Wyoming Highway 120
Encyclopedia
Wyoming Highway 120 is a 121.96 miles (196.3 km) state highway
in central Hot Springs and eastern Park County, Wyoming that travels northwest to Montana Highway 72
at the state line.
at US 20/WYO 789
. It heads west on West Broadway Street out of Thermopolis losing the name and heading northwest. As Wyoming Highway 120 heads northwest it intersects Wyoming Highway 170, at just under nine miles, that travels to nearby Hamilton Dome. Further northwest the highway intersects Wyoming Highway 171 at just under 27 miles. WYO 171 travels to nearby Grass Creek. Wyoming Highway 431 is intersected at approximately 33 miles into the route, and it travels east along Gooseberry Creek to WYO 433 located southwest of Worland
.
Wyoming 120 continues heading northwest and leaves Hot Springs County behind and enters Park County from the southeast. Soon it reaches Meeteetse
where it intersects with Wyoming Highway 290 (Park Avenue). After leaving Meeteese, WYO 120 intersects no other state highways until it reaches Cody
. Highway 120 enters Cody from the south as Meeteetse Highway. It intersects the multiplexed
US 14
/US 16
/US 20 (Greybull Highway) at the foot of Yellowstone Regional Airport
. WYO 120 turns west and runs concurrent with the multiplexed routes in downtown Cody that then turns into 17th Street as the highway turns north. At Sheridan Avenue, WYO 120 turns west again with US 14/US 16/US 20. The concurrency with these routes ends one block later at an intersection with the western terminus of US 14A. WYO 120 turns north onto 16th Street and runs concurrent now with US Route 14A. This concurrency ends a half-mile later, as Highway 120 turns east onto Belfry Highway to continue its northwesterly course and to leave Cody, while US 14A heads east.
Wyoming Highway 120 zigzags northwest out of Cody, and at approximately 85.5 miles, it intersects Former Wyoming Highway 293, that used to serve oil fields, state lands, and the Park County airport. This route was turned back to county maintenance in the early 1990s.
The next major highway 120 encounters the eastern terminus of Wyoming Highway 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Byway) at 101.01 miles into the route. After encountering WYO 296, Highway 120 turns to start heading in a north-northeast direction. At 113.83 miles, WYO 120 intersects the Former Wyoming Highway 292 (Clarks Fork Canyon Road). This route was also turned over to the county highway department for maintenance. A half-mile after, Highway 120 intersects the northern terminus of Wyoming Highway 294 is intersected, which travels southeast to US 14A near Ralston
.
Wyoming Highway 120 reaches the Montana
-Wyoming
State Line at 121.96 miles and ends. The highway continues as Montana Highway 72
as it turns northeast toward Laurel, Montana
and US 310
.
Wyoming Highway 120 was commissioned to replace Wyoming Highway 420 and the state of Wyoming wanted to use the lowest number available, which was 120. When Wyoming numbered its state primary routes that were spurs of U.S. routes in the 1920s and 1930s, the state hoped to elevate them to U.S. route status. However, after the Great Recommissioning of 1936, Wyoming started to number its state auxiliary routes from the lowest number available.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in central Hot Springs and eastern Park County, Wyoming that travels northwest to Montana Highway 72
Montana Highway 72
Highway 72 in the U.S. State of Montana is a route running northerly from the Wyoming state line to an intersection with U.S. Route 310 about one mile south of the town of Bridger, a distance of approximately...
at the state line.
Route description
Wyoming Highway 120 begins its south end in ThermopolisThermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat of Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172....
at US 20/WYO 789
Wyoming Highway 789
Wyoming Highway 789 is a state route in the U.S. state of Wyoming in the United States. Wyoming Highway 789 runs north to south from the Montana border to the Colorado border. For most of its length, it is joined with other routes....
. It heads west on West Broadway Street out of Thermopolis losing the name and heading northwest. As Wyoming Highway 120 heads northwest it intersects Wyoming Highway 170, at just under nine miles, that travels to nearby Hamilton Dome. Further northwest the highway intersects Wyoming Highway 171 at just under 27 miles. WYO 171 travels to nearby Grass Creek. Wyoming Highway 431 is intersected at approximately 33 miles into the route, and it travels east along Gooseberry Creek to WYO 433 located southwest of Worland
Worland, Wyoming
Worland is a city in Washakie County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,250 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washakie County. The City of Worland is served by the Worland Municipal Airport.-Geography:...
.
Wyoming 120 continues heading northwest and leaves Hot Springs County behind and enters Park County from the southeast. Soon it reaches Meeteetse
Meeteetse, Wyoming
Meeteetse is a town in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 351 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Meeteetse is located at ....
where it intersects with Wyoming Highway 290 (Park Avenue). After leaving Meeteese, WYO 120 intersects no other state highways until it reaches 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...
. Highway 120 enters Cody from the south as Meeteetse Highway. It intersects the multiplexed
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
US 14
U.S. Route 14 in Wyoming
In the U.S. state of Wyoming U.S. Route 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...
/US 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....
/US 20 (Greybull Highway) at the foot of Yellowstone Regional Airport
Yellowstone Regional Airport
Yellowstone Regional Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Cody, a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. It is the only commercial airport in Park County...
. WYO 120 turns west and runs concurrent with the multiplexed routes in downtown Cody that then turns into 17th Street as the highway turns north. At Sheridan Avenue, WYO 120 turns west again with US 14/US 16/US 20. The concurrency with these routes ends one block later at an intersection with the western terminus of US 14A. WYO 120 turns north onto 16th Street and runs concurrent now with US Route 14A. This concurrency ends a half-mile later, as Highway 120 turns east onto Belfry Highway to continue its northwesterly course and to leave Cody, while US 14A heads east.
Wyoming Highway 120 zigzags northwest out of Cody, and at approximately 85.5 miles, it intersects Former Wyoming Highway 293, that used to serve oil fields, state lands, and the Park County airport. This route was turned back to county maintenance in the early 1990s.
The next major highway 120 encounters the eastern terminus of Wyoming Highway 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Byway) at 101.01 miles into the route. After encountering WYO 296, Highway 120 turns to start heading in a north-northeast direction. At 113.83 miles, WYO 120 intersects the Former Wyoming Highway 292 (Clarks Fork Canyon Road). This route was also turned over to the county highway department for maintenance. A half-mile after, Highway 120 intersects the northern terminus of Wyoming Highway 294 is intersected, which travels southeast to US 14A near Ralston
Ralston, Wyoming
Ralston is a census-designated place in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 233 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ralston is located at ....
.
Wyoming Highway 120 reaches the Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
-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...
State Line at 121.96 miles and ends. The highway continues as Montana Highway 72
Montana Highway 72
Highway 72 in the U.S. State of Montana is a route running northerly from the Wyoming state line to an intersection with U.S. Route 310 about one mile south of the town of Bridger, a distance of approximately...
as it turns northeast toward Laurel, Montana
Laurel, Montana
Laurel is a city in Yellowstone County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is located in the Yellowstone Valley, as an east-west terminal division point of the Burlington-Northern Railroad.. The population was 6,781 at the 2010 census.Both...
and US 310
U.S. Route 310
U.S. Route 310 is a spur of U.S. Route 10. It runs for from Laurel, Montana to Greybull, Wyoming. It passes through the states of Montana and Wyoming. Near the town of Lovell, Wyoming, US 310 is concurrent with U.S. Route 14A for approximately three miles....
.
History
Wyoming Highway 120 emerged in 1945 to replace Wyoming 420 south of Cody and a new road north of Cody.Wyoming Highway 120 was commissioned to replace Wyoming Highway 420 and the state of Wyoming wanted to use the lowest number available, which was 120. When Wyoming numbered its state primary routes that were spurs of U.S. routes in the 1920s and 1930s, the state hoped to elevate them to U.S. route status. However, after the Great Recommissioning of 1936, Wyoming started to number its state auxiliary routes from the lowest number available.