Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 36–43°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Areas frost36°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Partly sunny36°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Cloudy36°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Slight chance of light snow39°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Mostly cloudy39°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Mostly cloudy43°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Partly sunny36°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Partly sunny36°F - WedOct 14
CautionFreezing, 31°F near Jerome around 8:30 AM MDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Patchy frost36°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Areas frost33°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Frost31°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Partly sunny41°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Partly sunny37°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Partly sunny42°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny39°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny39°F - ThuOct 15
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 36–48°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Sunny40°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Sunny38°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Sunny36°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Mostly sunny44°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Mostly sunny39°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Sunny47°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Sunny46°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Sunny48°F - FriOct 16
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 40–52°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Sunny43°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Sunny41°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Sunny40°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Sunny46°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Sunny42°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Sunny49°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Sunny49°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Sunny52°F - SatOct 17
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 41–52°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Mostly sunny47°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Mostly sunny44°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Mostly sunny41°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Mostly sunny50°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Mostly sunny44°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Mostly sunny50°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Sunny49°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Sunny52°F - SunOct 18
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 44–52°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Mostly sunny47°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Mostly sunny46°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Mostly sunny44°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Mostly sunny52°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Mostly sunny44°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Mostly sunny51°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny49°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny52°F - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 45–52°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Boise7 AM MDT Partly sunny48°F Mountain Home7:45 AM MDT Partly sunny46°F Jerome8:30 AM MDT Mostly sunny45°F Pocatello10:15 AM MDT Mostly sunny52°F Idaho Falls10:45 AM MDT Partly sunny46°F Rexburg11:15 AM MDT Partly sunny52°F Targhee Pass12:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny49°F West Yellowstone12:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny52°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Boise (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Boise, IDStart 2,707 ftelevation
- Mountain Home, IDMile 44 · 39 min 3,143 ftelevation
- Jerome, IDMile 115 · 1 h 35 min 3,765 ftelevation
- Pocatello, IDMile 234 · 3 h 9 min 4,464 ftelevation
- Idaho Falls, IDMile 280 · 3 h 46 min 4,705 ftelevation
- Rexburg, IDMile 307 · 4 h 11 min 4,868 ftelevation
- Targhee Pass, MTMountain pass · Mile 379 · 5 h 22 min 7,080 ftelevation
- West Yellowstone, MTMile 388 · 5 h 32 min 6,668 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Boise, Targhee Pass and West Yellowstone.
| Month | Boise 2,814 ft | Targhee Pass Hebgen Dam station · 6,489 ft | West Yellowstone W Yellowstone Gateway station · 6,679 ft | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | |
| Jan | 39° / 26° | 1.8 | 23° / 4° | 11.8 | 27° / 0° |
| Feb | 46° / 29° | 1.2 | 28° / 5° | 8.6 | 31° / 2° |
| Mar | 56° / 35° | 0.5 | 38° / 14° | 6.1 | 40° / 9° |
| Apr | 62° / 40° | 0 | 47° / 23° | 2.9 | 48° / 21° |
| May | 72° / 48° | 0 | 58° / 32° | 0.4 | 59° / 29° |
| Jun | 81° / 54° | 0 | 68° / 39° | 0 | 68° / 34° |
| Jul | 93° / 62° | 0 | 79° / 45° | 0 | 80° / 39° |
| Aug | 91° / 61° | 0 | 78° / 43° | 0 | 78° / 36° |
| Sep | 80° / 53° | 0 | 68° / 37° | 0 | 68° / 30° |
| Oct | 65° / 42° | 0.1 | 51° / 28° | 1.1 | 51° / 21° |
| Nov | 49° / 32° | 0.8 | 34° / 18° | 6.6 | 36° / 11° |
| Dec | 39° / 25° | 1.7 | 23° / 6° | 11.4 | 26° / 3° |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: BOISE AIR TERMINAL (USW00024131, 2,814 ft); HEBGEN DAM (USC00244038, 6,489 ft); W YELLOWSTONE GATEWAY (USC00248858, 6,679 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Idaho and Montana rather than repeat them.
- Idaho · ITD511 Idaho road conditions
- Montana · MDT511MT road conditions
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Boise to West Yellowstone with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Boise to West Yellowstone?
388 miles, about 5½ hours of driving without stops, by way of US-20 and I-84. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Targhee Pass, at 7,080 ft. It comes at mile 379, about 5 h 22 min of driving after you leave Boise.
Does it snow at Targhee Pass in November?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Hebgen Dam (6,489 ft), averages 20.9 inches of snow in November, with about 7 days of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is West Yellowstone in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, W Yellowstone Gateway (6,679 ft), averages a high of 27°F and a low of 0°F in January (1991–2020 normals).