Origin
Carrollton, TX
Late night in Carrollton on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carrollton, TX to DeSoto, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
31.7 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carrollton, TX
Wikimedia Commons
DeSoto, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Trip Overview
Traveling from Carrollton to DeSoto covers 31.7 miles within the Great Plains region of Texas. You can expect a quick transit time of approximately 41 minutes, making this a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budget about $5 for fuel to complete the journey. Since the entire route is contained within the same region, you will experience a consistent environment from start to finish. This drive is highly efficient for those looking to move between these two points without unnecessary delays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 11.7 mi | 12m |
| North Stemmons Freeway | 10 mi | 12m |
| South Stemmons Freeway | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| East Belt Line Road | 3.2 mi | 7m |
| North Beckley Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Interstate 35E | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Hampton Road | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South R L Thornton Freeway
— 11.7 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carrollton, TX and DeSoto, TX.
1
Start on East Belt Line Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
East Belt Line Road
2
Turn left onto South Interstate 35E
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Interstate 35E
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 35E South, US 77 South
4
Merge onto I 35E
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
South Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
10 mi
·
12 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
7
Continue on I 35E
11 mi
·
12 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426
Toward Dallas Zoo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 414
Toward FM 1382: Belt Line Road
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn straight onto North Beckley Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Beckley Avenue
10
Turn right onto FM 1382
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
East Belt Line Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto North Hampton Road
33 ft
·
0 sec
·
North Hampton Road
12
Arrive at destination
North Hampton Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 28.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Interstate 35E
Turn left onto South Interstate 35E
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 35E South, US 77 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35E South, US 77 South
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 35E / South Stemmons Freeway
Merge onto I 35E / South Stemmons Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 35E / North Stemmons Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E / North Stemmons Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28.7 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward FM 1382: Belt Line Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 414
Toward FM 1382: Belt Line Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.79 one way
$9.58 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.24 | $10.49 |
| premium | $4.54 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
DeSoto, TX
Late night in DeSoto on Tuesday
Local time
4:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
41m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a highway-focused drive, with 86% of your time spent navigating major thoroughfares. You will rely heavily on the North Stemmons Freeway, South Stemmons Freeway, and the South R L Thornton Freeway to bridge the gap between your origin and destination. Expect a fast-paced experience, as the longest uninterrupted stretch covers 11.7 miles on the South R L Thornton Freeway. The road personality is defined by these high-speed arterial connections rather than slower local surface streets, ensuring a direct and mechanical commute.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.7 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and North Stemmons Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near South Interstate 35E.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 31.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (South Interstate 35E): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.6 miles (I 35E / South Stemmons Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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 Carrollton, TX to DeSoto, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dallas Zoo along the way.
Dallas Zoo
17.6 mi in
|
~23m
|
via I 35E
About the Cities
Starting in Carrollton, TX
Full guide →Founded 1913
Carrollton is a fast-growing suburb of Dallas, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. In 2019, it was home to about 140,000 people.
Arriving in DeSoto, TX
Full guide →Founded 1847
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 41m. Total distance: 31.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.7 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 DeSoto, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (South Interstate 35E): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.6 miles (I 35E / South Stemmons Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at DeSoto, TX before heading back.
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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