Trip from Dallas, TX to Fort Davis, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 4m

Distance

506.4 mi

815 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$76

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

8h 57m ★

6 AM

9h 5m

8 AM

9h 21m

10 AM

9h 10m

12 PM

9h 9m

3 PM

9h 11m

5 PM

9h 20m

8 PM

9h 0m

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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Dallas, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Fort Davis, TX

Jeff Stapleton

Trip Overview

Dallas to Fort Davis is 506.4 miles and takes about 9h 4m via I 20 and TX 17, with a fuel budget near $73 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route is a long-haul drive that will take you across the vast landscapes of the Great Plains, staying within Texas for the entire trip. You'll spend a significant amount of time on major highways, making it a straightforward but lengthy drive. Consider breaking this trip into two days to better enjoy the drive and arrive in Fort Davis feeling refreshed.

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

253.2 miles from Dallas, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 22m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 20	398.2 mi	6h 38m
TX 17	30.9 mi	37m
Tom Landry Freeway	29.9 mi	35m
South Centre Street	22.2 mi	38m
West Freeway	15.5 mi	17m
North Main Street	4.5 mi	6m
I 10 Business	2 mi	3m
State Street	1.3 mi	1m

Longest stretch: I 20 — 398.2 mi, about 6h 38m

Traffic on I-20

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 96 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~1,504 veh/hr typical · worst 1,862

Quietest

2 AM

~213 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

7.1×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 105 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 Dallas, TX and Fort Davis, TX.

Start on North Lamar Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · North Lamar Street

Turn right onto Elm Street

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Elm Street

Continue on Elm Street

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Elm Street

Take the ramp

327 ft · 7 sec

Toward I 30, I 35E

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Toward I 30 West, I 35E South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min

Toward I 30 West Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 30

30 mi · 35 min · Tom Landry Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 30; US 377

15 mi · 17 min · West Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 20

398 mi · 6 hr 38 min · I 20

Use the slight right lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec

Exit 2 Toward FM 2903: Toyah

Continue on Frontage Road

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Frontage Road

Turn left onto FM 2903

22 mi · 38 min · South Centre Street

Continue on I 10 Business

2.0 mi · 3 min · I 10 Business

Turn right onto TX 17

4.5 mi · 6 min · North Main Street

Turn left onto TX 17

31 mi · 37 min · TX 17

At end of road, turn left onto TX 17; TX 118

1.3 mi · 1 min · State Street

Arrive at destination

TX 17; TX 118

Trip Plan

Given the 9h 4m duration, splitting this drive over two days is highly recommended to avoid fatigue. Aim to depart early in the morning on your first day to maximize daylight. Plan for your first day to cover roughly half the distance, perhaps stopping around the mid-point of I 20. With only 2 planned stops, ensure they are strategically placed for fuel and rest. Keep an eye on your fuel levels as you approach Fort Davis, as services can become more spread out in West Texas.

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 253.2 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 4h 22m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 398.2 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 111 miles or 2h in

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

Halfway reset

Around 253.2 miles or 4h 22m 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 253.2 miles or 4h 22m

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 37m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Dallas, 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 Dallas, TX

Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Fort Davis, TX

Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 miles from Dallas, 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 I 20 for about 398.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in and county sear of Comanche County, Texas, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Comanche, TX

167 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Midland, TX

334 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 Midland, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

Roscoe, TX

253 mi · about 4.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Roscoe, TX after about 253 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Stephenville, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Roscoe, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 253.2 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 398.2 miles.

Overnight split

Odessa Meteor Crater

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour

Odessa, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+14323810946

Visit website

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

Fort Worth, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+18179665509

Visit website

12th Armored Division Memorial

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Early stretch 2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour

Abilene, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+13256776515

Visit website

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 0.6 and 46.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward I 30, I 35E

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 30, I 35E

0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 West, I 35E South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 30 West, I 35E South

0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 30 West

1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway

Merge onto I 30 / Tom Landry Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

46.9 mi into trip | ~56m in | I 20

Merge onto I 20

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$76.02 one way

$152.04 round trip

$3.81/gal 25.4 MPG avg 177 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.22	$84.11	$168.23
premium	$4.57	$91.01	$182.02
diesel	$6.28	$125.12	$250.25

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$76

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$206–$316

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 177.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.

Driving Electric?

About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	151.9	1	$53.17	$24.31
Efficient EV	126.6	1	$44.31	$20.26
EV Truck/SUV	202.6	2	$70.90	$32.41

Gas CO2

177 kg

EV CO2

59 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

Dallas, TX

Afternoon in Dallas on Friday

Local time

2:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

85°F

Sunny

E 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Fort Davis, TX

Afternoon in Fort Davis on Friday

Local time

2:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Mostly Sunny

S 5 to 10 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.

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

3 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

9h 4m 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?

With 94% of this route on highways, you'll experience mostly high-speed cruising. The longest continuous stretch on I 20 is 398.2 miles, offering a substantial period of uninterrupted driving. You'll eventually transition from the interstate to TX 17, where the feel of the drive will shift from dense exits and fast travel to more rural cruising. Expect a consistent pace for the majority of your travel.

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

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

Longest single stretch: 398.2 mi on I 20.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 20 and TX 17. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 506.4 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 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

4,897 ft 428 ft

Total Climb

4,929 ft

Total Descent

460 ft

Highest Point

4,897 ft

~506.4 mi in

Elevation Range

4,468 ft

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 Dallas, TX to Fort Davis, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Fm 2903: Toyah along the way.

Fm 2903: Toyah

445.1 mi in | ~7h 34m

About the Cities

Starting in Dallas, TX

Full guide →

“Big D” · Founded 1841

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...

Arriving in Fort Davis, TX

Full guide →

Fort Davis is a town in the Big Bend Country region of Texas.

Top landmarks

• Fort Davis National Historic Site — historic site in Fort Davis, Jeff Davis County, Texas

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

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

9h 4m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 398.2 miles on I 20. 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 253 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 55 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 Fort Davis, 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 55 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.1 hours each way, a round trip means 18.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Fort Davis, 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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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