Traveling from Clifton to Dallas covers 97.4 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 42 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip, it works perfectly as a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend roughly $14 on fuel for the journey. The entire route remains within the Great Plains region of Texas, keeping the landscape consistent as you transition from the smaller community of Clifton into the Dallas metro area. Since there are no mandatory stops scheduled, it is a straightforward drive that prioritizes efficiency over sightseeing. This is an ideal route for travelers who prefer a direct connection between two central Texas hubs without the need for complex trip planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
49.1 miles from Clifton, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35E
58.1 mi
1h
State Highway 22
23 mi
30m
Farm-to-Market Road 219
9 mi
15m
North Waco Street
3.4 mi
5m
South Bosque Street
1.2 mi
1m
East Jefferson Avenue
0.7 mi
<1m
FM 1991
0.6 mi
1m
Riverside Drive
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 35E
— 58.1 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, TX and Dallas, TX.
1
Start on FM 219
0.3 mi·38 sec·West 5th Street
2
Turn left onto North Avenue A
0.1 mi·35 sec·North Avenue A
3
At end of road, turn right onto East 2nd Street
323 ft·14 sec·East 2nd Street
4
Turn slight left onto Riverside Drive
0.4 mi·1 min·Riverside Drive
5
Turn right
0.2 mi·40 sec
6
Turn right onto FM 1991
0.6 mi·1 min·FM 1991
7
Turn left onto FM 219
9.0 mi·15 min·Farm-to-Market Road 219
8
At end of road, turn right onto TX 22
12 mi·17 min·State Highway 22
9
Continue on TX 22
1.2 mi·1 min·South Bosque Street
10
Continue on TX 22
0.7 mi·58 sec·East Jefferson Avenue
11
Continue on TX 22
11 mi·12 min·State Highway 22
12
Turn left onto TX 81
3.4 mi·5 min·North Waco Street
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
14
Merge onto I 35
0.4 mi·23 sec·Purple Heart Trail
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
58 mi·1 hr·I 35E
Toward I 35E: DallasUse the slight right lane.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 429AToward Continental AvenueUse the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
0.2 mi·31 sec·Continental Avenue
Use the right lane.
18
Turn slight right onto North Lamar Street
433 ft·10 sec·North Lamar Street
19
Arrive at destination
North Lamar Street
Trip Plan
Since your total drive time is under two hours, you have plenty of flexibility to depart whenever it suits your schedule. Keep in mind that because this route lacks highway stretches, you should build in extra time if you encounter heavy local traffic or slower zones along your path. Budgeting approximately $14 for fuel is a safe bet, though you may want to fill up before leaving Clifton to avoid searching for stations in unfamiliar areas. Given the turn-heavy nature of the route, using a reliable GPS is essential to keep you on track along North Avenue A and Riverside Drive. Taking a quick break before you hit the denser traffic patterns closer to Dallas is a smart way to ensure you arrive feeling refreshed.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 49.1 miles from Clifton, TX, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58.1 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 22 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 49.1 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clifton, 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 Clifton, TX
This is one driving day of about 98.2 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Clifton, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35E for about 58.1 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 97.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|North Avenue A
Turn left onto North Avenue A
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|East 2nd Street
At end of road, turn right onto East 2nd Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
39.6 mi into trip|~1h in|I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E: Dallas
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35E: Dallas
7
97.6 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Take the exit toward Continental Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 429A
Toward Continental Avenue
6
97.9 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|Continental Avenue
Turn right onto Continental Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.84 one way
$29.68 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$16.24
$32.48
premium
$4.54
$17.53
$35.07
diesel
$5.61
$21.68
$43.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 34.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
29.5
0
$10.31
$4.71
Efficient EV
24.6
0
$8.59
$3.93
EV Truck/SUV
39.3
0
$13.75
$6.28
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Clifton, TX
Morning
in Clifton on Sunday
Local time
6:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dallas, TX
Morning
in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
6:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
S 5 to 10 mph8% chanceLive forecast
59°F
Italy, TX
49 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.
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
17 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
2h 2m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
22 mi from route
~54 min detour
Free
near mile 16.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate primarily via North Avenue A, East 2nd Street, and Riverside Drive to reach your destination. Because the journey relies on local thoroughfares, there is no single long stretch of road; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment on North Avenue A is 0 miles. Your experience behind the wheel will be defined by constant adjustments and attention to local road conditions. This setup makes for a very different feel than high-speed travel, requiring you to stay engaged with the road layout throughout the entire 1 hour and 42 minutes.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.1 mi on I 35E.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35E and State Highway 22. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near North Avenue A.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 98.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (North Avenue A): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (East 2nd Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 39.6 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Clifton is in the heart of Texas located approximately 90 miles southwest of Dallas/Ft Worth or 35 miles northwest of Waco or approximately 10 miles from President George W Bush's Crawford ranch, that is, as the crow flies. Clifton was designated by the state legislature as the Norwegian Capital of Texas and is extremely proud of its Norwegian heritage. Annually on the first weekend of December, the community hosts Norwegian Country Christmas, which is packed with many events and activities, the showcase of which is the open house of several of the historic and other community homes and historic churches. Lutefisk supper served at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in the Norse community is always a sold out event. Norwegian luncheon served at the Clifton Civic Center is also usually sold out. So, if possible, plan ahead to ensure exposure to the entire Nordic experience.
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city.
As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Top landmarks
•Dallas Museum of Art — art museum in Dallas, Texas
•Texas School Book Depository — building in Dallas, Texas, United States
•George W. Bush Presidential Center — Presidential library and museum for U.S. President George W. Bush, located in Da...
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 98.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.1 miles on I 35E. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (North Avenue A): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (East 2nd Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 39.6 miles (I 35E): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Dallas, TX before heading back.
