Tyhee to Caldwell is 258.9 miles and takes about 4h 13m via Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway and I 86, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Idaho, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. Most of the drive is on surface roads, so expect a more laid-back pace than a pure interstate cruise. With just one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
129.4 miles from Tyhee, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
192.4 mi
3h 6m
I 86
61.5 mi
57m
Yellowstone Avenue
2 mi
3m
Blaine Street
0.8 mi
1m
North Yellowstone Highway
0.6 mi
<1m
North 21st Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Franklin Road
0.4 mi
<1m
South 10th Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
— 192.4 mi, about 3h 6m
Traffic on I-84
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 328 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,943 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,443
Quietest
2 AM
~193 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Tyhee, ID and Caldwell, ID.
1
Start on Cherry Lane
50 ft·7 sec·Cherry Lane
2
Turn left onto US 91
0.6 mi·56 sec·North Yellowstone Highway
3
Continue on US 91
2.0 mi·3 min·Yellowstone Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
5
Merge onto I 86
61 mi·57 min·I 86
6
Continue on I 84; US 30
192 mi·3 hr 6 min·Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Toward US 20, US 26 EastUse the straight / left lanes.
8
Turn left onto US 20; US 26
0.4 mi·52 sec·Franklin Road
9
Continue on North 21st Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·North 21st Avenue
10
Turn right onto I 84 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Blaine Street
11
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
166 ft·9 sec·South 10th Avenue
12
Turn left
68 ft·6 sec
13
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 13m estimated drive time, leaving Tyhee in the morning should get you to Caldwell with plenty of daylight to spare. You've got one suggested stop along the way, but with a total distance under 260 miles, you can easily adjust your breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move from the highway segments to the surface roads, as fuel availability can vary in less populated areas. Your estimated fuel cost is around $43, so plan 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 129.4 miles from Tyhee, ID, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 192.4 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 57 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 129.4 miles or 2h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Caldwell, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tyhee, 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 Tyhee, ID
This is one driving day of about 258.9 miles and 4h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Tyhee, 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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway for about 192.4 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 258.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 91 / North Yellowstone Highway
Turn left onto US 91 / North Yellowstone Highway
Navigation decision point
7
256.8 mi into trip|~4h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 20, US 26 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward US 20, US 26 East
4
258.8 mi into trip|~4h 13m in|South 10th Avenue
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
258.9 mi into trip|~4h 13m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
258.9 mi into trip|~4h 13m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.90 one way
$89.80 round trip
$4.41/gal25.4 MPG avg91 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$46.96
$93.92
premium
$4.95
$50.45
$100.91
diesel
$5.60
$57.07
$114.14
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 90.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
77.7
0
$27.18
$12.43
Efficient EV
64.7
0
$22.65
$10.36
EV Truck/SUV
103.6
1
$36.25
$16.57
Gas CO2
91 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 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 Aug 15, 2026
Origin
Tyhee, ID
Late night
in Tyhee on Wednesday
Local time
1:17 AM
MDT
Current temp
50°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain
ESE 3 to 7 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued August 14 at 8:29AM MDT until August 15 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued August 14 at 2:35AM MDT until August 14 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
Destination
Caldwell, ID
Late night
in Caldwell on Wednesday
Local time
1:17 AM
MDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
WNW 3 to 9 mph11% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued August 14 at 8:29AM MDT until August 15 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued August 14 at 2:35AM MDT until August 14 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Pocatello ID
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
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
4h 13m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
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...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
Free
near mile 142.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 24% of this 258.9-mile drive on highways like I 86. The longest stretch on a single highway is 192.4 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. After this, you'll transition to mostly surface roads for the remainder of the trip. Expect a significant amount of time on non-highway routes, which often means more local traffic and varied speed limits.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 192.4 mi on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 91 / North Yellowstone Highway.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 13m drive. You will face about 8 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 (US 91 / North Yellowstone Highway): Navigation decision point; at 256.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 258.8 miles (South 10th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 192.4 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial 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: near the start (US 91 / North Yellowstone Highway): Navigation decision point; at 256.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 258.8 miles (South 10th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Caldwell, ID, but most travelers stay overnight.
