Ammon, ID to Star, ID is 301.6 miles and takes about 4h 58m via Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway and I 86, with a fuel budget near $53 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Mountain West region, primarily traversing Idaho. Expect a drive that is mostly on surface roads, offering a more grounded perspective of the landscape. With a recommended one-day drive, this route is a straightforward connection between two points in the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
150.8 miles from Ammon, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
174.9 mi
2h 45m
I 86
62.7 mi
59m
Veterans Memorial Highway
43.1 mi
40m
East Chinden Boulevard
7 mi
9m
East Sunnyside Road
6.1 mi
9m
South Eagle Road
4.5 mi
6m
North Star Road
2 mi
3m
I 15 BUS
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 174.9 mi, about 2h 45m
Traffic on I-84
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 214 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,388 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,850
Quietest
2 AM
~173 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ammon, ID and Star, ID.
1
Start on Molen Street
135 ft·11 sec·Molen Street
2
Turn left onto Central Avenue
0.1 mi·35 sec·Central Avenue
3
Turn right onto East Sunnyside Road
6.1 mi·9 min·East Sunnyside Road
4
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS; US 26
0.2 mi·31 sec·I 15 BUS; US 26
Toward Blackfook, Pocatello, Salt Lake City
5
Merge onto I 15; US 26
43 mi·40 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi·43 sec
Exit 72Toward I 86 West: Chubbuck, Twin Falls
7
Continue on I 86
63 mi·59 min·I 86
8
Continue on I 84; US 30
175 mi·2 hr 45 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Exit 46Toward ID 55 North: Eagle, McCallUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
354 ft·9 sec
Toward ID 55 North: Eagle, Emmett, Mc CallUse the right lane.
11
Merge onto ID 55
4.5 mi·6 min·South Eagle Road
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
7.0 mi·9 min·East Chinden Boulevard
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto North Star Road
2.0 mi·3 min·North Star Road
14
Turn left onto ID 44
47 ft·1 sec·West State Street
15
Arrive at destination
ID 44
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 58m drive time, starting in the morning allows ample time to reach Star, ID before evening. The route is manageable in a single day, so you can be flexible with your departure time. Plan for one stop along the way to break up the drive. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before heading onto the longest stretch of highway, as services can be spaced out in some areas. The $53 fuel cost is an estimate, so checking local prices is always a good idea.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 150.8 miles from Ammon, ID, or about 2h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 174.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 66 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 150.8 miles or 2h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Star, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ammon, ID so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ammon, ID
This is one driving day of about 301.6 miles and 4h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Ammon, ID.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway for about 174.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 288.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Central Avenue
Turn left onto Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
6.2 mi into trip|~9m in|I 15 BUS; US 26
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS; US 26 toward Blackfook, Pocatello, Salt Lake City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Blackfook, Pocatello, Salt Lake City
6
49.5 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward I 86 West: Chubbuck, Twin Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 72
Toward I 86 West: Chubbuck, Twin Falls
8
287.7 mi into trip|~4h 36m in
Take the exit toward ID 55 North: Eagle, McCall
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 46
Toward ID 55 North: Eagle, McCall
8
288.1 mi into trip|~4h 37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward ID 55 North: Eagle, Emmett, Mc Call
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward ID 55 North: Eagle, Emmett, Mc Call
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$54.32 one way
$108.65 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg106 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$56.73
$113.47
premium
$5.11
$60.63
$121.26
diesel
$6.18
$73.37
$146.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$54
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$79–$104
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 105.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
90.5
1
$31.67
$14.48
Efficient EV
75.4
0
$26.39
$12.06
EV Truck/SUV
120.6
1
$42.22
$19.30
Gas CO2
106 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Ammon, ID
Morning
in Ammon on Saturday
Local time
11:27 AM
MDT
Current temp
35°F
Partly Cloudy
E 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Star, ID
Morning
in Star on Saturday
Local time
11:27 AM
MDT
Current temp
42°F
Partly Cloudy
SE 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 58m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
During the Pliocene, this place looked quite different. Lush wetlands, forests, and grasslands provided excellent habitat for a variety of animals. From fascinating, now-extinct creatures like the sab...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
Free
near mile 187.2
Caution: Use Caution with "Fossil Beds Information" Signs
Caution: If You Can't Reach Us By Phone, Please Email Us
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly surface roads, with only 21% on highways. You'll experience the longest continuous stretch of highway at 174.9 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. After this segment, the drive shifts to surface roads. Expect to notice the change from higher-speed highway cruising to navigating through towns and potentially dealing with more frequent intersections as you transition.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 174.9 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Central Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 301.6 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (I 15 BUS; US 26): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
4,717 ft2,469 ft
Total Climb
808 ft
Total Descent
3,056 ft
Highest Point
4,717 ft
Elevation Range
2,248 ft
Notable High Points
4,467 ft at ~107.7 miles+194 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ammon, ID to Star, ID, road signs begin pointing toward Twin Falls along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 58m. Total distance: 301.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 174.9 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Star, ID before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ID can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.2 miles (I 15 BUS; US 26): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 49.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Star, ID, but most travelers stay overnight.
