If you are looking to head east from Dallas to Hawkins, you are looking at a manageable 97.1-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 54 minutes. This drive is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you do not need to worry about overnight logistics. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance. Because both your starting point and destination remain within the Great Plains region of Texas, the transition between the two is seamless. Whether you are heading out for a quick getaway or visiting family, the route is straightforward enough to keep your planning stress-free.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.6 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 80
57.8 mi
1h 5m
East United States Highway 80
16.4 mi
17m
West Garland Street
12.1 mi
13m
East R L Thornton Freeway
5.9 mi
7m
West Broad Street
2.9 mi
5m
Commerce Street
0.9 mi
1m
North Lamar Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Green Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 80
— 57.8 mi, about 1h 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Hawkins, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.3 mi·53 sec·North Lamar Street
2
Turn left onto Commerce Street
0.9 mi·1 min·Commerce Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 45 SouthUse the straight / left lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 30Use the slight right lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward I 30 East
6
Merge onto I 30; US 67
5.9 mi·7 min·East R L Thornton Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 80
19 mi·20 min·US 80
Exit 53BToward US 80 East: TerrellUse the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto US 80
39 mi·45 min·US 80
Toward US 80 East: TerrellUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto US 80
12 mi·13 min·West Garland Street
10
Continue on US 80
2.9 mi·5 min·West Broad Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 80
16 mi·17 min·East United States Highway 80
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto Green Street
437 ft·19 sec·Green Street
13
Arrive at destination
Green Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a sub-two-hour trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though leaving during off-peak hours can help you avoid local congestion. Given that there are no scheduled stops in the data, you can easily handle the drive in one go, but keep your personal comfort in mind if you prefer a quick stretch break. Since you are spending around $14 on fuel, ensure your tank is topped off before leaving Dallas to avoid unnecessary detours for gas. Pay close attention to the frequent turns as you navigate off the main interstates. Use the lack of a defined stop schedule to your advantage by planning your own pace based on your arrival needs in Hawkins.
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 48.6 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.8 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 21 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.6 miles or 57m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hawkins, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dallas, TX
This is one driving day of about 97.1 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Dallas, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 80 for about 57.8 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 27 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 45 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 45 South
8
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 30
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 30
5
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 30 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 30 East
8
7.8 mi into trip|~11m in|US 80
Keep slight right at fork onto US 80 toward US 80 East: Terrell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 53B
Toward US 80 East: Terrell
6
27 mi into trip|~32m in|US 80
Take the exit onto US 80 toward US 80 East: Terrell
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 80 East: Terrell
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.67 one way
$29.34 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.20
$16.06
$32.12
premium
$4.54
$17.34
$34.67
diesel
$5.61
$21.44
$42.88
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 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
29.1
0
$10.20
$4.66
Efficient EV
24.3
0
$8.50
$3.88
EV Truck/SUV
38.8
0
$13.59
$6.21
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 20, 2026
Origin
Dallas, TX
Late night
in Dallas on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hawkins, TX
Late night
in Hawkins on Tuesday
Local time
5:25 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
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
1h 54m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise on this trek. While you will navigate via Commerce Street, I-45 South, and I-30, the route lacks a significant high-speed highway share, keeping you engaged with the road layout. You will find that there is no long-distance, uninterrupted stretch on this path, as the longest segment is 0 miles on Commerce Street. This keeps the driving experience dynamic and requires you to pay closer attention to navigation throughout the trip. It is a practical, functional drive that favors local maneuvering over long, straight highway segments.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.8 mi on US 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 80 and East United States Highway 80. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 97.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 1h 54m. Total distance: 97.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 57.8 miles on US 80. 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 Hawkins, 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: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hawkins, TX before heading back.
