Boise to Lewiston is 267.3 miles and takes about 5h 47m via US 95, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Idaho, moving from the Mountain West region to another part of the Mountain West. It's a single-day trip that offers a mix of road types, so you'll experience both highway cruising and surface streets. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward drive between these two Idaho cities without needing an overnight stop.
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
133.7 miles from Boise, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North Norris Avenue
76.4 mi
1h 26m
US 95
67.5 mi
1h 18m
Main Street
45.6 mi
1h 1m
Horseshoe Bend Road
18.9 mi
25m
Highway 55
18.4 mi
27m
West Lake Street
10.6 mi
16m
North Horseshoe Bend Road
8.8 mi
11m
West State Street
7 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
North Norris Avenue
— 76.4 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Boise, ID and Lewiston, ID.
1
Start on this road
118 ft·14 sec·this road
2
Turn left
126 ft·11 sec
3
At end of road, turn right onto South Capitol Boulevard
0.2 mi·33 sec·South Capitol Boulevard
4
Turn left onto West Idaho Street
0.6 mi·1 min·West Idaho Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Turn right onto North 15th Street
0.2 mi·29 sec·North 15th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto West State Street
0.9 mi·2 min·West State Street
7
Continue on West State Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·West State Street
8
Keep slight left at fork onto West State Street
6.1 mi·11 min·West State Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the ramp
513 ft·14 sec
Toward SH-55
10
Merge onto ID 55
8.8 mi·11 min·North Horseshoe Bend Road
11
Continue on ID 55
5.9 mi·7 min·Payette River Scenic Byway
12
Continue on ID 55
2.4 mi·3 min·Highway 55
13
Continue on ID 55
0.4 mi·29 sec·Horseshoe Bend Road
14
Continue on ID 55
16 mi·24 min·Highway 55
15
Continue on ID 55
18 mi·25 min·Horseshoe Bend Road
16
Continue on ID 55
46 mi·1 hr 1 min·Main Street
17
Turn left onto Deinhard Lane
1.6 mi·2 min·Deinhard Lane
18
Continue on Boydstun Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Boydstun Street
19
At end of road, turn left onto ID 55
11 mi·16 min·West Lake Street
20
Turn right onto US 95
76 mi·1 hr 26 min·North Norris Avenue
21
Turn left onto Johnston Road
2.2 mi·5 min·Johnston Road
22
At end of road, turn left onto US 95
67 mi·1 hr 18 min·US 95
Use the straight lane.
23
Keep slight left at fork onto US 12
1.6 mi·3 min·US 12
Toward Lewiston
24
Turn right onto Idaho Street
0.8 mi·2 min·Idaho Street
25
Turn left
105 ft·7 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this drive can be completed in under 6 hours, you can comfortably start in the morning and arrive in Lewiston the same day. With a fuel cost estimated at $43, plan your fuel stops accordingly, especially since the longest stretch without a significant road change is over 76 miles. While there's only one suggested stop, you might want to break up the drive more frequently depending on your personal preference. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Lewiston, as services can sometimes be spread out in this region.
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 133.7 miles from Boise, ID, or about 3h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76.4 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 59 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133.7 miles or 3h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lewiston, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Boise, 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 Boise, ID
This is one driving day of about 267.3 miles and 5h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Boise, 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 North Norris Avenue for about 76.4 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 197.5 — 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
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South Capitol Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto South Capitol Boulevard
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|North 15th Street
Turn right onto North 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
2 mi into trip|~5m in|West State Street
Keep slight left at fork onto West State Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
197.5 mi into trip|~4h 23m in|US 95
At end of road, turn left onto US 95
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.66 one way
$83.33 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg94 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$43.92
$87.83
premium
$4.47
$47.08
$94.17
diesel
$4.80
$50.47
$100.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80.2
0
$28.07
$12.83
Efficient EV
66.8
0
$23.39
$10.69
EV Truck/SUV
106.9
1
$37.42
$17.11
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Boise, ID
Late night
in Boise on Sunday
Local time
2:16 AM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Clear then Patchy Smoke
ESE 1 to 7 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lewiston, ID
Late night
in Lewiston on Sunday
Local time
1:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Smoke
NW 3 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 47m 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.
Nez Perce National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Since time immemorial, the valleys, prairies, mountains, and plateaus of the inland northwest have been home to the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) people. Extremely resilient, they survived the settling of the...
20 mi from route
~50 min detour
Free
near mile 193.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About one-third of this 267.3-mile route is on highways, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch without a major road change is 76.4 miles on North Norris Avenue. Expect to transition from highway speeds to navigating town centers as you make your way toward Lewiston. You'll notice the change in pace as you move from faster-paced sections to more local driving.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 76.4 mi on North Norris Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort5/10
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 267.3 miles you will encounter 16 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (South Capitol Boulevard): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.8 miles (North 15th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Boise is the capital and largest city of Idaho. Boise offers numerous recreational opportunities, including extensive hiking and biking in the foothills to the immediate north of downtown. Boise is a regional hub for jazz, theater, and indie music, and is home to several museums.
Top landmarks
•Idaho State Capitol — Idaho state capitol building in Boise, Idaho, U.S.A.
•Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist — church in Idaho, United States
•Morris Hill Cemetery Mausoleum — mausoleum in Morris Hill Cemetery, Boise, Idaho
Lewiston is the county seat of and largest city in Nez Perce County, Idaho. It is the second largest city in the Idaho Panhandle region behind Coeur d'Alene. It sits across the river from Clarkston, Washington. In 2020, Lewiston was home to 34,000 people. Like Pocatello, Lewiston has a strong working-class heritage. Industries related to timber and logging pursuits have long been key to the city's economy. Because the Columbia and later the Snake River are navigable by some ocean-going vessels all the way to Lewiston, the city has the distinction of being Idaho's only port city, and the furthest inland port in the western United States.
Top landmarks
•Nave Apartments — apartment building in Lewiston, United States of America
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 47m. Total distance: 267.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 76.4 miles on North Norris Avenue. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 2 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (South Capitol Boulevard): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.8 miles (North 15th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Nez Perce National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.8 hours each way, a round trip means 11.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lewiston, ID before the return drive.
