Moscow, ID to Blackfoot, ID is 586.6 miles and takes about 10 hours 2 minutes via I-90 and I-15, with a fuel budget near $99 and enough daylight to finish in a day if you start early, though an overnight is recommended. This long-haul drive stays within the Mountain West region, offering a consistent feel throughout its length. It's a straightforward route for those looking to cover significant ground efficiently between these two Idaho locations. Consider this trip if you prioritize direct travel over frequent stops and scenic detours.
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
293.3 miles from Moscow, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
275.3 mi
4h 36m
I 15
224 mi
3h 30m
South Washington Street
82.5 mi
1h 45m
Sherman Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
Northwest Boulevard
1 mi
2m
Bergener Boulevard
0.6 mi
1m
West Judicial Street
0.4 mi
<1m
I 15 Business
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
~596 veh/hr typical
· worst 877
Quietest
2 AM
~40 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Moscow, ID and Blackfoot, ID.
1
Start on ID 8
39 ft·8 sec·East 3rd Street
2
Turn left onto US 95
83 mi·1 hr 45 min·South Washington Street
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward I 90 Business: Northwest Boulevard, I 90 Business East
4
Turn straight onto Northwest Boulevard
1.0 mi·2 min·Northwest Boulevard
5
Continue on Sherman Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·Sherman Avenue
6
Take the ramp onto I 90
275 mi·4 hr 36 min·I 90
Toward I 90 East
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
8
Merge onto I 15
224 mi·3 hr 30 min·I 15
9
Take the exit onto I 15 Business; US 26
0.3 mi·42 sec·I 15 Business; US 26
Toward I 15 Business, US 26, ID 39: Blackfoot, Aberdeen
10
Turn left onto I 15 Business; US 26
0.6 mi·1 min·Bergener Boulevard
11
Continue on I 15 Business
450 ft·7 sec·West Bridge Street
12
Continue on I 15 Business
0.4 mi·43 sec·West Judicial Street
13
Turn left onto South Ash Street
0.1 mi·20 sec·South Ash Street
14
Turn right onto West Pacific Street
333 ft·14 sec·West Pacific Street
15
Turn left onto North Broadway Street
156 ft·12 sec·North Broadway Street
16
Turn left
35 ft·2 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 10-hour driving time, it's best to plan for an overnight stop to avoid fatigue. Aim to leave Moscow, ID early in the morning if you intend to drive straight through, or break up the drive around the halfway point. You'll have two recommended stops, so use them strategically for fuel and rest. The longest stretch on I-90 is quite substantial, so ensure your fuel tank is topped off before embarking on that segment. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially in the more rural parts of the drive.
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 293.3 miles from Moscow, ID, or about 5h 19m 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 129 miles or 2h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 293.3 miles or 5h 19m 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 293.3 miles or 5h 19m
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 9h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Blackfoot, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Moscow, 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 Moscow, ID
Aim for roughly 293 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Blackfoot, ID
Aim for roughly 293 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 129 miles from Moscow, 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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 586.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 95 / South Washington Street
Turn left onto US 95 / South Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
82.5 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward I 90 Business: Northwest Boulevard, I 90 Business East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 Business: Northwest Boulevard, I 90...
5
360.5 mi into trip|~6h 27m 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
5
585 mi into trip|~9h 58m in|I 15 Business; US 26
Take the exit onto I 15 Business; US 26 toward I 15 Business, US 26, ID 39: Blackfoot, Aberdeen
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 15 Business, US 26, ID 39: Blackfoot,...
5
586.5 mi into trip|~10h 1m in|West Pacific Street
Turn right onto West Pacific Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$105.66 one way
$211.31 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg205 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$110.35
$220.69
premium
$5.11
$117.92
$235.84
diesel
$6.18
$142.70
$285.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$106
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$236–$346
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 205.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $62 in charging
· 2 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
176
2
$61.59
$28.16
Efficient EV
146.7
1
$51.33
$23.46
EV Truck/SUV
234.6
2
$82.12
$37.54
Gas CO2
205 kg
EV CO2
69 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Moscow, ID
Late night
in Moscow on Tuesday
Local time
1:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
39°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 3 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Blackfoot, ID
Late night
in Blackfoot on Tuesday
Local time
2:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
E 5 mph0% chanceLive 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
5 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
10h 2m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features 85% highway driving, meaning you'll spend most of your time on major interstates. The longest continuous stretch without needing to exit is 275.3 miles, primarily on I-90. You'll transition from interstate cruising to surface roads, specifically South Washington Street, as you approach your destination. Expect a mix of rural cruising and potentially some merging traffic as you navigate through different sections of Idaho.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 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?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 15. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 95 / South Washington Street.
Driving Effort6/10
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 586.6 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (US 95 / South Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 82.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 360.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,064 ft2,153 ft
Total Climb
4,492 ft
Total Descent
2,573 ft
Highest Point
6,064 ft
~460.9 mi in
Elevation Range
3,912 ft
Notable High Points
5,636 ft at ~377.1 miles+521 ft prominence
6,064 ft at ~460.9 miles+525 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Moscow, ID to Blackfoot, ID, road signs begin pointing toward Idaho Falls along the way.
Moscow is a city in North Central Idaho with a population of around 25,000 people (2020), an agricultural center and the home of the University of Idaho. The surrounding area is generally referred to as the Moscow-Pullman area -- Pullman is a city in Washington, that is fairly symbiotic with Moscow. They are 8 mi (13 km) apart.
Top landmarks
•W. J. McConnell House — historic house in Moscow, Idaho, USA
•First Methodist Church — church building in Moscow, United States of America
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
10h 2m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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 293 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 27 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 route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Blackfoot, 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 27 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: near the start (US 95 / South Washington Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 82.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 360.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 10.0 hours each way, a round trip means 20.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Blackfoot, ID before the return drive.
