Blackfoot, ID to Post Falls, ID is 512.8 miles and takes about 8h 27m via I 90 and Veterans Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $84 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This long-haul drive stays within the Mountain West region, connecting two points in Idaho. With a recommended two days for the trip, you'll have ample time to break up the drive. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward, primarily highway journey across the state.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
256.4 miles from Blackfoot, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
285.8 mi
4h 49m
Veterans Memorial Highway
224.1 mi
3h 30m
West Bridge Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Bergener Boulevard
0.4 mi
<1m
I 15 Business
0.3 mi
<1m
North Spokane Street
0.3 mi
1m
West 10th Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
North Ash Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 285.8 mi, about 4h 49m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 58 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~981 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,230
Quietest
2 AM
~52 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 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 Blackfoot, ID and Post Falls, ID.
1
Start on this road
35 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto North Broadway Street
162 ft·12 sec·North Broadway Street
3
Turn left onto West Idaho Street
333 ft·19 sec·West Idaho Street
4
Turn left onto North Ash Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·North Ash Street
5
Turn right onto I 15 Business
0.5 mi·49 sec·West Bridge Street
6
Continue on I 15 Business
0.4 mi·38 sec·Bergener Boulevard
7
Take the ramp onto I 15 Business
0.3 mi·42 sec·I 15 Business
8
Merge onto I 15; US 26
224 mi·3 hr 30 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 West: Missoula
10
Merge onto I 90
286 mi·4 hr 49 min·I 90
Toward I 90 West: Missoula
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward Spokane Street
12
Turn right onto I 90 Bus
0.3 mi·1 min·North Spokane Street
13
Turn left onto West 10th Avenue
0.2 mi·38 sec·West 10th Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
West 10th Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 8h 27m estimated duration, splitting this drive over two days is recommended to avoid fatigue. Plan to depart early in the morning if you intend to cover a significant portion on your first day. You'll have two scheduled stops, so use them to refuel and stretch. The longest stretch is over 285 miles, so ensure you have sufficient fuel before embarking on that segment. Consider stopping for the night around the halfway point to make the drive more manageable.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 256.4 miles from Blackfoot, ID, or about 4h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 285.8 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 113 miles or 1h 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 256.4 miles or 4h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 256.4 miles or 4h 5m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Post Falls, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Blackfoot, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Blackfoot, ID
Aim for roughly 256 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Post Falls, ID
Aim for roughly 256 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 113 miles from Blackfoot, ID.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 285.8 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 225.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Broadway Street
Turn left onto North Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Idaho Street
Turn left onto West Idaho Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Ash Street
Turn left onto North Ash Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|I 15 Business / West Bridge Street
Turn right onto I 15 Business / West Bridge Street
Navigation decision point
4
225.6 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Take the exit toward I 90 West: Missoula
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90 West: Missoula
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$79.93 one way
$159.86 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg179 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$84.25
$168.50
premium
$4.47
$90.33
$180.65
diesel
$4.80
$96.83
$193.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$210–$320
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 179.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $54 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
153.8
1
$53.84
$24.61
Efficient EV
128.2
1
$44.87
$20.51
EV Truck/SUV
205.1
2
$71.79
$32.82
Gas CO2
179 kg
EV CO2
60 kg (66% 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 Jul 16, 2026
Origin
Blackfoot, ID
Evening
in Blackfoot on Saturday
Local time
7:26 PM
MDT
Current temp
93°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 5 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 3:42PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 2:23PM MDT until July 16 at 5:30PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
Destination
Post Falls, ID
Evening
in Post Falls on Saturday
Local time
6:26 PM
PDT
Current temp
100°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 3 mph29% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 3:42PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 2:23PM MDT until July 16 at 5:30PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
8h 27m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 56% of this 512.8-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch on I 90 covers 285.8 miles, offering a good opportunity for steady cruising. Veterans Memorial Highway and West Bridge Street will likely mark your transitions to and from the main interstate segments, introducing more varied driving conditions. Expect a mix of open highway and potentially more developed areas as you approach your destination.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 285.8 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
At 8h 27m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Broadway Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 27m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 10 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (West Idaho Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Ash Street): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 285.8 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 256 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 28 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Post Falls, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 28 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 (North Broadway Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (West Idaho Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Ash Street): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.5 hours each way, a round trip means 16.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Post Falls, ID before the return drive.
