Spanning 153.2 miles, the journey from Hailey to Pocatello is a straightforward trek that typically takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete. Because the duration is relatively short, this trip is best tackled as a manageable one-day excursion. You should budget roughly $24 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Mountain West locations. While the route involves navigating various local roads like Gannett Picabo Road and Gannett Road, it remains an accessible drive for most travelers. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, this path provides a direct connection across the region without the need for an overnight stay.
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
76.1 miles from Hailey, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 38m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
73.3 mi
1h 24m
US 26
34 mi
37m
Veterans Memorial Highway
21 mi
20m
Gannett Picabo Road
7.8 mi
11m
South Main Street
5.5 mi
8m
Gannett Road
4 mi
9m
Main Street
2.3 mi
2m
Jefferson Avenue
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
— 73.3 mi, about 1h 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hailey, ID and Pocatello, ID.
1
Start on ID 75
5.5 mi·8 min·South Main Street
2
Turn left onto Gannett Picabo Road
7.8 mi·11 min·Gannett Picabo Road
3
Continue on Gannett Road
4.0 mi·9 min·Gannett Road
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 20
9.4 mi·10 min·Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
5
Continue on US 20
0.5 mi·50 sec·Queens Crown Road
6
Turn left onto US 93; US 20; US 26
2.3 mi·2 min·Main Street
7
Continue on US 93; US 20; US 26
41 mi·47 min·Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
8
Continue on US 93; US 20; US 26
0.5 mi·58 sec·Grand Avenue
9
Turn right onto Park Road
0.4 mi·30 sec·Park Road
10
Continue on West Temple Avenue
0.2 mi·41 sec·West Temple Avenue
11
Turn left onto County Road
68 ft·9 sec·County Road
12
Turn sharp right onto US 20; US 26
0.2 mi·30 sec·South Front Street
13
Continue on US 20; US 26
23 mi·26 min·Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; US 26
0.2 mi·13 sec·Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
15
Turn right onto US 26
34 mi·37 min·US 26
16
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
17
Merge onto I 15
21 mi·20 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
18
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS
0.3 mi·32 sec·I 15 BUS
Exit 71Toward Pocatello Creek Road
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 BUS
0.5 mi·1 min·I 15 BUS
Exit 71
20
Turn left onto Jefferson Avenue
1.0 mi·1 min·Jefferson Avenue
21
At end of road, turn right onto East Oak Street
332 ft·11 sec·East Oak Street
22
Turn left onto North 12th Avenue
0.1 mi·24 sec·North 12th Avenue
23
Turn right onto East Bridger Street
0.3 mi·1 min·East Bridger Street
24
Turn left onto North 7th Avenue
495 ft·21 sec·North 7th Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
North 7th Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 2 hour and 45 minute travel time, plan for at least one stop to stretch your legs and break up the turn-heavy segments. Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule, though checking your fuel levels before leaving Hailey is a smart move given the $24 estimated cost. Keep a close eye on your navigation, as the transition between Gannett Road and the Idaho Medal of Honor Highway requires careful attention to signage. Because this is a local road-heavy route, be prepared for varying road conditions compared to a major interstate and adjust your speed accordingly.
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 76.1 miles from Hailey, ID, or about 1h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.3 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 34 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.1 miles or 1h 38m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pocatello, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hailey, 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 Hailey, ID
This is one driving day of about 152.3 miles and 3h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Hailey, 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 Idaho Medal of Honor Highway for about 73.3 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 71.5 and 151.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
71.5 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|US 20; US 26 / South Front Street
Turn sharp right onto US 20; US 26 / South Front Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
149.9 mi into trip|~2h 58m in|I 15 BUS
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS toward Pocatello Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 71
Toward Pocatello Creek Road
5
150.2 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|I 15 BUS
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 BUS
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 71
5
151.7 mi into trip|~3h 2m in|East Oak Street
At end of road, turn right onto East Oak Street
Navigation decision point
5
151.7 mi into trip|~3h 2m in|North 12th Avenue
Turn left onto North 12th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.13 one way
$48.27 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg53 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$25.30
$50.59
premium
$4.53
$27.17
$54.34
diesel
$5.61
$33.63
$67.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.7
0
$15.99
$7.31
Efficient EV
38.1
0
$13.33
$6.09
EV Truck/SUV
60.9
0
$21.32
$9.75
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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 15, 2026
Origin
Hailey, ID
Evening
in Hailey on Saturday
Local time
8:47 PM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Pocatello, ID
Evening
in Pocatello on Saturday
Local time
8:47 PM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
60°F
Carey, ID
76 mi in
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
25 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
3h 4m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 153.2-mile journey. Since the highway share is 0%, your focus will be on navigating local roads and the Idaho Medal of Honor Highway. This route feels more intimate and engaging than a standard high-speed commute, requiring your full attention as the road winds through the countryside. You will find that the personality of the drive shifts as you transition away from Hailey, offering a driving experience that prioritizes local navigation over long, uninterrupted highway stretches.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.3 mi on Idaho Medal of Honor Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 71.5 miles in near US 20; US 26 / South Front Street.
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 152.3 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: at 71.5 miles (US 20; US 26 / South Front Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 149.9 miles (I 15 BUS): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 150.2 miles (I 15 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 4m. Total distance: 152.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 73.3 miles on Idaho Medal of Honor 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: at 71.5 miles (US 20; US 26 / South Front Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 149.9 miles (I 15 BUS): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 150.2 miles (I 15 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Pocatello, ID, but most travelers stay overnight.
