Red Rocks Parking Area, I-15 Southbound
0 mi from route
Trip from Coeur d'Alene, ID to Paul, ID
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 49m
Distance
601 mi
967 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$109
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 41m
★
6 AM
9h 50m
8 AM
10h 7m
10 AM
9h 56m
12 PM
9h 54m
3 PM
9h 57m
5 PM
10h 6m
8 PM
9h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Ghassan Hani
Paul, ID
Shots by Kevin
Trip Overview
Coeur d'Alene, ID to Paul, ID is 601 miles and takes about 9 hours 49 minutes via I-90, I-15, and I-86, with a fuel budget near $104 and an overnight stay recommended. This trip stays within the Mountain West region, primarily traversing Idaho with a brief dip into Montana and Utah. It's a long-haul drive, so plan for a full day or split it over two for a more relaxed pace. You'll be on major interstates for almost the entire journey, making it a straightforward, albeit lengthy, transit.
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
300.5 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 3m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 275.3 mi | 4h 36m |
| I 15 | 244.3 mi | 3h 49m |
| I 86 | 62.7 mi | 59m |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway | 12.4 mi | 11m |
| South 600 West | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Sherman Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North 7th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 275.3 mi, about 4h 36m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 88 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~479 veh/hr typical · worst 753
Quietest
2 AM
~36 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 105 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 Coeur d'Alene, ID and Paul, ID.
1
Start on East Garden Avenue
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
East Garden Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 7th Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
North 7th Street
3
Turn left onto Sherman Avenue
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Sherman Avenue
4
Take the ramp onto I 90
275 mi
·
4 hr 36 min
·
I 90
Toward I 90 East
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
6
Merge onto I 15
244 mi
·
3 hr 49 min
·
I 15
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 72
Toward I 86 West: Chubbuck, Twin Falls
8
Continue on I 86
63 mi
·
59 min
·
I 86
9
Continue on I 84; US 30
12 mi
·
11 min
·
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward ID 27: Burley, Paul
11
Turn right onto I 84 Business; ID 27
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
North Overland Avenue
12
Continue on ID 27
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
South 600 West
13
Continue on ID 27
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
·
South Main Street
14
Turn right onto East Idaho Street
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Idaho Street
15
Arrive at destination
East Idaho Street
Trip Plan
Given the 9 hour 49 minute duration, this is best tackled over two days. Aim to leave Coeur d'Alene in the morning to make good progress, perhaps reaching the vicinity of Blackfoot, ID after about 5-6 hours of driving. This leaves you with a manageable drive to Paul, ID the following day. Keep an eye on fuel levels, especially during the longer stretches on I-90, as services can be less frequent in some areas. Plan your overnight stop strategically to break up the 601 miles effectively.
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 300.5 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID, or about 5h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 275.3 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 132 miles or 2h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 300.5 miles or 5h 3m 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 300.5 miles or 5h 3m
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 8h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Paul, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Coeur d'Alene, 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 Coeur d'Alene, ID
Aim for roughly 301 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Paul, ID
Aim for roughly 301 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 132 miles from Coeur d'Alene, 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 275.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
198 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
397 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Helena, MTOvernight Options
Night 1
301 mi · about 4.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near Missoula, MT after about 301 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 132 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 300.5 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 275.3 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 301 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Quartz Flat
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Bearmouth Rest Area, I-90 Eastbound
0 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Red Rocks Parking Area, I-15 Northbound
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Quartz Flat
0.1 mi from route
Bearmouth Rest Area, I-90 Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Gold Creek Parking Area, I-90 Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Gold Creek Parking Area, I-90 Eastbound
0.1 mi from route
Dubois Rest Area, I-15
0.1 mi from route
Lima Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Divide Rest Area, I-15 Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Divide Rest Area, I-15 Northbound
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Muralt's Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Blackfoot Rest Area, I-15 Northbound
0.3 mi from route
Blackfoot Rest Area, I-15 Southbound
0.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Anaconda Rest Area
0.8 mi from route
Town Pump Flying J Travel Center
1.3 mi from route
Town Pump Flying J Travel Center
1.5 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 597.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 7th Street
Turn right onto North 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 90
Take the ramp onto I 90 toward I 90 East
Navigation decision point
Toward I 90 East
5
276.9 mi into trip
|
~4h 40m in
Take the exit toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
6
521.7 mi into trip
|
~8h 31m 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
5
597.4 mi into trip
|
~9h 42m in
Take the exit toward ID 27: Burley, Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward ID 27: Burley, Paul
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$108.96 one way
$217.92 round trip
$4.61/gal
25.4 MPG avg
210 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.82 | $114.14 | $228.29 |
| premium | $5.13 | $121.34 | $242.67 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $148.50 | $297.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$109
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$239–$349
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 210.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $63 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 180.3 | 2 | $63.11 | $28.85 |
| Efficient EV | 150.3 | 1 | $52.59 | $24.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 240.4 | 3 | $84.14 | $38.46 |
Gas CO2
210 kg
EV CO2
70 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 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.
Origin
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Late night in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday
Local time
1:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Cloudy
NE 2 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Paul, ID
Late night in Paul on Thursday
Local time
2:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Clear
E 7 mph
0% chance
Live 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.
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 later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
3 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
9h 49m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is almost entirely interstate cruising, with 97% of the 601 miles on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 275.3 miles on I-90 before transitioning to I-15 and then I-86. Expect high-speed driving for the vast majority of the time, with exits spaced out until you reach the more rural sections closer to your destination. The transition to surface roads will occur very late in the drive.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 275.3 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 15. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North 7th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
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 9h 49m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 8 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 90): Navigation decision point; at 276.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,424 ft
2,191 ft
Total Climb
4,479 ft
Total Descent
2,519 ft
Highest Point
6,424 ft
~386.4 mi in
Elevation Range
4,233 ft
Notable High Points
5,539 ft at ~300.5 miles
+246 ft prominence
6,424 ft at ~386.4 miles
+1,132 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Coeur d'Alene, ID and Paul, ID, road signs point toward Idaho Falls and Twin Falls.
Idaho Falls
276.9 mi in
|
~4h 40m
Twin Falls
521.7 mi in
|
~8h 31m
About the Cities
Starting in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Full guide →Founded 1878
Coeur d'Alene, often referred to as simply CDA, is the largest city in Northern Idaho. The city is a tourist haven for outdoor pursuits. Coeur d'Alene also features a renowned golf course with a free-floating island green, the only such hole in the world. World class skiing is within a 90-minute drive of downtown. Lake Coeur d'Alene offers boating and water-skiing as well as fishing for bass, trout, and salmon.
Top landmarks
- • Fort Sherman — former US Army post in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
- • St. Thomas Catholic Church — historic church in Idaho, United States
- • Coeur d'Alene Masonic Temple — masonic temple in Idaho, United States of America
Arriving in Paul, ID
Full guide →Founded 1907
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
9h 49m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 275.3 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 301 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 Paul, 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: at 0.2 miles (North 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 90): Navigation decision point; at 276.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.8 hours each way, a round trip means 19.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Paul, ID before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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