its west end in Cody, US 14 is concurrent with U.S. Highway 16 and U.S. Highway 20. West of Burgess Junction, US 14A passes through the Big Horn Mountains
, reaching a maximum elevation of 9430 ft (2,874.3 m). This portion of the road is closed during the winter months. The total length of US 14A is approximately 106 miles (170.6 km). Intermediate towns on the highway include Powell
and Lovell
. At Lovell, US 14A is concurrent with U.S. Highway 310 for approximately 3 miles (4.8 km).
In the initial 1925 plan, roughly the west half of present US 14 Alternate, from Cody to U.S. Highway 310 in Deaver, was assigned the number U.S. Highway 220. However, two spurs of US 20 were added in Pennsylvania
, and so US 220 became U.S. Highway 420 in the final 1926 plan.
Around 1933, U.S. Highway 116 was extended west from Sheridan to Deaver, then absorbing US 420 to end at Cody. Soon after, it became part of an extended US 14. US 14 was shifted south to its present alignment in 1940, and the old alignment became Wyoming 14 for a while, and was recommissioned as US 14 Alternate around 1965
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
U.S. Route 14
U.S. Route 14
U.S. Route 14 , an east–west route, is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It currently has a length of 1,398 miles , but it had a peak length of 1,429 miles . For much of its length, it runs roughly parallel to Interstate 90.As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in...
(normally called U.S. Highway 14, Highway 14 or US 14) runs east west across the northern part of the state. The road connects South Dakota on the east with Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
on the west. It is mostly a two lane surface road except for several sections that it shares with Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
.
Route description
While the official western terminus of the road is at the Eastern gate of Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
there is an unsigned section within the park itself starting at a junction with U.S. Route 89
U.S. Route 89
U.S. Route 89 is a north–south United States Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for 848 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park...
and U.S. Route 287
U.S. Route 287
U.S. Route 287 is a north–south United States highway. It is long. It serves as the major truck route between the Texas cities of Fort Worth and Amarillo...
at West Thumb and following the northern shore of Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
. From the park US 14 is co-signed with U.S. Route 16
U.S. Route 16
U.S. Route 16 is an east–west United States Highway between Rapid City, South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming....
and U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
. The roads lead east out of the Absaroka Range
Absaroka Range
The Absaroka Range is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The range stretches about 150 mi across the Montana-Wyoming border, forming the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the western side of the Bighorn Basin. The range borders the Beartooth Mountains...
and down the Shoshone River
Shoshone River
The Shoshone River is long river in northern Wyoming in the United States. Its headwaters are in the Absaroka Range in Shoshone National Forest. It ends when it runs into the Big Horn River near Lovell, Wyoming. Cities it runs near or through are Cody, Powell, Byron, and Lovell. Near Cody, it...
valley to Cody
Cody, Wyoming
Cody is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. It is named after William Frederick Cody, primarily known as Buffalo Bill, from William Cody's part in the creation of the original town. The population was 9,520 at the 2010 census...
. Here, U.S. Route 14 Alternate (US 14A) splits north toward Powell
Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,373 at the 2000 census. Powell is an All-America City and home to Northwest College.-Geography:Powell is located at ....
, while US 14/16/20 continues east across the Bighorn Basin
Bighorn Basin
The Bighorn Basin is a plateau region and intermontane basin, approximately 100 miles wide, in north-central Wyoming in the United States. It is bounded by the Absaroka Range on the west, the Bighorn Mountains on the east, and the Owl Creek Mountains and Bridger Mountains on the south...
to Greybull
Greybull, Wyoming
Greybull is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 1,815 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Greybull is located at ....
. At Greybull, US 14 and US 20 go south, while US 14 travels east to Shell
Shell, Wyoming
Shell is an unincorporated community in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States.The community is named for the abundance of fossil shells located in the area. Nearby exposed formations such as the Cloverly Formation and the Morrison Formation have yielded numerous fossils of dinosaurs and other...
, and the western slope of the Big Horn Mountains
Big Horn Mountains
The Big Horn Mountains are a mountain range in northern Wyoming and southern Montana in the United States, forming a northwest-trending spur from the Rocky Mountains extending approximately 200 miles northward on the Great Plains...
. The road ascends a windy path through steep Shell Canyon and rejoins US 14A at the top of the range at Burgess Junction. The road is designated as Bighorn Scenic Byway between Shell and Dayton
Dayton, Wyoming
Dayton is a town in Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 678 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dayton is located at the confluence of the Tongue River and The Little Tongue River. It is on US Highway 14, just east of the Big Horn Mountains.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
on the eastern side of the mountain rage. On the east side of the Bighorns, the road merges with Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
and travels southeast to Sheridan, Wyoming
Sheridan, Wyoming
Sheridan is a city in Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States. The 2010 census put the population at 17,444 and a Micropolitan Statistical Area of 29,116...
. From Sheridan, the road continues east, rejoining with US Route 16 near Clearmont
Clearmont, Wyoming
Clearmont is a town in Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 115 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clearmont is located at ....
. The roads travel across the Powder River Country
Powder River Country
The Powder River Country refers to an area of the Great Plains in northeastern Wyoming in the United States. The area is loosely defined between the Bighorn Mountains and the Black Hills, in the upper drainage areas of the Powder, Tongue, and Little Bighorn rivers.During the late 1860s, the area...
to Gillette, Wyoming
Gillette, Wyoming
Gillette is a city in and the county seat of Campbell County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 29,087 in 2010. Gillette is a city centrally located in an area involved with the development of vast quantities of American coal, oil, and coal bed methane gas...
where it joins again with Interstate 90 to Moorcroft
Moorcroft, Wyoming
Moorcroft is a town in Crook County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 807 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Moorcroft is located at ....
. From here, it diverges north from Interstate 90 briefly to junction with Wyoming Highway 24
Wyoming Highway 24
Wyoming Highway 24 is a State highway in Wyoming. Spanning from US 14 to the Wyoming-South Dakota state line as SD 34, it passes by Devils Tower National Monument.- Route description :...
with access to Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River...
. US 14 turns south and rejoins Interstate 90 which it follows to the eastern border of Wyoming and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
History
US 14 was originally planned to stop in Wall, South DakotaWall, South Dakota
Wall is a town in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 766 at the 2010 census...
. In 1936, the road was extended to the Wyoming border and US 16 was rerouted through Newcastle
Newcastle, Wyoming
Newcastle is a city in and the county seat of Weston County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 3,065 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Newcastle is located at...
and the old US 16 was re designated as US 14. Prior to 1940, US 14 followed the route currently serviced by US 14A through Lovell
Lovell, Wyoming
Lovell is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 2,281 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lovell is located at ....
and Powell
Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,373 at the 2000 census. Powell is an All-America City and home to Northwest College.-Geography:Powell is located at ....
. In 1940, the highway took over Wyoming Highway 520 between Burgess Junction and Greybull, and the old road was renamed Wyoming Highway 14. Due to confusion, it was recommissioned as US 14A in 1965. In the 1960s portions of the highway in the eastern part of the state became Interstate 90.
Yellowstone to Sheridan
Sheridan to South Dakota State Line
Related route
U.S. Highway 14 Alternate is an alternate routeAlternate route
An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Route system and various state route systems...
for U.S. Highway 14 between Cody and Burgess Junction. At its west end in Cody, US 14 is concurrent with U.S. Highway 16 and U.S. Highway 20. West of Burgess Junction, US 14A passes through the Big Horn Mountains
Big Horn Mountains
The Big Horn Mountains are a mountain range in northern Wyoming and southern Montana in the United States, forming a northwest-trending spur from the Rocky Mountains extending approximately 200 miles northward on the Great Plains...
, reaching a maximum elevation of 9430 ft (2,874.3 m). This portion of the road is closed during the winter months. The total length of US 14A is approximately 106 miles (170.6 km). Intermediate towns on the highway include Powell
Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,373 at the 2000 census. Powell is an All-America City and home to Northwest College.-Geography:Powell is located at ....
and Lovell
Lovell, Wyoming
Lovell is a town in Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 2,281 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lovell is located at ....
. At Lovell, US 14A is concurrent with U.S. Highway 310 for approximately 3 miles (4.8 km).
In the initial 1925 plan, roughly the west half of present US 14 Alternate, from Cody to U.S. Highway 310 in Deaver, was assigned the number U.S. Highway 220. However, two spurs of US 20 were added in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and so US 220 became U.S. Highway 420 in the final 1926 plan.
Around 1933, U.S. Highway 116 was extended west from Sheridan to Deaver, then absorbing US 420 to end at Cody. Soon after, it became part of an extended US 14. US 14 was shifted south to its present alignment in 1940, and the old alignment became Wyoming 14 for a while, and was recommissioned as US 14 Alternate around 1965
.