Trip from Austin, TX to Wink, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

7h 35m

Distance

428 mi

689 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$64

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min

4 AM

7h 25m ★

6 AM

7h 35m

8 AM

7h 55m

10 AM

7h 42m

12 PM

7h 40m

3 PM

7h 43m

5 PM

7h 54m

8 PM

7h 29m

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

Best Time

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Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

city in Winkler County, Texas, United States

Wink, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Austin to Wink is 428 miles and takes about 7h 35m via I 10 and US-290/US-285, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive moves you across the vast Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward path with minimal detours. It's a solid choice for a single-day trip if you're looking for efficiency and a direct route. Plan for a consistent driving experience as you make your way west.

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

214 miles from Austin, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 54m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 10	219.9 mi	3h 26m
West US Highway 290	96.7 mi	1h 50m
North US Highway 285	49 mi	55m
I 20	23.2 mi	21m
Rodgers Street	15.9 mi	23m
South US Highway 281	5.4 mi	6m
East Main Street	4.6 mi	9m
South Mopac Expressway	3.9 mi	4m

Longest stretch: I 10 — 219.9 mi, about 3h 26m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~482 veh/hr typical · worst 894

Quietest

3 AM

~89 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.4×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 96 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 Austin, TX and Wink, TX.

Start on East 5th Street

417 ft · 15 sec · East 5th Street

Turn left onto Brazos Street

357 ft · 23 sec · Brazos Street

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto East 6th Street

1.9 mi · 4 min · East 6th Street

Use the straight lane.

Turn left onto Atlanta Street

233 ft · 6 sec · Atlanta Street

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec

Toward Loop 1 South

Merge onto Loop 1

3.9 mi · 4 min · South Mopac Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

319 ft · 7 sec

Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West

Merge onto US 290; TX 71

3.7 mi · 4 min · US 290; TX 71

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on West US Highway 290 Frontage Rd

447 ft · 6 sec · West US Highway 290 Frontage Rd

Continue on West US 290 Frontage Rd

0.3 mi · 23 sec · West US 290 Frontage Rd

Turn straight onto West US 290 Bypass Lanes

0.5 mi · 33 sec · West US 290 Bypass Lanes

Continue on US 290

378 ft · 4 sec · West US Highway 290

Continue on US 290

30 mi · 37 min · West US Highway 290

Use the left lane.

Merge onto US 281; US 290

5.4 mi · 6 min · South US Highway 281

Turn left onto US 290

1.1 mi · 1 min · East Main Street

Toward Fredericksburg

Continue on US 290

27 mi · 30 min · West US Highway 290

Continue on US 290

3.5 mi · 7 min · East Main Street

Continue on US 290

39 mi · 42 min · West US Highway 290

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Toward I 10 West: Fort Stockton

Merge onto I 10

220 mi · 3 hr 26 min · I 10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Exit 257 Toward US 285: Pecos, Sanderson

Continue on Interstate 10 West

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Interstate 10 West

Take the ramp

224 ft · 6 sec

Merge onto US 285

49 mi · 55 min · North US Highway 285

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec

Toward I 20 East: Odessa

Merge onto I 20

23 mi · 21 min · I 20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 41 sec

Exit 66 Toward FM 1927, SH 115: Pyote, Kermit

Continue on Avenue E

0.1 mi · 21 sec · Avenue E

Turn left onto TX 115

16 mi · 23 min · Rodgers Street

Continue on TX 115

0.2 mi · 16 sec · Hendricks Boulevard

Turn right onto FM 1232

78 ft · 2 sec · Southwest 1st Street

Arrive at destination

FM 1232

Trip Plan

Consider departing Austin in the morning to take advantage of the full daylight hours for your 7h 35m drive. With only two recommended stops and a mostly highway profile, you can easily manage this route in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 219.9-mile stretch on I 10, as services can become more spread out. The fuel cost is estimated at $62, so budget accordingly. A midday departure could also work, allowing for a more relaxed pace.

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 214 miles from Austin, TX, or about 3h 54m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 219.9 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 94 miles or 1h 57m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 214 miles or 3h 54m 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 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wink, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Austin, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Austin, TX

This is one driving day of about 428 miles and 7h 35m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 94 miles from Austin, TX.

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 I 10 for about 219.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Kerrville, TX

214 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

Kerrville, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 94 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Angelo, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 214 miles from Austin, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

1.6 mi from route

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Stonewall, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+18306442252

Visit website

Austin Bat Tours

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 338.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Brazos Street

Turn left onto Brazos Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East 6th Street

Turn left onto East 6th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

6.2 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, Llano

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West: Johnson City, L...

6.8 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 290 West, TX 71 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 290 West, TX 71 West

338.6 mi into trip | ~5h 51m in

Take the exit toward US 285: Pecos, Sanderson

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 257 Toward US 285: Pecos, Sanderson

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$64.25 one way

$128.50 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 150 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$71.09	$142.18
premium	$4.57	$76.92	$153.84
diesel	$6.28	$105.75	$211.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$64

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$89–$114

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 149.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	128.4	1	$44.94	$20.54
Efficient EV	107	1	$37.45	$17.12
EV Truck/SUV	171.2	2	$59.92	$27.39

Gas CO2

150 kg

EV CO2

50 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 Oct 22, 2026

Origin

Austin, TX

Evening in Austin on Thursday

Local time

6:39 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Clear

0 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Wink, TX

Evening in Wink on Thursday

Local time

6:39 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Mostly Cloudy

E 5 mph 0% chance 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

7h 35m 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th president beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives...

1 mi from route ~3 min detour Free near mile 59

Park Closure: Texas White House Complex Closure

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This trip is 94% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on interstates and major US highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 219.9 miles on I 10. Expect to transition from Interstate 10 onto US Highway 290, then finally US Highway 285. You'll notice a pattern of long-distance cruising with fewer exits as you move further west.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 219.9 mi on I 10.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 10 and West US Highway 290. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Brazos Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 428 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 0.1 miles (Brazos Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.1 miles (East 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,972 ft 487 ft

Total Climb

2,969 ft

Total Descent

661 ft

Highest Point

2,972 ft

~336.3 mi in

Elevation Range

2,485 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Austin, TX and Wink, TX, road signs point toward Fredericksburg and Sanderson.

Fredericksburg

47.3 mi in | ~1h | via US 290

Sanderson

338.6 mi in | ~5h 51m

About the Cities

Starting in Austin, TX

Full guide →

“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835

Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.

Top landmarks

• Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
• Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA

Arriving in Wink, TX

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 35m. Total distance: 428 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 35m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 219.9 miles on I 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 26 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 Wink, 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 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 7.6 hours each way, a round trip means 15.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Wink, TX before the return drive.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Trip from Austin, TX to Wink, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-10

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Gillespie County US 290 Rest Area

East Pecos County Sheffield Eastbound Rest Area

East Pecos County Sheffield Westbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Sutton County Westbound Rest Area

Sutton County Eastbound Rest Area

Picnic Area

Parking Area

Parking Area

Love's Travel Stop

Pilot Travel Center

Love's Travel Stop

Flying J Travel Center

Gillespie County Ranch Road 1 Rest Area

Picnic Area

Parking Area

Parking Area

Pilot Travel Center

Road Ranger

Flying J Travel Center

Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Service Plaza

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site

Austin Bat Tours

Paisano Pete

Fort Stockton Visitor Center

James Rooney Memorial Park

Historic Fort Stockton

Annie Riggs Memorial Museum

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Austin, TX

Wink, TX

Same local time

Very similar conditions

7h 35m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Austin, TX

Arriving in Wink, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

Continue From Wink, TX

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