Traveling from Caddo Mills to Houston covers 277.5 miles and typically takes about 4 hours and 19 minutes of driving time. Because this journey is relatively short, you can comfortably complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $41 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Texas locations. Both the starting point and destination are situated within the Great Plains region, keeping the landscape consistent throughout your trip. Since this route functions as a turn-heavy local drive, you will find it manageable for a day trip, provided you are prepared for the specific navigation requirements of local roads.
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
136.7 miles from Caddo Mills, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 29m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Julius Schepps Freeway
226.6 mi
3h 56m
Congressman Ralph Hall Highway
18.7 mi
20m
Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
14.1 mi
15m
State Highway 66
8.5 mi
10m
West Interstate 30
1.1 mi
1m
South Central Expressway
0.5 mi
<1m
Milam Street
0.4 mi
1m
South Elm Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Julius Schepps Freeway
— 226.6 mi, about 3h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Caddo Mills, TX and Houston, TX.
1
Start on FM 36
215 ft·7 sec·Main Street
2
Turn right onto TX 66; FM 36
8.5 mi·10 min·State Highway 66
3
Continue on TX 66
0.3 mi·28 sec·East Main Street
4
Turn left onto FM 548
0.4 mi·42 sec·South Elm Street
5
Turn right onto West Interstate 30
1.1 mi·1 min·West Interstate 30
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 30 West
7
Merge onto I 30; US 67
19 mi·20 min·Congressman Ralph Hall Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 56AToward I 635 South
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 635 South
10
Merge onto I 635
14 mi·15 min·Lyndon B Johnson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Exit 474Toward SH 310Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto TX 310
0.5 mi·48 sec·South Central Expressway
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 45 South: HoustonUse the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 45
227 mi·3 hr 56 min·Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 45
271 ft·3 sec·Gulf Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Exit 48AToward I 10 East: BeaumontUse the slight left / straight lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward Milam StreetUse the slight left lane.
18
Continue on Milam Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Milam Street
19
Turn right onto Prairie Street
328 ft·13 sec·Prairie Street
20
Turn right onto Louisiana Street
516 ft·16 sec·Louisiana Street
21
Arrive at destination
Louisiana Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 4-hour and 19-minute journey, plan your departure for a time that avoids peak local traffic, as the turn-heavy nature of these roads can be more taxing during busy hours. Since the trip is manageable in a single day, you have the flexibility to stop whenever you need to stretch your legs without worrying about a strict schedule. Keep your $41 fuel budget in mind and consider topping off your tank before you leave Caddo Mills to avoid searching for stations on unfamiliar local roads. Given the lack of highway miles, ensure your GPS is updated and reliable before you head out, as navigating local turns will be your primary challenge throughout the drive.
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 136.7 miles from Caddo Mills, TX, or about 2h 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 226.6 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 60 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.7 miles or 2h 29m 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Houston, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Caddo Mills, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Caddo Mills, TX
This is one driving day of about 273.4 miles and 4h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Caddo Mills, TX.
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 Julius Schepps Freeway for about 226.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 10.5 and 272.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
10.5 mi into trip|~14m in|I 30; US 67 / Congressman Ralph Hall Highway
Merge onto I 30; US 67 / Congressman Ralph Hall Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
29.2 mi into trip|~35m in
Take the exit toward I 635 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 56A
Toward I 635 South
7
44.3 mi into trip|~52m in
Take the exit toward SH 310
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 474
Toward SH 310
7
272.1 mi into trip|~4h 51m in
Take the exit toward I 10 East: Beaumont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 48A
Toward I 10 East: Beaumont
7
272.5 mi into trip|~4h 52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Milam Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Milam Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.31 one way
$82.62 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg96 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$45.22
$90.44
premium
$4.54
$48.81
$97.63
diesel
$5.61
$60.36
$120.73
Estimated Tolls: $0.04
Central Expressway
(0.5 mi)$0.04
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
82
1
$28.71
$13.12
Efficient EV
68.4
0
$23.92
$10.94
EV Truck/SUV
109.4
1
$38.28
$17.50
Gas CO2
96 kg
EV CO2
32 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
Caddo Mills, TX
Morning
in Caddo Mills on Sunday
Local time
9:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Houston, TX
Morning
in Houston on Sunday
Local time
9:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°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
21 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
4h 54m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this 277.5-mile trek. With a highway share of 0%, your focus will remain on navigating local road networks rather than high-speed highway stretches. This profile creates a more technical experience behind the wheel, requiring your full attention as you transition between various local paths. Because there are no major highways to rely on, the drive demands a steady pace and frequent adjustments. You will not encounter long, uninterrupted stretches, so plan for a route that keeps you engaged with constant maneuvering through the local landscape.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 226.6 mi on Julius Schepps Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Julius Schepps Freeway and Congressman Ralph Hall Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.5 miles in near I 30; US 67 / Congressman Ralph Hall Highway.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 273.4 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 10.5 miles (I 30; US 67 / Congressman Ralph Hall Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 44.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Caddo Mills, TX to Houston, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Sh 310 along the way.
Houston is a sprawling port city in Southeastern Texas. An oil boom and continuing international immigration has brought explosive growth to the city, and it is now the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States and the most diverse large city since 2021. While at first glance, the city appears to be a 9-5 central business district surrounded by a sea of suburbs and strip malls, there are many hidden gems to be discovered.
Top landmarks
•Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — art museum in Houston, Texas
•Astrodome — historic place in Houston, Harris County, Texas
•Rothko Chapel — building in Houston, Harris County, Texas
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 54m. Total distance: 273.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 226.6 miles on Julius Schepps Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.04 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Houston, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 10.5 miles (I 30; US 67 / Congressman Ralph Hall Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 44.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Houston, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
