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Trip from Soda Springs, ID to Caldwell, ID

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 16m

Distance

316.5 mi

509 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min
4 AM
5h 3m ★
6 AM
5h 17m
8 AM
5h 44m
10 AM
5h 26m
12 PM
5h 24m
3 PM
5h 28m
5 PM
5h 42m
8 PM
5h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Soda Springs, ID, ID

Soda Springs, ID

Abhishek Navlakha

city in and county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States

Caldwell, ID

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Soda Springs, ID to Caldwell, ID covers 316.5 miles and takes about 5h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, I 86, West 2nd South Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 192.4 miles on Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $50.15 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

158.2 miles from Soda Springs, ID

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 41m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 16m. Total distance: 316.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (20%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 16m drive with frequent turns across 316.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 192.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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 around 58.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 58.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 314.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 316.4 miles (South 10th Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
58.7 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in

Take the exit toward I 86 West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 72 Toward I 86 West
7
314.3 mi into trip | ~5h 11m 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
316.4 mi into trip | ~5h 16m in | South 10th Avenue

Turn left onto South 10th Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
316.4 mi into trip | ~5h 16m in

Turn left

Navigation decision point

4
316.5 mi into trip | ~5h 16m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway 192.4 mi 3h 6m
I 86 62.7 mi 59m
West 2nd South Street 33.9 mi 41m
Veterans Memorial Highway 23.9 mi 23m
Blaine Street 0.8 mi 1m
North 21st Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
Franklin Road 0.4 mi <1m
I 15 Business 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway — 192.4 mi, about 3h 6m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Soda Springs, ID and Caldwell, ID.

1

Start on US 30; ID 34

34 mi · 41 min · West 2nd South Street
2

Take the exit onto I 15 Business; US 30

0.4 mi · 21 sec · I 15 Business; US 30
3

Merge onto I 15; US 30; US 91

24 mi · 23 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 13 sec
5

Continue on I 15 BUS

0.2 mi · 14 sec · I 15 BUS
6

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 72 Toward I 86 West
7

Continue on I 86

63 mi · 59 min · I 86
8

Continue on I 84; US 30

192 mi · 3 hr 6 min · Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 36 sec
Toward US 20, US 26 East Use the straight / left lanes.
10

Turn left onto US 20; US 26

0.4 mi · 52 sec · Franklin Road
11

Continue on North 21st Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · North 21st Avenue
12

Turn right onto I 84 Business

0.8 mi · 1 min · Blaine Street
13

Turn left onto South 10th Avenue

166 ft · 9 sec · South 10th Avenue
14

Turn left

68 ft · 6 sec
15

Turn right

79 ft · 5 sec
16

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

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 158.2 miles from Soda Springs, ID, or about 2h 41m 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 70 miles or 1h 16m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 158.2 miles or 2h 41m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 18m

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 Soda Springs, 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 Soda Springs, ID

This is one driving day of about 316.5 miles and 5h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Soda Springs, 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.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 158.2 mi from Soda Springs, ID · 2h 41m into the drive

city in Cassia County, Idaho, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Burley, ID

158 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

Pocatello, ID

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kimberly, ID

Meal break

The midpoint is around 158.2 miles from Soda Springs, ID, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 192.4 miles.

Arriving in Caldwell, ID

The final approach into Caldwell, ID 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 Caldwell, ID.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

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...

7 mi from route ~17 min detour Free near mile 196.4
Caution: Use Caution with "Fossil Beds Information" Signs
Caution: If You Can't Reach Us By Phone, Please Email Us
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$50.15 one way

$100.31 round trip

$4.03/gal 25.4 MPG avg 111 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.22 $52.57 $105.14
premium $4.53 $56.46 $112.92
diesel $5.61 $69.88 $139.76

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$50

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$75–$100

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 110.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 95 1 $33.23 $15.19
Efficient EV 79.1 0 $27.69 $12.66
EV Truck/SUV 126.6 1 $44.31 $20.26

Gas CO2

111 kg

EV CO2

37 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

Soda Springs, ID

Night in Soda Springs on Friday

Local time

10:12 PM

MDT

Current temp

58°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Caldwell, ID

Night in Caldwell on Friday

Local time

10:12 PM

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

4 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

5h 16m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Soda Springs, ID to Caldwell, ID covers 316.5 miles and takes about 5h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, I 86, West 2nd South Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 158.2 miles from Soda Springs, ID. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.15 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 5h 16m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 58.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 314.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 316.4 miles (South 10th Avenue): Navigation decision point.

The route from Soda Springs, ID to Caldwell, ID does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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