Amarillo, TX to Prairie View, TX is 559.6 miles and takes about 10h 1m via Central East Freeway and US Highway 287, with a fuel budget near $81 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route spans across Texas, starting in the Great Plains and ending in the same region. It's a long-haul drive, best suited for an overnight trip to avoid fatigue. Given the substantial distance, planning for at least two days will make the drive more comfortable and allow for a more relaxed pace.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
279.8 miles from Amarillo, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Central East Freeway
99.2 mi
1h 46m
North South Freeway
84.6 mi
1h 27m
US Highway 287
81.8 mi
1h 27m
US 287
77.2 mi
1h 21m
East State Highway 6
46.6 mi
46m
US Highway 287 East
40.5 mi
42m
North Earl Rudder Freeway
30.1 mi
31m
State Highway 6
22.4 mi
25m
Longest stretch:
Central East Freeway
— 99.2 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~2,798 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,547
Quietest
2 AM
~420 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Amarillo, TX and Prairie View, TX.
1
Start on I 40 Business; Original US Route 66; US 60
5.1 mi·6 min·East Amarillo Boulevard
2
Turn right
194 ft·5 sec
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
4
Merge onto Loop 335
1.9 mi·2 min·North Lakeside Drive
5
Turn left onto East Interstate Drive
0.1 mi·16 sec·East Interstate Drive
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
7
Merge onto I 40; US 287
2.2 mi·2 min·I 40; US 287
8
Take the exit onto US 287
77 mi·1 hr 21 min·US 287
Exit 78Toward US 287 South: Fort Worth
9
Turn slight right onto US 287
14 mi·13 min·US Highway 287
10
Continue on US 287
0.7 mi·58 sec·Burnett Street
11
Continue on US 287
14 mi·14 min·US Highway 287
12
Continue on US 287
2.8 mi·3 min·Avenue F Northwest
13
Continue on US 287
54 mi·58 min·US Highway 287
14
Continue on US 287
4.1 mi·4 min·Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 70; US 183; US 287
41 mi·42 min·US Highway 287 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 287
4.6 mi·4 min·Northwest Freeway
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287
0.6 mi·42 sec·Northwest Freeway
Toward I 44 West, US 277 South, US 281 South, US 287 South: Wichita Falls
18
Merge onto I 44; US 277; US 281; US 287
2.5 mi·3 min·Central Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on US 277; US 281; US 287
0.9 mi·1 min·Lloyd Ruby Overpass
Use the straight lane.
20
Continue on US 281; US 287
0.9 mi·1 min·Central East Freeway
21
Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287
1.8 mi·1 min·Central East Freeway
22
Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287
97 mi·1 hr 43 min·Central East Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Continue on US 81; US 287
4.6 mi·4 min·US 81; US 287
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Merge onto I 35W; US 287
4.5 mi·4 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.6 mi·33 sec
Toward I 35W Express Toll SouthUse the slight left lane.
26
Merge onto I 35W TEXpress
4.0 mi·3 min·I 35W TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Merge onto I 35W
85 mi·1 hr 27 min·North South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Continue on I 35; US 77
0.1 mi·8 sec·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
29
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 337Toward US 77 Business: Elm AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Turn straight onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway
0.1 mi·16 sec·North Jack Kultgen Expressway
31
Turn left onto US 77 Bus
1.0 mi·1 min·North Loop Drive
32
Continue on Loop 484
2.7 mi·3 min·Marlin Highway
33
Continue on TX 6
9.1 mi·9 min·East State Highway 6
34
Continue on TX 6
2.1 mi·2 min·North Memorial Street
35
Continue on TX 6
37 mi·37 min·East State Highway 6
36
Continue on TX 6
2.2 mi·3 min·North Main Street
37
Continue on TX 6
6.2 mi·6 min·North State Highway 6
38
Continue on US 79; TX 6
2.1 mi·2 min·North Market Street
39
Continue on US 190; TX 6
14 mi·14 min·South State Highway 6
40
Continue on US 190; TX 6
30 mi·31 min·North Earl Rudder Freeway
41
Continue on TX 6
22 mi·25 min·State Highway 6
Use the straight / right lanes.
42
Continue on US 290 Business
423 ft·10 sec·US 290 Business
Toward US 290 East, TX 6 South
43
Turn left
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward US 290 East, TX 6 SouthUse the left lane.
44
Merge onto US 290
5.0 mi·5 min·US 290
45
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward Prairie View A&M University
46
Keep slight left at fork
129 ft·5 sec
Use the left lane.
47
Turn left onto FM 1098
0.6 mi·1 min·Sandra Bland Parkway
Use the left lane.
48
Continue on University Drive
0.3 mi·1 min·University Drive
49
At end of road, turn left onto L. W. Minor Street
10 ft·0 sec·L. W. Minor Street
50
Arrive at destination
L. W. Minor Street
Trip Plan
For this 10-hour drive, it's highly recommended to break it up over two days. Aim to leave early in the morning to maximize daylight hours for your first day. You'll have two planned stops, which should be sufficient for a trip of this length, but be mindful of the longest stretch of 99.2 miles before needing a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially when leaving larger towns, as services can be spread out. The fuel cost is estimated at $81, so budget accordingly.
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 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 279.8 miles from Amarillo, TX, or about 5h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.2 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 123 miles or 2h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 279.8 miles or 5h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 279.8 miles or 5h
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Prairie View, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Amarillo, TX 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 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Amarillo, TX
Aim for roughly 280 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Prairie View, TX
Aim for roughly 280 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 123 miles from Amarillo, TX.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Central East Freeway for about 99.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Texas Travel Information Center at Amarillo and Safety Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
National Truck Stop Amarillo
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Donley County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.9 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
1.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.3 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 22
5 decision points cluster between mile 221.5 and 552.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
221.5 mi into trip|~3h 57m in|US 287 / Northwest Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 287 / Northwest Freeway toward I 44 West, US 277 South, US 281 South, US 287 South: Wichita Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 44 West, US 277 South, US 281 South, U...
6
228.1 mi into trip|~4h 5m in|US 82; US 287 / Central East Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 82; US 287 / Central East Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
333.8 mi into trip|~5h 59m in
Take the exit toward I 35W Express Toll South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35W Express Toll South
7
423 mi into trip|~7h 31m in
Take the exit toward US 77 Business: Elm Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 337
Toward US 77 Business: Elm Avenue
7
552.9 mi into trip|~9h 51m in
Turn left toward US 290 East, TX 6 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 290 East, TX 6 South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$84.95 one way
$169.91 round trip
$3.86/gal25.4 MPG avg196 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.25
$93.63
$187.27
premium
$4.58
$100.90
$201.81
diesel
$5.35
$117.87
$235.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$85
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$215–$325
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 195.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $59 in charging
· 2 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
167.9
2
$58.76
$26.86
Efficient EV
139.9
1
$48.97
$22.38
EV Truck/SUV
223.8
2
$78.34
$35.81
Gas CO2
196 kg
EV CO2
65 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 May 10, 2026
Origin
Amarillo, TX
Afternoon
in Amarillo on Wednesday
Local time
3:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 15 to 20 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued May 10 at 2:25PM CDT until May 10 at 3:15PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued May 10 at 2:21PM CDT until May 10 at 3:15PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Destination
Prairie View, TX
Afternoon
in Prairie View on Wednesday
Local time
3:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
70°F
Eldorado, OK
185 mi in
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.
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
25 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
10h 1m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
National Monument
Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 424.5
13,000 years ago, Alibates Flint was used by mammoth hunters as a source of flint for tools. Learn how important this site was to the survival, commerce, and culture of the people of the High Plains.
Set within the wide‑open Texas Plains, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of rugged grasslands. Over thousands of years, the Canadian River carved dramatic 2...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a long-haul drive with 95% of the route on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 99.2 miles on the Central East Freeway. The majority of your time will be spent cruising on US Highway 287. Expect a consistent driving experience with minimal time on slower, surface roads.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
50 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.2 mi on Central East Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Central East Freeway and North South Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 221.5 miles in near US 287 / Northwest Freeway.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 559.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 221.5 miles (US 287 / Northwest Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 228.1 miles (US 82; US 287 / Central East Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 333.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 99.2 miles on Central East Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 280 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 41 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Prairie View, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 41 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 221.5 miles (US 287 / Northwest Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 228.1 miles (US 82; US 287 / Central East Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 333.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument and Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 10.0 hours each way, a round trip means 20.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Prairie View, TX before the return drive.
