The drive from Saint Maries, ID to Boise, ID covers 345.1 miles and takes about 7h 52m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 95, South 3rd Street, ID 55 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 136.6 miles on US 95.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $54.69 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
172.6 miles from Saint Maries, ID
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 59m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 52m. Total distance: 345.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 7h 52m highway drive covering 345.1 miles, with most of the trip on US 95 and South 3rd Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 136.6 miles on US 95.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 95 is the longest continuous segment at about 136.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 95 and South 3rd Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 3rd 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 52m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 18 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (ID 3 / College Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.5 miles (ID 6 / State Highway 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South 3rd Street
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|ID 3 / College Avenue
Turn right onto ID 3 / College Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
14.5 mi into trip|~25m in|ID 6 / State Highway 6
Keep slight right at fork onto ID 6 / State Highway 6
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
53 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|ID 8 / State Highway 8
At end of road, turn left onto ID 8 / State Highway 8
Navigation decision point
5
336.9 mi into trip|~7h 35m in|ID 44 / East State Street
Turn left onto ID 44 / East State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 95
136.6 mi
2h 37m
South 3rd Street
45.7 mi
1h 1m
ID 55
31.1 mi
46m
Highway 3
20.2 mi
29m
State Highway 6
15.9 mi
24m
Highway 55
15 mi
20m
Highway 3 South
14.3 mi
25m
State Highway 9
13.4 mi
18m
Longest stretch:
US 95
— 136.6 mi, about 2h 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Maries, ID and Boise, ID.
1
Start on West Jefferson Avenue
49 ft·7 sec·West Jefferson Avenue
2
Turn left onto South 3rd Street
359 ft·19 sec·South 3rd Street
3
Turn right onto ID 3
0.1 mi·15 sec·College Avenue
4
Continue on ID 3
14 mi·25 min·Highway 3 South
5
Keep slight right at fork onto ID 6
8.2 mi·14 min·State Highway 6
6
Continue on ID-6
9.3 mi·16 min·ID-6
7
Continue on ID 6
7.7 mi·10 min·State Highway 6
8
Turn left onto ID 9
13 mi·18 min·State Highway 9
9
At end of road, turn left onto ID 8
0.2 mi·15 sec·State Highway 8
10
Continue on ID 8
0.6 mi·1 min·West 2nd Avenue
11
Turn right onto Wyoming Street
0.4 mi·51 sec·Wyoming Street
12
Continue on ID 3
15 mi·20 min·Highway 3
13
Continue on ID 3
1.2 mi·2 min·Main Street
14
Continue on ID 3
2.9 mi·5 min·Highway 3
15
Continue on ID 3
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
16
Continue on ID 3
2.4 mi·4 min·Highway 3
17
Continue on ID 3
6.3 mi·11 min·State Highway 3
18
Continue on ID 3
156 ft·8 sec·State Highway 3
19
Turn right onto US 12
4.7 mi·5 min·Arrow Bridge
20
Merge onto US 95
60 mi·1 hr 10 min·US 95
21
Turn right onto Johnston Road
2.2 mi·5 min·Johnston Road
22
Turn right onto US 95
76 mi·1 hr 26 min·US 95
23
Turn left onto ID 55
11 mi·16 min·ID 55
24
Turn right onto Boydstun Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Boydstun Street
25
Continue on East Deinhard Lane
1.6 mi·2 min·East Deinhard Lane
26
Turn right onto ID 55
46 mi·1 hr 1 min·South 3rd Street
27
Continue on ID 55
18 mi·25 min·ID 55
28
Continue on ID 55
13 mi·17 min·Highway 55
29
Continue on ID 55
1.3 mi·1 min·Horseshoe Bend Road
30
Continue on ID 55
2.0 mi·5 min·ID 55
31
Continue on ID 55
0.4 mi·29 sec·Horseshoe Bend Road
32
Continue on ID 55
2.4 mi·3 min·Highway 55
33
Continue on ID 55
5.9 mi·7 min·Payette River Scenic Byway
34
Continue on ID 55
8.9 mi·12 min·North Horseshoe Bend Road
35
Turn left onto ID 44
5.4 mi·9 min·East State Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
36
Keep slight right at fork onto West State Street
2.4 mi·6 min·West State Street
37
Turn right onto North 6th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·North 6th Street
38
Turn right onto US 20; US 26
263 ft·8 sec·West Front Street
39
Turn right
55 ft·4 sec
40
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 172.6 miles from Saint Maries, ID, or about 3h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 136.6 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 76 miles or 2h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 172.6 miles or 3h 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Boise, ID than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Saint Maries, 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 Saint Maries, ID
This is one driving day of about 345.1 miles and 7h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 76 miles from Saint Maries, 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 US 95 for about 136.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 172.6 mi from Saint Maries, ID
· 3h 59m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Nez Perce National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Since time immemorial, the valleys, prairies, mountains, and plateaus of the inland northwest have been home to the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) people. Extremely resilient, they survived the settling of the...
20 mi from route
~49 min detour
Free
near mile 142.8
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
103.5
1
$36.24
$16.56
Efficient EV
86.3
0
$30.20
$13.80
EV Truck/SUV
138
1
$48.31
$22.09
Gas CO2
121 kg
EV CO2
40 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
Saint Maries, ID
Late night
in Saint Maries on Saturday
Local time
4:19 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Boise, ID
Late night
in Boise on Saturday
Local time
5:19 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
7h 52m 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 Saint Maries, ID to Boise, ID covers 345.1 miles and takes about 7h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 95, South 3rd Street, ID 55. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 172.6 miles from Saint Maries, ID. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $54.69 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 52m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 18 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (ID 3 / College Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 14.5 miles (ID 6 / State Highway 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Saint Maries, ID to Boise, ID does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Nez Perce National Historical Park.
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.
