Traveling from Boise to Soda Springs covers 292.5 miles across the beautiful Idaho landscape. Expect to spend approximately 4 hours and 51 minutes behind the wheel, making this a manageable journey to complete in a single day. You will navigate through Mountain West terrain, utilizing local routes like South 6th Street, West Myrtle Street, and South Broadway Avenue. With a fuel budget of about $45, the trip is quite cost-effective for solo travelers or small groups. Since the entire route is within the same state, you will enjoy a consistent regional feel as you transition from the capital to the southeastern part of Idaho.
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
146.3 miles from Boise, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
166.5 mi
2h 36m
I 86
62.7 mi
59m
East Merrill Road
31.6 mi
37m
Veterans Memorial Highway
24.3 mi
23m
South Broadway Avenue
2.8 mi
5m
US 30
2.6 mi
3m
West Myrtle Street
0.6 mi
1m
Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 166.5 mi, about 2h 36m
Traffic on I-84
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 62 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,309 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,626
Quietest
2 AM
~114 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Boise, ID and Soda Springs, ID.
1
Start on this road
118 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn right
263 ft·21 sec
3
Turn right onto South 6th Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·South 6th Street
4
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
0.6 mi·1 min·West Myrtle Street
5
Turn right onto US 20; US 26
2.8 mi·5 min·South Broadway Avenue
6
Take the ramp onto US 20; US 26
0.4 mi·46 sec·Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
Toward I 84 EastUse the left lane.
7
Continue on I 84; US 20; US 26; US 30
166 mi·2 hr 36 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 86; US 30
63 mi·59 min·I 86; US 30
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·36 sec
Toward Salt Lake
10
Merge onto I 15
24 mi·23 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward I 15 Business, US 30 East: Mc Cammon, Soda Springs, Montpelier
12
Turn left onto I 15 Business; US 30
32 mi·37 min·East Merrill Road
13
Continue on US 30; ID 34
2.6 mi·3 min·US 30; ID 34
14
Arrive at destination
US 30; ID 34
Trip Plan
Since this is a turn-heavy route, plan to leave early in the morning to maximize daylight for navigating local turns comfortably. You are limited to just one recommended stop, so choose your break point strategically to stretch your legs and refuel. With a total travel time nearing five hours, keeping your $45 fuel budget in mind while planning your stops will help you stay on track. Because there are no highway segments to provide a quick cruise, allow yourself extra time for potential local traffic congestion. Focus on staying alert during the technical segments, as the lack of highway driving means you will be actively steering through turns for the duration of the trip.
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 146.3 miles from Boise, ID, or about 2h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 166.5 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 64 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.3 miles or 2h 22m 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 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Soda Springs, 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 292.5 miles and 4h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway for about 166.5 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 258 — 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 right
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|South 6th Street
Turn right onto South 6th Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.7 mi into trip|~8m in|US 20; US 26 / Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
Take the ramp onto US 20; US 26 / Idaho Medal of Honor Highway toward I 84 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 84 East
5
233.2 mi into trip|~3h 44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Salt Lake
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Salt Lake
5
258 mi into trip|~4h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 15 Business, US 30 East: Mc Cammon, Soda Springs, Montpelier
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 15 Business, US 30 East: Mc Cammon, So...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.59 one way
$91.18 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg102 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$48.06
$96.11
premium
$4.47
$51.52
$103.04
diesel
$4.80
$55.23
$110.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.8
1
$30.71
$14.04
Efficient EV
73.1
0
$25.59
$11.70
EV Truck/SUV
117
1
$40.95
$18.72
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Boise, ID
Late night
in Boise on Sunday
Local time
3:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
100°F
Sunny
WNW 6 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 5:13PM MDT until July 17 at 5:45PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 5:11PM MDT until July 17 at 8:15PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
Destination
Soda Springs, ID
Late night
in Soda Springs on Sunday
Local time
3:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
86°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 5 mph32% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 5:13PM MDT until July 17 at 5:45PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 17 at 5:11PM MDT until July 17 at 8:15PM 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.
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
14 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
4h 51m 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...
9 mi from route
~21 min detour
Free
near mile 90.8
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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features 0% highway travel. You will navigate a series of local roads, meaning there are no long, uninterrupted stretches like the 0 miles on South 6th Street might suggest. The character of the drive remains technical and engaging, requiring your full attention as you move through various local corridors. Because the path relies entirely on city and local streets, you should expect frequent changes in pace and surroundings. It is a hands-on driving experience that demands alertness throughout the entire 4-hour and 51-minute transit.
Only 22% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 166.5 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 51m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (US 20; US 26 / Idaho Medal of Honor Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,771 ft2,619 ft
Total Climb
3,881 ft
Total Descent
810 ft
Highest Point
5,771 ft
~292.5 mi in
Elevation Range
3,152 ft
Notable High Points
4,470 ft at ~208.9 miles+63 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Boise, ID and Soda Springs, ID, road signs point toward Salt Lake and Montpelier.
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
Soda Springs is a city of 3,100 people (2020) in Southeastern Idaho. The city is named for the hundreds of natural springs of carbonated water that are located in and around the city.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 166.5 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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; at 0.1 miles (South 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (US 20; US 26 / Idaho Medal of Honor Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Soda Springs, ID, but most travelers stay overnight.
