This 465.8-mile journey from Kamiah, ID to Pocatello, ID will take approximately 7 hours and 59 minutes of driving time, making it a feasible single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with a 0% highway share, indicating a more direct, potentially turn-heavy route. Budget around $74 for fuel for this drive. The overall feel is a local, turn-heavy experience across the Mountain West region. With two planned stops, you can break up the drive effectively. This route is best suited for those who prefer a less highway-intensive approach to covering distance within Idaho.
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
233.5 miles from Kamiah, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
170.7 mi
2h 41m
US 95
79 mi
1h 29m
I 86
58.3 mi
54m
South 3rd Street
45.6 mi
1h 1m
ID 55
31.1 mi
46m
ID 13
26.3 mi
29m
Highway 55
15 mi
20m
North Horseshoe Bend Road
8.9 mi
12m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 170.7 mi, about 2h 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kamiah, ID and Pocatello, ID.
1
Start on Hill Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·Hill Street
2
Turn right onto US 12
7.6 mi·10 min·3rd Street
3
Turn right onto ID 13
26 mi·29 min·ID 13
4
Turn left onto US 95
79 mi·1 hr 29 min·US 95
5
Turn left onto ID 55
11 mi·16 min·ID 55
6
Turn right onto Boydstun Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Boydstun Street
7
Continue on East Deinhard Lane
1.6 mi·2 min·East Deinhard Lane
8
Turn right onto ID 55
46 mi·1 hr 1 min·South 3rd Street
9
Continue on ID 55
18 mi·25 min·ID 55
10
Continue on ID 55
13 mi·17 min·Highway 55
11
Continue on ID 55
1.3 mi·1 min·Horseshoe Bend Road
12
Continue on ID 55
2.0 mi·5 min·ID 55
13
Continue on ID 55
0.4 mi·29 sec·Horseshoe Bend Road
14
Continue on ID 55
2.4 mi·3 min·Highway 55
15
Continue on ID 55
5.9 mi·7 min·Payette River Scenic Byway
16
Continue on ID 55
8.9 mi·12 min·North Horseshoe Bend Road
17
Turn left onto ID 44
2.4 mi·3 min·East State Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Turn right onto ID 44
1.7 mi·3 min·North Glenwood Street
19
Turn left onto North Mountain View Drive
0.2 mi·38 sec·North Mountain View Drive
20
Turn right onto North Cole Road
2.6 mi·5 min·North Cole Road
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on South Cole Road
1.2 mi·2 min·South Cole Road
22
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 84 EastUse the left lane.
23
Merge onto I 84; US 30
171 mi·2 hr 41 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on I 86; US 30
58 mi·54 min·I 86; US 30
25
Take the exit onto US 30
0.3 mi·38 sec·US 30
Exit 58Toward US 30: West Pocatello
26
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30
4.5 mi·6 min·US 30
Exit 58Toward US 30: West Pocatello
27
Turn left onto US 30
0.3 mi·28 sec·East Gould Street
28
Continue on Gould Street
347 ft·11 sec·Gould Street
29
Turn right onto I 15 BUS; US 91
0.1 mi·15 sec·Pocatello Avenue
30
Turn left onto North 7th Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·North 7th Avenue
31
Arrive at destination
North 7th Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 7-hour, 59-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Kamiah to maximize daylight hours. With two stops recommended, you can easily pace yourself, perhaps stopping around the halfway point for a longer break. The fuel cost is estimated at $74, so ensure your tank is full before leaving Kamiah. Since this is a local, turn-heavy route, pay close attention to navigation, especially when transitioning between the main roads like 3rd Street, Boydstun Street, and East Deinhard Lane. Keeping your phone charged for GPS will be particularly helpful on this less highway-dependent journey.
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 233.5 miles from Kamiah, ID, or about 5h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 170.7 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 103 miles or 1h 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 233.5 miles or 5h 4m 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 233.5 miles or 5h 4m
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 7h 48m
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 Kamiah, 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 Kamiah, ID
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Pocatello, ID
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 103 miles from Kamiah, 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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway for about 170.7 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 224 and 461.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
224 mi into trip|~4h 45m in|ID 44 / East State Street
Turn left onto ID 44 / East State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
228.2 mi into trip|~4h 54m in|North Cole Road
Turn right onto North Cole Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
232 mi into trip|~5h 2m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 84 East
5
232.4 mi into trip|~5h 3m in|I 84; US 30 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 84; US 30 / Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
461.7 mi into trip|~8h 39m in|US 30
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30 toward US 30: West Pocatello
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 58
Toward US 30: West Pocatello
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$74.00 one way
$148.01 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg163 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$77.57
$155.14
premium
$4.53
$83.31
$166.61
diesel
$5.61
$103.11
$206.22
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$74
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$204–$314
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 163.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $49 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
140.1
1
$49.04
$22.42
Efficient EV
116.8
1
$40.86
$18.68
EV Truck/SUV
186.8
2
$65.38
$29.89
Gas CO2
163 kg
EV CO2
55 kg (66% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Kamiah, ID
Evening
in Kamiah on Saturday
Local time
6:10 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Pocatello, ID
Evening
in Pocatello on Saturday
Local time
7:10 PM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
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
17 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
8h 48m 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.
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...
5 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 16.1
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
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 322.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 465.8-mile route. With a 0% highway share, you won't encounter long stretches of high-speed cruising. Instead, anticipate navigating through communities and local byways, using roads like 3rd Street, Boydstun Street, and East Deinhard Lane. The absence of a longest uninterrupted stretch suggests frequent changes in speed and direction, requiring your full attention. This drive is characterized by its local road network, offering a more intimate connection with the landscape as you transition across Idaho.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 170.7 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 224 miles in near ID 44 / East State Street.
Driving Effort4/10
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 8h 48m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 16 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 224 miles (ID 44 / East State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 228.2 miles (North Cole Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 232 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 170.7 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. 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 234 miles on day one.
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.
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 Pocatello, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 224 miles (ID 44 / East State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 228.2 miles (North Cole Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 232 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Nez Perce National Historical Park and Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.8 hours each way, a round trip means 17.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Pocatello, ID before the return drive.
