The drive from Coeur d'Alene, ID to Challis, ID covers 362.1 miles and takes about 7h 19m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 90, US Highway 93 South, Salmon River Scenic Byway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 159.4 miles on I 90.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $57.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
181 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 18m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 19m. Total distance: 362.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 7h 19m highway drive covering 362.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 90 and US Highway 93 South. The longest continuous stretch is about 159.4 miles on I 90.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 90 is the longest continuous segment at about 159.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and US Highway 93 South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near North 7th 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 7h 19m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 90): Navigation decision point; at 161.1 miles (I 90 Business; US 93): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|North 7th Street
Turn right onto North 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in|I 90
Take the ramp onto I 90 toward I 90 East
Navigation decision point
Toward I 90 East
4
161.1 mi into trip|~2h 49m in|I 90 Business; US 93
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 93 toward US 93 South: Hamilton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 93 South: Hamilton
5
161.3 mi into trip|~2h 49m in|I 90 Bus; US 93 / North Reserve Street
Turn right onto I 90 Bus; US 93 / North Reserve Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
166.6 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|Brooks Street
Turn right onto Brooks Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
159.4 mi
2h 45m
US Highway 93 South
128.1 mi
2h 48m
Salmon River Scenic Byway
62.2 mi
1h 23m
North Reserve Street
5.3 mi
9m
Bitteroot Road
3 mi
3m
Sherman Avenue
1.2 mi
1m
Main Street
1 mi
2m
Brooks Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 159.4 mi, about 2h 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Coeur d'Alene, ID and Challis, ID.
1
Start on East Garden Avenue
0.2 mi·43 sec·East Garden Avenue
2
Turn right onto North 7th Street
0.3 mi·50 sec·North 7th Street
3
Turn left onto Sherman Avenue
1.2 mi·1 min·Sherman Avenue
4
Take the ramp onto I 90
159 mi·2 hr 45 min·I 90
Toward I 90 East
5
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 93
0.2 mi·26 sec·I 90 Business; US 93
Toward US 93 South: Hamilton
6
Turn right onto I 90 Bus; US 93
5.3 mi·9 min·North Reserve Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn right onto Brooks Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Brooks Street
Use the right lane.
8
Continue on US 12; US 93
3.0 mi·3 min·Bitteroot Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on US 12; US 93
128 mi·2 hr 48 min·US Highway 93 South
10
Continue on US 93
4.5 mi·6 min·Salmon River Scenic Byway
Use the straight / left lanes.
11
Turn left onto US 93
488 ft·8 sec·Courthouse Drive
12
Continue on US 93
0.6 mi·59 sec·Main Street
13
Turn right onto US 93
0.4 mi·36 sec·South Challis Street
14
Continue on US 93
58 mi·1 hr 16 min·Salmon River Scenic Byway
15
Turn right onto Main Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Main Street
16
Turn left onto South 7th Street
326 ft·19 sec·South 7th Street
17
Turn left
135 ft·9 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 181 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID, or about 3h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 159.4 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 80 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 181 miles or 3h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 58m
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 Coeur d'Alene, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Coeur d'Alene, ID
This is one driving day of about 362.1 miles and 7h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 159.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 181 mi from Coeur d'Alene, ID
· 3h 18m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$57.38 one way
$114.76 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg127 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$60.15
$120.29
premium
$4.53
$64.59
$129.19
diesel
$5.61
$79.95
$159.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$57
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$82–$107
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 126.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
8 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: good
Tesla Supercharger
Missoula, Montana
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Superior, Montana
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Missoula, Montana
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
EvGateway Charging Station
Hamilton, Montana
Other
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Blink
1 DCFC
Red E Charging Station
Missoula, Montana
Other
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
EV Connect
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Superior, Montana
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Tesla: 2
Other: 2
ChargePoint: 1
Blink: 1
EV Connect: 1
Tesla Destination: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
108.6
1
$38.02
$17.38
Efficient EV
90.5
1
$31.68
$14.48
EV Truck/SUV
144.8
1
$50.69
$23.17
Gas CO2
127 kg
EV CO2
42 kg (67% 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
Coeur d'Alene, ID
Late night
in Coeur d'Alene on Saturday
Local time
1:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Challis, ID
Late night
in Challis on Saturday
Local time
2:15 AM
MDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
43°F
Hamilton, MT
181 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
14 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
7h 19m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Coeur d'Alene, ID to Challis, ID covers 362.1 miles and takes about 7h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 90, US Highway 93 South, Salmon River Scenic Byway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 181 miles from Coeur d'Alene, ID. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $57.38 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 19m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (North 7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (I 90): Navigation decision point; at 161.1 miles (I 90 Business; US 93): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Coeur d'Alene, ID to Challis, ID does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
