Pocatello, ID to Challis, ID is 162.5 miles and takes about 3h 10m via US 93, with a fuel budget near $26 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Mountain West region, traveling from one Idaho community to another. Expect a mixed driving experience with both highway and surface road segments, making it a manageable one-day excursion. It's a straightforward path for those looking to connect these two points without extensive planning.
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
81.2 miles from Pocatello, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 31m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 93
78.7 mi
1h 33m
Bergener Boulevard
34.1 mi
38m
Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
22.9 mi
26m
Veterans Memorial Highway
22.4 mi
21m
South Front Street
1.7 mi
3m
East Center Street
0.9 mi
2m
East Valley Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
North 10th Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 93
— 78.7 mi, about 1h 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pocatello, ID and Challis, ID.
1
Start on North 7th Avenue
229 ft·15 sec·North 7th Avenue
2
Turn left onto East Wyeth Street
0.2 mi·49 sec·East Wyeth Street
3
Turn right onto North 10th Avenue
0.3 mi·45 sec·North 10th Avenue
4
Turn left onto East Center Street
0.9 mi·2 min·East Center Street
5
Turn left
0.5 mi·36 sec
6
Merge onto I 15
22 mi·21 min·Veterans Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward US 26, ID 39: Blackfoot, Arco
8
Keep slight left at fork
182 ft·12 sec
9
Turn left onto I 15 Business; US 26
34 mi·38 min·Bergener Boulevard
10
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; US 26
23 mi·26 min·Idaho Medal of Honor Highway
11
Continue on US 20; US 26
1.7 mi·3 min·South Front Street
12
Continue on US 93
79 mi·1 hr 33 min·US 93
13
Turn left onto East Valley Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·East Valley Avenue
14
Turn right onto South 7th Street
330 ft·16 sec·South 7th Street
15
Turn right
135 ft·9 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 3h 10m, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Pocatello in the morning should allow ample time to reach Challis well before evening. With only one recommended stop and a manageable 162.5 miles, you can easily complete this drive in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 78.7-mile stretch on US 93, as services might be spaced out in this region.
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 81.2 miles from Pocatello, ID, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.7 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 36 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.2 miles or 1h 31m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Challis, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pocatello, 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 Pocatello, ID
This is one driving day of about 162.5 miles and 3h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Pocatello, 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 US 93 for about 78.7 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East Wyeth Street
Turn left onto East Wyeth Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|North 10th Avenue
Turn right onto North 10th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|East Center Street
Turn left onto East Center Street
Navigation decision point
5
24.3 mi into trip|~26m in
Take the exit toward US 26, ID 39: Blackfoot, Arco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 26, ID 39: Blackfoot, Arco
5
24.5 mi into trip|~26m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.75 one way
$51.50 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$26.99
$53.98
premium
$4.53
$28.99
$57.98
diesel
$5.61
$35.88
$71.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.8
0
$17.06
$7.80
Efficient EV
40.6
0
$14.22
$6.50
EV Truck/SUV
65
0
$22.75
$10.40
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (67% 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
Pocatello, ID
Night
in Pocatello on Saturday
Local time
10:16 PM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Challis, ID
Night
in Challis on Saturday
Local time
10:16 PM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
60°F
Carey, ID
81 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
32 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
3h 10m 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?
About 48% of this 162.5-mile route is on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 78.7 miles on US 93 before transitioning to surface roads. As you leave the highway segments, you'll notice a shift to more rural cruising. The profile is mixed highway & surface, indicating a transition from faster-paced driving to a more relaxed pace.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.7 mi on US 93.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 early in the drive near East Wyeth Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 10m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Wyeth Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North 10th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (East Center Street): Navigation decision point.
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 Pocatello, ID to Challis, ID, road signs begin pointing toward Arco along the way.
Arco
24.3 mi in|~26m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 10m. Total distance: 162.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 78.7 miles on US 93. 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: near the start (East Wyeth Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (North 10th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (East Center Street): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Challis, ID, but most travelers stay overnight.
