Overview
F.E. Warren is the Air Force's oldest continuously active base and the only one of its kind without a runway. The 90th Missile Wing, under Air Force Global Strike Command, keeps 150 Minuteman III ICBMs on alert across 9,600 square miles of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado, split among the 319th, 320th, and 321st Missile Squadrons. Twentieth Air Force runs the whole ICBM force from headquarters here, the 582nd Helicopter Group flies UH-1Ns over the missile field, and roughly 4,000 active-duty airmen and 1,000 civilians call it home. Add the Sentinel Task Force's Detachment 10, which cut the ribbon on a 26,000-square-foot facility in March 2026, and you get a base that cycles through missileers, maintainers, security forces, program-office staff, and inspection teams all year.
Cheyenne is Wyoming's capital and largest city at about 65,000 people, sitting at 6,100 feet on the high plains three miles east of the base. The reality for a TDY traveler is wind and altitude: Wyoming ranks first in the nation for average wind speed, winter storms close I-25 and I-80 without much warning, and the city sees about 63 inches of snow a year. There is no state income tax, the rental market is thin, and the town roughly doubles in size during Cheyenne Frontier Days every late July. Plan lodging early and pack for four seasons in any month.
Weather
Cheyenne averages a January high of 40°F and low of 18°F, a July high of 84°F, and about 63 inches of snow on roughly 15 inches of total precipitation. Chinook winds can swing a winter day 30 degrees in hours, and the average wind runs near 13 mph year-round.
Best months
June through September, minus Frontier Days week if you need a hotel
Tough months
November through April — ground blizzards, I-25 and I-80 closures, and sub-zero wind chills on alert-facility drives
Getting there
- Denver International (DEN) is the practical airport: about 95 miles and 90 minutes north on I-25 in clear weather, with every rental brand on the lot. Cheyenne Regional (CYS) is 10 minutes from the gate with United Express turboprop service to Denver only, so it works if the government fare lines up, but most travelers rent at DEN and drive. In winter, check WYDOT 511 before you leave Denver — I-25 north of Fort Collins closes for wind and blowing snow.
- Gate 5 on Central Avenue (I-25 Exit 12) is open 24/7 and is your gate for late arrivals. Gate 1 (Randall Avenue and Pershing Boulevard, Exit 11) and Gate 2 (Missile Drive, Exit 10D) are weekday-only and closed on weekends, federal holidays, and AFGSC Family Days; sources differ on which of the two runs full-day versus split morning and afternoon shifts, so confirm on the base's Base Access page before you plan a rush-hour entry.
- The Visitor Control Center is outside Gate 1 at 4600 Randall Avenue; the base directory lists 307-773-3694. Visitors without DoD credentials need a sponsor, and walk-in passes require both sponsor and visitor to be present, or the sponsor can request a virtual pass ahead of time. Bring a REAL ID-compliant license or passport.
- Traffic is light by any standard, but Frontier Days in late July jams Randall Avenue and Carey Avenue with parade and rodeo crowds for ten days, and winter wind events can shut the interstates while base stays open. Missile-field convoys and alert crews leave early, so Gate 5 gets busy before 0600.
TDY lodging
On base
The Crow Creek Inn
- Phone
- 307-773-1844
- Phone 2
- 888-235-6343
- DSN
- 481-1844
- Front desk
- 24/7
- TLF (families)
- Available
- The Crow Creek Inn (Air Force Inns) is at 7103 Randall Avenue, F.E.
- Warren AFB, WY 82005, front desk 307-773-1844 (DSN 481-1844), staffed 24/7 per the base directory; central reservations run through the Air Force Inns line at 888-235-6343.
- The inn carries TLF-style units for PCS families and standard VQ rooms, and it fills during inspections and major exercises.
- If they can't lodge you, get the non-availability number in writing before you book commercially.
- The 90 FSS also runs the Wrangler Bunkhouse (307-773-2944) at 110 E Plaza Road, a rustic recreational-lodging option in historic buildings.
Off-base per diem
- Confirm the current lodging allowance for your duty location and travel dates with the official rate lookup and your travel office.
- No current rate is quoted here.
- Alaska and Hawaii use DoD OCONUS rates.
- A published ceiling is not proof of reimbursement eligibility.
The crashpad option
We're expanding at F.E. Warren AFB. If you have orders to Cheyenne — Sentinel work, missile-field training, an inspection tour, or a PCS gap while you wait on housing — send us your dates and we'll match you with a furnished house priced inside the $110 rate with DTS-ready receipts.
F.E. Warren AFB crashpadsHousing & BAH
Housing
- Family housing is privatized under Balfour Beatty Communities, with two- to five-bedroom single-family and duplex homes across six neighborhoods on base for more than 3,000 residents; the community office is listed at 307-432-0200 and the Military Housing Office at 307-773-1840.
- Off base, Cheyenne rentals run around $1,400 a month on average and homes about $320,000 (2026 figures), and the base's own newcomer guidance warns that rentals are hard to find and can exceed BAH.
- Buying is common for O-3 and above given no state income tax and a market that tracks the Front Range at a discount.
BAH 2026 · MHA WY324
| Grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $1,653 | $1,326 |
| O-3 | $2,442 | $2,010 |
- For MHA WY324 (Cheyenne), 2026 published tables show approximately $1,653 with dependents and $1,326 without for an E-5, and $2,442 with dependents and $2,010 without for an O-3, up about 7 percent from 2025.
- At least one secondary site lists different E-5 figures, so confirm on the DTMO BAH calculator.
West Cheyenne / near Gate 5
Established mid-century neighborhoods off Central and Missile Drive where the base is the main employer, with the shortest commute on this list and modest prices.
South Cheyenne / South Greeley Highway
The most popular pick for F.E. Warren families: newer construction, lots of rentals and starter homes, and a quick shot up I-25 to Exit 11.
Saddle Ridge / Fox Farm
Newer south-side subdivisions where O-3 to O-5 families buy, with good LCSD1 elementary schools and prices that still feel reasonable next to Fort Collins.
Downtown / Avenues
Historic homes and craftsman bungalows walkable to the Depot, breweries, and Frontier Days parades — ideal for single officers and couples without kids.
North Cheyenne / Ridgeview
Quieter subdivisions north of Dell Range Boulevard near the shopping strip and Central High School, reached via Central Avenue straight to Gate 5.
Schools & childcare
- There are no DoDEA schools on base; children in Balfour Beatty housing attend Laramie County School District 1 schools, with Freedom Elementary the closest to housing and served by a pedestrian gate that opens on school days.
- LCSD1 covers all of Cheyenne with 30 elementary schools, 3 junior highs, 3 high schools, and 3 public charter schools. Five schools hold the Purple Star designation for military families: Freedom Elementary, Jessup Elementary, McCormick Junior High, Central High, and South High.
- The School Liaison is at 7305 Randall Avenue, Building 213, 307-773-5943 (DSN 481-5943), open weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; they handle boundary waivers, on-base enrollment, and special-education handoffs.
- The Child Development Center is on base with a Family Child Care network for extended and shift hours; request care early through MilitaryChildCare.com, and the Community Child Care Coordinator (307-773-3317) can help with off-base options while you wait.
Healthcare
- The 90th Medical Group runs an outpatient clinic only — primary care, pharmacy, dental, flight and missile medicine, and limited specialty care — open weekdays roughly 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Secondary sources list the appointment line as 307-773-3461; confirm on the clinic's TRICARE page.
- There is no emergency room on base. Emergencies go to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center on East 23rd Street downtown, about 10 minutes from Gate 5; it is the region's Level II trauma center and the network hospital for labor and delivery.
- F.E. Warren is in the TRICARE West Region, administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance since January 2025; update your referrals and PCM in the TriWest portal, not the old Health Net one.
On base
- Commissary
Full-service commissary on base off Randall Avenue; hours vary by season, so check the DeCA page before a Sunday run.
- Exchange
Main BX with food court, Class Six, and a Shoppette with fuel near the housing area.
- Fitness
Freedom Hall fitness center plus an indoor aquatic center; the base also runs intramural sports through 90 FSS.
- Dining
Chadwell Dining Facility for meal-card and TDY diners, Antelope Crossing Café, Awake Coffee Shop, and the Warren Lanes snack bar.
- MWR
- Trail's End Club and Wrangler Lounge, Warren Lanes bowling, Outdoor Adventure with equipment checkout and FAM Camp, Arts & Crafts, Auto Skills, and ITT for Frontier Days and Denver tickets.
- 90 FSS front office: 307-773-2858.
- History
- Fort D.A.
- Russell Days each summer opens the historic brick quarters, the Warren ICBM and Heritage Museum, and a Peacekeeper training silo — the base has been active since 1867 and is a National Historic Landmark district.
Off duty
Cheyenne Frontier Days
The "Daddy of 'em All" has run every late July since 1897: ten days of PRCA rodeo, night concerts, three downtown parades, and free pancake breakfasts that feed 10,000 people. Frontier Park is five minutes from Gate 5, and ITT sells discounted rodeo and concert tickets.
Official site ↗Photo by Bureau of Land Management, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · source
Curt Gowdy State Park
About 25 miles west on Happy Jack Road, Curt Gowdy has some of the best purpose-built mountain-bike singletrack in the Rockies, three reservoirs for trout, and campsites in the granite. It is the default weekend for airmen with a bike or a kayak.
Official site ↗Photo by Tech. Sgt. John Galvin, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · source
Vedauwoo
Thirty-five miles west off I-80, Vedauwoo is a maze of Sherman granite domes famous for wide-crack climbing, easy scrambling, and picnic spots. Go in summer or early fall; the wind and snow own it the rest of the year.
Wikipedia ↗Photo by Tony Webster, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · source
Downtown Cheyenne
The 1886 Union Pacific Depot anchors a walkable downtown with the Depot Museum, the Wyoming State Capitol, and a growing brewery scene along Lincolnway. Holliday Park's Big Boy 4004 steam locomotive is the free photo op.
Official site ↗Photo by Postdlf, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · source
Fort Collins and the Front Range
Fort Collins is 45 minutes south on I-25 for Old Town, New Belgium and Odell breweries, and Horsetooth Reservoir. Denver is 90 minutes for pro sports, concerts, and DEN connections; Rocky Mountain National Park is about two hours.
Wikipedia ↗Terry Bison Ranch
Ten minutes south on I-25 near the Colorado line, Terry Bison Ranch runs a bison-herd train tour, horseback rides, and a steakhouse serving bison burgers. It is the easy win for visiting family and kids.
Snowy Range and Medicine Bow
Ninety minutes west past Laramie, the Snowy Range Scenic Byway tops 10,000 feet with alpine lakes, hiking from Mirror Lake, and Snowy Range Ski Area in winter. Check the byway's seasonal closure, typically late fall to Memorial Day.
Wikipedia ↗Insider tips
- 01Wind is the defining hazard here. Wyoming leads the nation for average wind speed, and I-25 and I-80 close for blow-overs and ground blizzards; download the WYDOT 511 app and never leave Denver without checking road status in winter.
- 02Gate 5 on Central Avenue is the only 24/7 gate. If you land at DEN late, take I-25 to Exit 12, not the Randall Avenue exit, or you'll be turning around at a closed Gate 1.
- 03Book the Crow Creek Inn the day your orders drop. Nuclear surety inspections, exercises, and Sentinel program visits overload it, and Frontier Days week sells out every hotel in town at prices well above the $110 rate.
- 04Altitude is real at 6,100 feet. Hydrate, go easy on the first PT test, and expect the first couple of nights to feel rough if you're coming from sea level.
- 05PCS families should get on the Balfour Beatty waitlist before you leave your current base; off-base rentals are scarce and often run above BAH, and the housing office at 307-773-1840 will tell you the real wait times.
- 06Pack a winter kit in the car from October through April — blankets, water, a shovel, and a full tank — even on TDY. Missile-field roads and the interstates can strand you for hours.
- 07There is no state income tax in Wyoming, and Colorado is 10 minutes south. Establishing Wyoming residency for a PCS here pays real money over a career.
- 08Hail season runs May through August and Cheyenne is in one of the country's hail hotspots. Park under cover when you can and note your rental car's hail coverage.
FAQ
Will my TDY lodging at F.E. Warren be reimbursed if I stay in a crashpad?
Which gate should I use when I arrive?
Is there a hospital on base?
Where do military families live around F.E. Warren?
Helpful resources
Official
Things to do
Community & local
- F.E. Warren Housing — gate hours ↗
- Military.com — F.E. Warren temporary lodging ↗
- F.E. Warren Housing — 2026 BAH rates (WY324) ↗
- 90 FSS School Liaison ↗
- 90 FSS — Fun at Warren facilities ↗
- DVIDS — Sentinel Task Force Det. 10 at F.E. Warren ↗
- Wikipedia — Francis E. Warren Air Force Base ↗
- Wikipedia — Cheyenne, Wyoming climate ↗
List your resource
Run a business, park, church, gym, or service that helps F.E. Warren AFB travelers and families? Have a correction? Email basecrashpads@gmail.com with the link and a sentence on why it's useful. We review every submission and list the ones that earn it.
Sources & disclaimer
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS — F.E. Warren AFB in-depth overview ↗
- F.E. Warren AFB Base Access ↗
- F.E. Warren Housing — gate hours ↗
- Military.com — F.E. Warren temporary lodging ↗
- GSA FY2026 per diem rates — Wyoming ↗
- F.E. Warren Housing — 2026 BAH rates (WY324) ↗
- 90 FSS School Liaison ↗
- 90 FSS — Fun at Warren facilities ↗
- DVIDS — Sentinel Task Force Det. 10 at F.E. Warren ↗
- Wikipedia — Francis E. Warren Air Force Base ↗
- Wikipedia — Cheyenne, Wyoming climate ↗
Photos: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder (Public domain); Photo by Bureau of Land Management, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Full attribution on the photo credits page.
Rates, hours, and policies change — BAH resets every January and per diem every October. Confirm specifics with the official sources above and your orders. This guide is written by Base Crashpads and is not an official Air Force or DoD resource.