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Trip from Canyon, TX to Austin, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

8h 34m

Distance

477.3 mi

768 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$72

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
8h 27m ★
6 AM
8h 35m
8 AM
8h 50m
10 AM
8h 40m
12 PM
8h 39m
3 PM
8h 41m
5 PM
8h 49m
8 PM
8h 30m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Randall County, Texas, United States

Canyon, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Austin, TX, TX

Austin, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Spanning 477.3 miles across the heart of the Texas Great Plains, this drive from Canyon to Austin typically takes about 8 hours and 34 minutes of travel time. While you could technically push through in one long day, planning for two days makes for a much more comfortable journey. You will primarily navigate via Marshall Formby Memorial Highway, US Highway 84, and State Highway 153 to reach your destination. Expect to set aside roughly $73 for fuel, though costs will vary based on your vehicle's efficiency. Because this trek covers a significant portion of the state, it is best approached as a steady, highway-focused trip rather than a rushed sprint.

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

238.7 miles from Canyon, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 6m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Marshall Formby Memorial Highway 99.4 mi 1h 39m
US Highway 84 73.9 mi 1h 14m
State Highway 153 69 mi 1h 14m
US 183 44.5 mi 49m
South US Highway 183 35.3 mi 38m
US Highway 84 East 29.2 mi 33m
East Highway 84 26.9 mi 26m
US 67 21.5 mi 24m
Longest stretch: Marshall Formby Memorial Highway — 99.4 mi, about 1h 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Canyon, TX and Austin, TX.

1

Start on US 87

180 ft · 12 sec · 23rd Street
2

Turn left onto TX 217

2.2 mi · 2 min · 4th Avenue
3

Turn right onto I-27 Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 30 sec · I-27 Frontage Road
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec
5

Merge onto I 27

99 mi · 1 hr 39 min · Marshall Formby Memorial Highway
6

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 536B Toward Loop 289
7

Turn straight onto North Interstate 27

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Interstate 27
8

Turn left onto North Loop 289

0.2 mi · 24 sec · North Loop 289
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
10

Merge onto Loop 289

7.5 mi · 8 min · Loop 289
11

Take the exit

421 ft · 10 sec
Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive
12

Keep slight right at fork

233 ft · 5 sec
Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive
13

Turn straight onto Southeast Loop 289

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Southeast Loop 289
14

Turn right onto Spur 331

1.9 mi · 2 min · Southeast Drive
15

Merge onto US 84

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Slaton Road
16

Continue on US 84

6.9 mi · 6 min · East Highway 84
17

Continue on US 84

4.5 mi · 4 min · Trooper Jerry Don Davis Memorial Highway
18

Continue on US 84

20 mi · 20 min · East Highway 84
19

Continue on US 84

1.0 mi · 1 min · North US Highway 84
20

Turn left onto Spur 575

0.1 mi · 16 sec · East 15th Street
21

Turn right onto TX 207

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Ralls Road
22

Turn straight onto TX 207

1.1 mi · 2 min · North Avenue F
23

At end of road, turn left onto US 84

74 mi · 1 hr 14 min · US Highway 84
24

Keep slight left at fork onto US 84

6.5 mi · 6 min · US 84
Toward I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene
25

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 244 Toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo
26

Turn slight left onto Southwest Georgia Avenue

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Southwest Georgia Avenue
27

Turn right onto TX 70

0.7 mi · 1 min · Lamar Street
28

Continue on TX 70

10 mi · 10 min · State Highway 70
29

Turn left onto TX 153

69 mi · 1 hr 14 min · State Highway 153
30

Continue on TX 153

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Walnut Street
31

Continue on TX 153

0.9 mi · 1 min · East Walnut Street
32

At end of road, turn left onto US 84; US 283

9.4 mi · 10 min · US 84; US 283
33

Continue on US 67; US 84

21 mi · 24 min · US 67; US 84
34

Turn right onto US 84; US 183

1.3 mi · 1 min · Garmon Drive
35

Continue on US 84; US 183

29 mi · 33 min · US Highway 84 East
36

Turn right onto US 183; TX 16

22 mi · 25 min · US 183; TX 16
37

Continue on US 183; US 190

15 mi · 15 min · US 183; US 190
38

Merge onto US 183; US 190; US 281

260 ft · 4 sec · North US Highway 281
39

Continue on US 183; US 190; US 281

2.3 mi · 4 min · North Key Avenue
40

Continue on US 183

35 mi · 38 min · South US Highway 183
41

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 29 sec · this road
42

Keep slight left at fork onto 183A Toll

14 mi · 14 min · 183A Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
43

Continue on US 183

7.5 mi · 8 min · US 183
44

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward Loop 1: Mopac Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
45

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South Use the slight right lane.
46

Merge onto Loop 1

2.4 mi · 2 min · North Mopac Expressway
47

Take the exit

423 ft · 10 sec
Toward Express 1 Toll Use the slight left lane.
48

Merge onto Express 1 Toll

3.9 mi · 4 min · Express 1 Toll
49

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
50

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward West 5th Street Use the slight left / straight lanes.
51

Turn straight onto West 5th Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · West 5th Street
Use the straight lane.
52

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

To manage the 477.3-mile distance effectively, I recommend splitting your travel over two days to avoid driver fatigue. With two planned stops built into the itinerary, you have plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and refuel as you transition between the highway segments. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight hours, especially when navigating the longer stretches on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge during the more remote sections of the drive to ensure you stay within your $73 budget. Since this trip is heavily reliant on highway driving, maintain a consistent pace and utilize your two stops to stay refreshed for the final leg into Austin.

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 238.7 miles from Canyon, TX, or about 4h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.4 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 105 miles or 1h 48m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 238.7 miles or 4h 6m 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 238.7 miles or 4h 6m

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 7h 26m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Canyon, 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 Canyon, TX

Aim for roughly 239 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Austin, TX

Aim for roughly 239 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 105 miles from Canyon, 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 Marshall Formby Memorial Highway for about 99.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in and county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Sweetwater, TX

239 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Sweetwater, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Sweetwater, TX

239 mi · about 4.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Sweetwater, TX after about 239 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Lubbock, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 105 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Sweetwater, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 238.7 miles from Canyon, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Marshall Formby Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.4 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 239 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Austin Bat Tours

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 477.3

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

Mackenzie Main City Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 102.3

Lubbock, Texas

Hours: 7 am–8 pm

+18067752673

Visit website

Botanical Gates of Paradise

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 477.3

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

American Windmill Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 102.3

Lubbock, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+18067478734

Visit website

The Martin & Frances Lehnis Railroad Museum

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 340.9

Brownwood, Texas

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13256436376

Visit website

Brown County Museum of History

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 340.9

Brownwood, Texas

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+13256411926

Visit website

Barton Creek Greenbelt

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

4.4 mi from route ~11 min detour mile 477.3

Austin, Texas

Hours: 5 am–10 pm

+15129746700

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 31

5 decision points cluster between mile 110.6 and 475.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
110.6 mi into trip | ~1h 54m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward Spur 331: Southeast Drive
6
220.9 mi into trip | ~3h 47m in | US 84

Keep slight left at fork onto US 84 toward I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene

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

Toward I 20 East, US 84 East: Abilene
6
227.3 mi into trip | ~3h 54m in

Take the exit toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater, San Angelo

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

Exit 244 Toward SH 70 South, SH 70 Business: Sweetwater,...
7
468.1 mi into trip | ~8h 21m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward Loop 1 South: Mopac Boulevard South
7
475.6 mi into trip | ~8h 30m in

Keep slight left at fork toward West 5th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Toward West 5th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$72.12 one way

$144.24 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 167 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $78.94 $157.88
premium $4.54 $85.22 $170.44
diesel $5.61 $105.38 $210.76

Estimated Tolls: $1.00

183A Toll Road (14.3 mi) $1.00

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

$72

Tolls

$1

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$203–$313

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 167 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $50 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 143.2 1 $50.12 $22.91
Efficient EV 119.3 1 $41.76 $19.09
EV Truck/SUV 190.9 2 $66.82 $30.55

Gas CO2

167 kg

EV CO2

56 kg (66% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Canyon, TX

Night in Canyon on Saturday

Local time

11:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

87°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Austin, TX

Night in Austin on Saturday

Local time

11:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Mostly Sunny

S 5 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

59°F

Sweetwater, TX

239 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

2 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

8h 34m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a route defined by its highway-focused nature, with 69% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will face a longest uninterrupted stretch of 99.4 miles along Marshall Formby Memorial Highway, which requires steady focus during your time behind the wheel. The road transitions between high-speed highway segments and smaller state routes, creating a varied pace that keeps you moving consistently toward the capital. This is a practical, utilitarian drive that favors efficiency over technical winding roads. Be prepared for a long haul through the plains where the landscape remains consistent for miles on end.

69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
52 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 99.4 mi on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway and US Highway 84. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 110.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 31 significant decision points across 477.3 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 110.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 220.9 miles (US 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 227.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Canyon, TX and Austin, TX, road signs point toward Loop 289, Sh 70 South, Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater and San Angelo.

Loop 289

101.9 mi in | ~1h 43m

Sh 70 South

227.3 mi in | ~3h 54m

Sh 70 Business: Sweetwater

227.3 mi in | ~3h 54m

San Angelo

227.3 mi in | ~3h 54m

About the Cities

Starting in Canyon, TX

Full guide →

Canyon is a city in the High Plains region of the Texas Panhandle. It is home to the West Texas branch of Texas A&M University, the most prestigious in the region, and is the gateway city to Palo Duro Canyon.

Arriving 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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 99.4 miles on Marshall Formby Memorial Highway. 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 239 miles on day one.

Expect about $1.00 in tolls one way, starting with 183A Toll Road. 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 Austin, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 110.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 220.9 miles (US 84): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 227.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Not recommended in a single day. At 8.6 hours each way, a round trip means 17.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Austin, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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