Wyoming Highway 296

Wyoming Highway 296
Wyoming Highway 296
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
	Map WYO 296 highlighted in red
Route information
	Maintained by WYDOT
Length	45.96 mi (73.97 km)
Major junctions
West end	US 212
East end	WYO 120
Location
Country	United States
State	Wyoming
Counties	Park
Highway system
	Wyoming State Highway System; Interstate; US; State;

Wyoming Highway 296 (WYO 296) also known as the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is a 45.96-mile-long (73.97 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Wyoming. It follows the route taken by Chief Joseph as he led the Nez Perce out of Yellowstone National Park and into Montana in 1877 during their attempt to flee the U.S. Cavalry and escape into Canada.

Route description

The view from the top of Dead Indian Pass on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway in Wyoming

Wyoming Highway 296 is a 45.96-mile (73.97 km) long scenic highway in northern Park County. Highway 296 begins its western end at U.S. Route 212 (Beartooth Highway) fourteen miles southeast of Cooke City, Montana.^[2] WYO 296 travels southeasterly as it winds through the Shoshone National Forest and through the Absaroka Mountains and then passes through Dead Indian Pass. After almost 46 miles, WYO 296 reaches its eastern end at Wyoming Highway 120, 17 miles north of Cody.^[2]^[3]

Highway 296 crosses Sunlight Creek Bridge, the highest in Wyoming.

Sunlight Bridge over Sunlight Creek on Chief Joseph Scenic Highway

The entire route is in Park County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
	0.00	0.00	US 212 (Beartooth Highway)	Western terminus of WYO 296
	45.96	73.97	WYO 120	Eastern terminus of WYO 296
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi