Connecting Buhl to Caldwell, this 144.3-mile journey takes you through the heart of Idaho's Mountain West. Expect a driving time of approximately 2 hours and 33 minutes, making it a manageable day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You should budget about $23 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. Since the route relies on local roads rather than major interstates, you can anticipate a more hands-on driving experience. It serves as a straightforward transit between these two regional hubs, offering a consistent pace for those looking to traverse this part of the state in a single session.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72.2 miles from Buhl, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
127.3 mi
2h 4m
North 1500 East
4.9 mi
7m
South 1950 East
4.8 mi
7m
Clear Lakes Grade
4.3 mi
6m
Blaine Street
0.8 mi
1m
North 21st Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Main Street
0.5 mi
1m
Franklin Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 127.3 mi, about 2h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buhl, ID and Caldwell, ID.
1
Start on Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
2
Turn left onto ID 46
4.9 mi·7 min·North 1500 East
3
Continue on ID 46
4.3 mi·6 min·Clear Lakes Grade
4
Turn straight onto ID 46
4.8 mi·7 min·South 1950 East
5
Continue on ID 46
0.1 mi·20 sec·South Idaho Street
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
7
Merge onto I 84
127 mi·2 hr 4 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Toward US 20, US 26 EastUse the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
0.4 mi·52 sec·Franklin Road
10
Continue on North 21st Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·North 21st Avenue
11
Turn right onto I 84 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Blaine Street
12
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
166 ft·9 sec·South 10th Avenue
13
Turn left
68 ft·6 sec
14
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 144.3-mile distance, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your day without feeling rushed. You only need one planned stop to keep your energy up, making the 2-hour and 33-minute drive quite efficient. Be sure to fuel up before you depart, as the $23 cost estimate assumes a steady pace on these local roads. Since the route involves significant turns on secondary highways, try to avoid driving during low-visibility conditions or peak local traffic hours. Because this is a turn-heavy drive, keeping a physical map or reliable offline navigation handy will help you stay on course when navigating the transitions between North 1500 East and South 1950 East.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.2 miles from Buhl, ID, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 127.3 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 32 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.2 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Caldwell, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buhl, 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 Buhl, ID
This is one driving day of about 144.3 miles and 2h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Buhl, 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 127.3 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 14.6 and 144.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
14.6 mi into trip|~22m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
14.9 mi into trip|~23m in|I 84 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 84 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
142.2 mi into trip|~2h 28m in
Take the exit toward US 20, US 26 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward US 20, US 26 East
4
144.3 mi into trip|~2h 32m in|South 10th Avenue
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
144.3 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.87 one way
$45.73 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$23.97
$47.94
premium
$4.53
$25.74
$51.48
diesel
$5.61
$31.86
$63.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.3
0
$15.15
$6.93
Efficient EV
36.1
0
$12.63
$5.77
EV Truck/SUV
57.7
0
$20.20
$9.24
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Buhl, ID
Evening
in Buhl on Saturday
Local time
8:45 PM
MDT
Current temp
26°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:24AM MDT until April 18 at 10:00AM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:24AM MDT until April 18 at 10:00AM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
Destination
Caldwell, ID
Evening
in Caldwell on Saturday
Local time
8:45 PM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Mostly Cloudy
ESE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:24AM MDT until April 18 at 10:00AM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:24AM MDT until April 18 at 10:00AM 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
6 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
2h 33m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 24.9
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 trip is defined as a turn-heavy local drive, favoring backroads over high-speed interstate travel. While you won't be dealing with a highway-heavy grind, you will spend the bulk of your time on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, which accounts for a 127.3-mile stretch of your journey. Because the highway share is 0%, the route requires your full attention as you navigate North 1500 East and South 1950 East. The transition between these segments keeps the drive engaging, shifting from longer, sustained stretches to more technical local road segments as you approach your destination.
Only 0% 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: 127.3 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 14.6 miles in.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Buhl, ID to Caldwell, ID is easy. At 2h 33m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 14.9 miles (I 84 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 142.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
3,280 ft2,376 ft
Total Climb
862 ft
Total Descent
1,646 ft
Highest Point
3,280 ft
~30.1 mi in
Elevation Range
904 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 33m. Total distance: 144.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 127.3 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 14.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 14.9 miles (I 84 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 142.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Caldwell, ID before heading back.
