Navarro County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Dallas, TX to League City, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 44m
Distance
265.2 mi
427 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 31m
★
6 AM
4h 45m
8 AM
5h 12m
10 AM
4h 54m
12 PM
4h 51m
3 PM
4h 55m
5 PM
5h 10m
8 PM
4h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
League City, TX
Alfo Medeiros
Trip Overview
Dallas to League City is 265.2 miles and takes about 4h 44m via Julius Schepps Freeway and Gulf Freeway, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Texas, transitioning from the Great Plains region near Dallas to the Great Plains region near League City. It's a straightforward, largely highway drive that's well-suited for a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on major freeways, making it a practical option for getting from point A to point B without significant detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
132.6 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 20m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Julius Schepps Freeway | 237.2 mi | 4h 9m |
| Gulf Freeway | 24.1 mi | 28m |
| FM 518 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Gulf Freeway Frontage Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Woodall Rodgers Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| McKinney Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Lamar Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Julius Schepps Freeway
— 237.2 mi, about 4h 9m
Traffic on I-45
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,256 veh/hr typical · worst 3,806
Quietest
2 AM
~407 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 48 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 League City, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
433 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Lamar Street
2
Turn right onto McKinney Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
McKinney Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward US 75 North
4
Merge onto Spur 366
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Woodall Rodgers Freeway
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 45 South: Houston
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 45
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 45
234 mi
·
4 hr 5 min
·
Julius Schepps Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 45
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Gulf Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 23
Toward FM 518: League City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Gulf Freeway Frontage Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto FM 518
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
FM 518
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
FM 518
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 44m estimated drive time, leaving Dallas in the morning should allow you to arrive in League City with plenty of daylight. With 100% highway driving, your primary fuel stop will likely be the most critical. Plan to fill up before you leave Dallas or at a major exit along the Gulf Freeway around the halfway point to avoid any fuel concerns. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility; however, avoid peak rush hour traffic leaving Dallas and approaching the Houston metro area for a smoother experience. This route is direct, so focus on maintaining a steady pace and staying aware of traffic conditions.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 132.6 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 237.2 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 58 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 132.6 miles or 2h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near League City, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dallas, TX
This is one driving day of about 265.2 miles and 4h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Dallas, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Julius Schepps Freeway for about 237.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
133 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 58 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 132.6 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Julius Schepps Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 237.2 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Navarro County Southbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
TA Express
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Walker County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Walker County Northbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA Express
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.5 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
1.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.4 mi from route
TA
1.6 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.6 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.4 mi from route
League Park
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, right off the route
Home stretch
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
League City, Texas
Hours: 6 am–10 pm
+12815541180
Visit websiteCity Park
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, short detour
1.4 mi from route
~3 min detour
Dallas, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19724823055
Visit websiteThe Orange Show Center for Visionary Art
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+17139266368
Visit websiteThe Woodlands Waterway
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
Final third
2.8 mi from route
~7 min detour
The Woodlands, Texas
Visit websiteBreak Free Escape Room
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
2.7 mi from route
~7 min detour
Webster, Texas
Hours: 12–9 pm
+12812013556
Visit websiteSpace Center Houston
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
3.1 mi from route
~8 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+12812442100
Visit websiteCidercade Houston
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~12 min detour
Home stretch
4.8 mi from route
~12 min detour
Houston, Texas
Hours: 10 am–12 pm
+13462417524
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 264 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 45 South: Houston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 45 South: Houston
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Merge onto I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
262.8 mi into trip
|
~4h 40m in
Take the exit toward FM 518: League City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23
Toward FM 518: League City
5
264 mi into trip
|
~4h 42m in
|
FM 518
Turn left onto FM 518
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.32 one way
$72.65 round trip
$3.48/gal
25.4 MPG avg
93 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.89 | $40.57 | $81.15 |
| premium | $4.23 | $44.11 | $88.23 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $50.07 | $100.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 79.6 | 0 | $27.85 | $12.73 |
| Efficient EV | 66.3 | 0 | $23.21 | $10.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 106.1 | 1 | $37.13 | $16.97 |
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Dallas, TX
Night in Dallas on Monday
Local time
10:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 mph
14% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 19 at 7:06PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 19 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
Destination
League City, TX
Night in League City on Monday
Local time
10:05 PM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
SW 5 to 10 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 19 at 7:06PM CDT by NWS Lubbock TX
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 19 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS San Angelo TX
97°F
Buffalo, TX
133 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
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
4h 44m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 100% highway, meaning you'll be on freeways for the entire 265.2 miles. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 237.2 miles, which will be on the Julius Schepps Freeway. Expect consistent freeway driving with numerous exits, especially as you approach your destination. You'll be merging with traffic and navigating a busy corridor for much of this drive.
100% 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: 237.2 mi on Julius Schepps Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Julius Schepps Freeway and Gulf Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 9 significant decision points across 265.2 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 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
503 ft
19 ft
Total Climb
313 ft
Total Descent
722 ft
Highest Point
503 ft
~37.9 mi in
Elevation Range
483 ft
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 League City, TX
Full guide →Founded 1961
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 4h 44m. Total distance: 265.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (100%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 237.2 miles on Julius Schepps Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 27 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 League City, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 27 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles (I 45 / Julius Schepps Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at League City, TX, but most travelers stay overnight.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From League City, TX
More trips to League City, TX
Explore more options from Dallas, TX or browse trips ending in League City, TX.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse TX road trips.