which is the best route to take from Billings to Boise this time of year...Thanks...

My experience is with roads iffy,I'd go to Butte and go south from there.

Howdy, do you have to drive? My husband and I used to make this trip all of the time, and always went through West Yellowstone, but in the winter, that can be perilous at times. I prefer to fly now.

Assuming flying is not an option and given what state has money to plow their roads this time of year, I would go from Billings to Shoshoni, WY and then through Jackson to Idaho Falls where you can pickup the interstate to Boise. IF you go this way you can go through Moran, WY

thanks everyone, yes, my daughter has to drive it, so I will pass along this information....as usual MC.Com is dependable for good information...

In the winter we always take the Interstate I-90 to Whitehall
then highway 55 & 41 to Dillion then I-15 south to Pocatello
and I-86 to Heyburg and I-84 to Boise.
Don't mess with West Yellowstone route during the winter.

drive that route frequently, jim is right on, billings to whitehall to dillon, to idaho falls, pocatello, twinfalls and boise. all interstate except whitehall to dillon.

Yeah, that's the only consistent way to get here - monida is the worst part of the trip.

Whitehall to Dillon has its share of treachery in the winter also. Just be very careful and check the road reports frequently.

I have gone through Butte to avoid West Yellowstone and it was one of the worst drives of my life. That doesn't mean it's always like that though, and West Yellowstone is very often bad. I'd check the road reports and traffic cams the day before you leave.

I'd wait until July.

LOL, Tom, I wish she could...thanks again everyone...

Just came home from California and Arizona last week and the roads were fine from Idaho Falls through West Yellowstone. But that was almost a week ago and everybody knows how fast things change in that area.

I realize that this topic is a few days old already. And it has been a few years since I traveled from Montana to Idaho. But I'll suggest another route that is shorter and were still good roads, even in ground blizzards and snow storms.

Try 287 from Three Forks south to Ennis and towards West Yellowstone. But take state highway 87 (Henry's Lake Cutoff?). That was the only place I had problems in the wintertime driving on that route. Then continue south on W US 20 to Idaho Falls.

they left this morning and are taking Bridgiers advice for route so hopefully they will get there in one piece...thanks all for your help...

Try 287 from Three Forks south to Ennis and towards West Yellowstone. But take state highway 87 (Henry's Lake Cutoff?). That was the only place I had problems in the wintertime driving on that route. Then continue south on W US 20 to Idaho Falls.

I'm guessing as a kid you spent a lot of time riding with your mother...

[This message has been edited by Richard Bonine, Jr. (1/15/2011)]

Some of the trips that Mom took were far scarier than that particular route. I never talked to her about any travels in that direction. I didn't even include all the back routes from Bozeman to Ennis.

+1 to commericial air

they got there safely and thanks again for all suggestions...

I make this trip 3 times a year to exchange my children with their father who lives in Reno. I always go Billings to Whitehall to Dillon to Idaho falls to Pocatello to Boise. Interstate the whole way except for 51 miles from Whitehall to Dillon. I just drove it over Christmas and the roads were pretty good. Interstates were very good. Good luck. LOOOONG drive.

Stacie Miller