Origin
Preston, ID
Morning in Preston on Tuesday
Local time
7:45 AM
MDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Preston, ID to Pocatello, ID
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
67.8 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Preston, ID
ㅤ quang vinh ㅤ
Pocatello, ID
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Preston to Pocatello is a straightforward 67.8-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 16 minutes to complete. Since this is a relatively short trip within the Mountain West, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, eliminating the need for an overnight stay. You should expect to spend roughly $11 on fuel for the drive, making it a budget-friendly option for travelers. Navigating the route involves transitioning through North State Street, Veterans Memorial Highway, and South 5th Avenue. It serves as a practical, efficient link between these two Idaho locales, allowing for maximum flexibility in your travel schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North State Street | 33.7 mi | 41m |
| Veterans Memorial Highway | 30.2 mi | 28m |
| South 5th Avenue | 3 mi | 4m |
| US 91 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| I 15 BUS | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Hayden Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 7th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North State Street
— 33.7 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Preston, ID and Pocatello, ID.
1
Start on US 91; ID 36
34 mi
·
41 min
·
North State Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Take the ramp onto US 91
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 91
3
Merge onto I 15; US 91
30 mi
·
28 min
·
Veterans Memorial Highway
4
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91
Exit 67
Toward I 15 Business, US 30, US 91: 5th Avenue
5
Turn left onto I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
South 5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
Turn right onto East Hayden Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
East Hayden Street
7
At end of road, turn right onto North 7th Avenue
135 ft
·
5 sec
·
North 7th Avenue
8
Arrive at destination
North 7th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Preston, ID, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 34.2 and 67.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
34.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
I 15; US 91 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 15; US 91 / Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
64.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91
Take the exit onto I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91 toward I 15 Business, US 30, US 91: 5th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 67
Toward I 15 Business, US 30, US 91: 5th Avenue
4
64.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91 / South 5th Avenue
Turn left onto I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91 / South 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
67.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
East Hayden Street
Turn right onto East Hayden Street
Navigation decision point
6
67.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
North 7th Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto North 7th Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.74 one way
$21.49 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $11.26 | $22.52 |
| premium | $4.53 | $12.09 | $24.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.97 | $29.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.12 | $3.25 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.93 | $2.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.1 | 0 | $9.49 | $4.34 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Pocatello, ID
Morning in Pocatello on Tuesday
Local time
7:45 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
34°F
Oxford, ID
34 mi in
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
7 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
1h 16m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip functions as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate haul. You will spend 100% of your time on highways, navigating a series of transitions that keep the drive engaging. The longest uninterrupted portion of the journey spans 33.7 miles along North State Street, providing a significant stretch of consistent travel. Because the route relies on local infrastructure, you will experience varied road conditions that require your full attention behind the wheel. Expect the pace to shift as you move from the initial segments into the final approach toward Pocatello.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.7 mi on North State Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 34.2 miles in near I 15; US 91 / Veterans Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Preston, ID to Pocatello, ID is easy. At 1h 16m with 1% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 34.2 miles (I 15; US 91 / Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 64.4 miles (I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.7 miles (I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91 / South 5th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Pocatello, ID
Full guide →Pocatello is a college town in Southeastern Idaho. About 57,000 people lived there in 2021.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 67.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.7 miles on North State Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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 34.2 miles (I 15; US 91 / Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 64.4 miles (I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.7 miles (I 15 BUS; US 30; US 91 / South 5th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Pocatello, ID before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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