Trip from Kamiah, ID to San Diego, CA

Drive Time

21h 48m

Distance

1137 mi

Route Type

Long-distance drive

Multi-day drive

Trip Overview

The drive from Kamiah, ID to San Diego, CA covers 1137 miles and takes about 21h 48m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 3-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on 3rd Street, Virginia Street, Superior Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $174.27 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 3 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

6 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

568.5 miles from Kamiah, ID

A natural place for your longest stop of the day.

Drive Character

At 1137 miles and 21h 48m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are 3rd Street and Virginia Street.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 72 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

3rd Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
3rd Street	0 mi	0m
Virginia Street	0 mi	0m
Superior Street	0 mi	0m
South Main Street	0 mi	0m
Northwest 16th Street	0 mi	0m
East Idaho Avenue	0 mi	0m
Old Oregon Trail Highway	0 mi	0m
US 95	0 mi	0m

Longest stretch: 3rd Street — 0 mi, about 0m

Step-by-Step Directions

1

Start on Hill Street

2

Turn right onto 3rd Street

3

Turn right

4

Turn left

5

Take the exit slight right toward Virginia Street

6

Turn left onto Superior Street

7

Turn left onto South Main Street

8

Take the exit slight right

9

Continue on Northwest 16th Street

10

Continue on East Idaho Avenue

11

Turn left

12

Merge slight left onto Old Oregon Trail Highway

13

Take the exit slight right toward US 95: Payette, Parma

14

Turn right

15

Turn left

16

Turn right

17

Turn left onto Reinhart Lane

18

Continue on Rhinehart Lane

19

Turn right onto East 2nd Street

20

Take the ramp right toward I 80: Lovelock, Reno

21

Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

22

Take the exit slight right toward US 95: Fallon, Las Vegas

23

Turn right onto Wildes Road

24

Turn left onto Veterans Memorial Highway

25

Turn left onto Freedom Road

26

At the end of the road, turn left onto Veterans Memorial Highway

27

Continue on Plymire Street

28

Continue on Veterans Memorial Highway

29

Continue on Front Street

30

Continue on Veterans Memorial Highway

31

Turn right onto Mina–Basalt Cutoff Road

32

Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

33

Keep slight left to continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

34

Continue on North Main Street

35

At the end of the road, turn left onto North Main Street

36

Continue on El Camino Sierra

37

Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

38

Continue on North Main Street

39

Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

40

Continue on North Edwards Street

41

Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

42

Continue on North Main Street

43

Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway

44

Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway

45

Keep slight left to continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway

46

Continue on Red Mountain Road

47

Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway

48

Take the exit straight toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

49

Merge slight left onto Barstow and Mojave Freeway

50

Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway

51

Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway

52

Continue on Barstow Freeway

53

Keep slight left to continue on Barstow Freeway

54

Continue on San Bernardino Freeway

55

Continue on Riverside Freeway

56

Take the exit slight right toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indio

57

Keep slight right to continue on I 215, CA 60 Truck

58

Keep slight right

59

Continue on Avocado Highway

60

Continue on Escondido Freeway

61

Keep slight right to continue on Escondido Freeway

62

Continue on Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway

63

Continue on Escondido Freeway

64

Continue on Semper Fi Highway

65

Take the exit slight right toward CA 163 South

66

Continue on Cabrillo Freeway

67

Continue on Cabrillo Parkway

68

Continue on Cabrillo Parkway

69

Continue on 10th Avenue

70

Turn right onto Broadway

71

Turn left onto Front Street

72

Arrive at your destination

When to Leave

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 3-day trip.

Plan roughly 6 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 568.5 miles from Kamiah, ID.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Drive Plan

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 220 miles

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 568.5 miles

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 379 miles

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Last hour of driving

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Diego, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Kamiah, 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 3-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Trip Strategy

Day 1

Settle into the route from Kamiah, ID

Aim for roughly 379 miles and 7.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 379 miles and 7.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 3

Finish the approach into San Diego, CA

Aim for roughly 379 miles and 7.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 220 miles from Kamiah, ID.

This route usually feels better as a 3-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 6 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Best Stop Towns on This Route

These towns line up with the pace of this drive and give you clearer places to stop with a purpose.

Late stop town

Coffee and fuel

Boise, ID

375 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Late stop town

Overnight candidate

Mammoth Lakes, CA

750 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Suggested Overnight Stops

Night 1

Boise, ID

379 mi · about 7.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Boise, ID after about 379 miles or 7.3 hours of driving.

Night 2

Mammoth Lakes, CA

758 mi · about 14.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Mammoth Lakes, CA after about 758 miles or 14.5 hours of driving.

Travel Advice

Arrival Notes

The final approach into San Diego, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around San Diego, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach San Diego, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

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.

Stops Along the Way

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 568.5 mi from Kamiah, ID

Boise, ID

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 220 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Boise, ID

Meal break

The midpoint is around 568.5 miles from Kamiah, ID, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 379 miles or 7.3 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions for the drive, so the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
regular	$3.89	$174.27	$348.53
midgrade	$4.23	$189.40	$378.79
premium	$4.55	$203.63	$407.26
diesel	$5.41	$242.26	$484.52

Based on 25.4 MPG average. Estimated CO2 emission: 397.8 kg one way.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Kamiah, ID to San Diego, CA covers 1137 miles and takes about 21h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are 3rd Street, Virginia Street, Superior Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 3-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 379 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 568.5 miles from Kamiah, ID. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $174.27 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 6 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.