Trip from Dallas, TX to Shady Hollow, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 42m

Distance

207 mi

333 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$28

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min

4 AM

3h 30m ★

6 AM

3h 43m

8 AM

4h 8m

10 AM

3h 52m

12 PM

3h 49m

3 PM

3h 53m

5 PM

4h 7m

8 PM

3h 35m

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

Shady Hollow, TX

Hector Portillo

Trip Overview

Dallas, TX to Shady Hollow, TX is 207 miles and takes about 3 hours 42 minutes via South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, primarily traversing Texas. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making for a straightforward drive. Consider this route if you need an efficient way to cover this distance without significant detours.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

103.5 miles from Dallas, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 48m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South R L Thornton Freeway	89.9 mi	1h 32m
I 35	42.1 mi	43m
Purple Heart Trail	37.9 mi	39m
North Mopac Expressway	12.3 mi	13m
Express 1 Toll	10.5 mi	11m
North Jack Kultgen Expressway	6.6 mi	7m
West Slaughter Lane	1.6 mi	2m
Brodie Lane	1.4 mi	2m

Longest stretch: South R L Thornton Freeway — 89.9 mi, about 1h 32m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~4,041 veh/hr typical · worst 4,779

Quietest

2 AM

~585 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

6.9×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 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 Shady Hollow, 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 right at fork

330 ft · 8 sec

Toward I 35E South Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 35E

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Stemmons Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35E

0.5 mi · 44 sec · South R L Thornton Freeway

Continue on I 35E

89 mi · 1 hr 31 min · South R L Thornton Freeway

Exit 426 Toward Dallas Zoo Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35; US 77

6.6 mi · 7 min · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

38 mi · 39 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

42 mi · 43 min · I 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min

Exit 250 Toward TX 45 Toll, TX 1 Toll Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min

Toward TX 45 Toll West, TX 1 Toll South: Round Rock, Austin Use the slight right lane.

Merge onto TX 45 Toll

0.5 mi · 30 sec · State Highway 45 North

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min

Toward Loop 1 Toll South Use the slight right lane.

Continue on Loop 1 Toll

4.2 mi · 4 min · North Mopac Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto Express 1 Toll

10 mi · 11 min · Express 1 Toll

Use the slight left lane.

Merge onto Loop 1

8.1 mi · 9 min · North Mopac Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec

Toward Slaughter Lane Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

183 ft · 6 sec

Toward Loop 1 North: East Slaughter Lane Use the left lane.

Turn straight onto West Slaughter Lane

1.6 mi · 2 min · West Slaughter Lane

Use the straight / left lanes.

Turn right onto Brodie Lane

1.4 mi · 2 min · Brodie Lane

Use the right lane.

Turn right onto Spotted Horse Trail

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Spotted Horse Trail

Turn left onto Saddle Mountain Trail

311 ft · 13 sec · Saddle Mountain Trail

Arrive at destination

Saddle Mountain Trail

Trip Plan

For this 3 hour 42 minute drive, leaving Dallas in the morning should give you plenty of time to reach Shady Hollow before evening. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short distance, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on fuel; the estimated cost is $33, and it's wise to fill up before embarking on the 89.9-mile stretch on South R L Thornton Freeway, as services can be spaced out on interstates. Plan to refuel if your tank is less than half full before starting this segment.

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 103.5 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 1h 48m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.9 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 46 miles or 48m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 103.5 miles or 1h 48m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 56m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shady Hollow, 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 207 miles and 3h 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 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 South R L Thornton Freeway for about 89.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waco, TX

104 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

Italy, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waco, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 103.5 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

2.5 mi from route

City 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 website

Toybrary Austin

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 10 am–6 pm

+15124343927

Visit website

NTER - The Great Escape

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour

Waxahachie, Texas

Hours: 5–9 pm

+12149801053

Visit website

Austin Bat Tours

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~10 min detour

Home stretch 4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

Village of Salado Visitors Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Salado, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+12549478634

Visit website

Botanical Gates of Paradise

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~9 min detour

Home stretch 3.8 mi from route ~9 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

Doris D Miller Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~12 min detour

Halfway reset 4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour

Waco, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 19

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 203.8 — 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

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 right at fork toward I 35E South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 35E South

178.3 mi into trip | ~3h 5m in

Take the exit toward TX 45 Toll, TX 1 Toll

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 250 Toward TX 45 Toll, TX 1 Toll

178.7 mi into trip | ~3h 6m in

Keep slight right at fork toward TX 45 Toll West, TX 1 Toll South: Round Rock, Austin

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward TX 45 Toll West, TX 1 Toll South: Round...

203.8 mi into trip | ~3h 35m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Loop 1 North: East Slaughter Lane

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward Loop 1 North: East Slaughter Lane

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$28.35 one way

$56.70 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 72 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$31.67	$63.34
premium	$4.23	$34.43	$68.86
diesel	$4.80	$39.09	$78.17

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$28

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$53–$78

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 72.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	62.1	0	$21.74	$9.94
Efficient EV	51.8	0	$18.11	$8.28
EV Truck/SUV	82.8	1	$28.98	$13.25

Gas CO2

72 kg

EV CO2

24 kg (67% 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 Jul 18, 2026

Origin

Dallas, TX

Evening in Dallas on Sunday

Local time

8:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

76°F

Partly Cloudy

S 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:38AM CDT until July 19 at 6:46PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:37AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Destination

Shady Hollow, TX

Evening in Shady Hollow on Sunday

Local time

8:18 PM

CDT

Current temp

75°F

Cloudy

S 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:38AM CDT until July 19 at 6:46PM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued July 18 at 4:37AM CDT until July 20 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Austin/San Antonio TX

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

1 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

3h 42m 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...

4 mi from route ~11 min detour Free near mile 92.8

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is mostly highway, with 74% of the 207 miles spent on major roadways like South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35. You'll encounter your longest stretch on South R L Thornton Freeway, covering 89.9 miles. Expect a significant amount of highway cruising before transitioning to surface roads closer to your destination. The high percentage of highway driving means you'll likely experience consistent speeds and frequent exit ramps.

74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

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

Longest single stretch: 89.9 mi on South R L Thornton Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South R L Thornton Freeway and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 207 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 0.6 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; at 178.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

757 ft 428 ft

Total Climb

803 ft

Total Descent

478 ft

Highest Point

757 ft

~177.4 mi in

Elevation Range

329 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Dallas, TX and Shady Hollow, TX, road signs point toward Austin and Loop 1 Toll South.

Austin

178.7 mi in | ~3h 6m

Loop 1 Toll South

179.9 mi in | ~3h 8m

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 Shady Hollow, TX

Full guide →

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 3h 42m. Total distance: 207 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 89.9 miles on South R L Thornton Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 26 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 Shady Hollow, 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 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Shady Hollow, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Dallas, TX or browse trips ending in Shady Hollow, TX.

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Trip from Dallas, TX to Shady Hollow, TX

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Main Roads

Traffic on I-35

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Stops Along Your Drive

Bell County Northbound Rest Area

Hill County Northbound Rest Area

Flying J Travel Center

Walburg Travel Center & Food Court

Love's Travel Stop

Petro Stopping Centers

Buc-ee's

Service Plaza

QuikTrip

Flying J Travel Plaza

Pilot Travel Center

Hill County Southbound Rest Area

QuikTrip

Road Ranger

Love's Travel Stop

Love's Travel Stop

Buc-ee's

TA

Service Plaza

Bell County Southbound Rest Area

Love's Travel Stop

Rest Area

Rest Area

Service Plaza

Rest Area

Pilot Travel Center

City Park

Toybrary Austin

NTER - The Great Escape

Austin Bat Tours

Village of Salado Visitors Center

Botanical Gates of Paradise

Doris D Miller Park

Heads-up: tricky spots

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Dallas, TX

Shady Hollow, TX

Same local time

1 degrees cooler at arrival

3h 42m on the road

National Parks Near This Route

Waco Mammoth National Monument

What kind of drive is this?

How Hard Is This Drive?

Elevation Profile

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

About the Cities

Starting in Dallas, TX

Arriving in Shady Hollow, TX

Who Is This Route For?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which road carries most of the drive?

Are there rest areas on this route?

Should I avoid arriving after dark?

Is this a good trip with kids?

Where does this route get tricky?

Are there national parks near this route?

Can I do this as a round trip in one go?

How this page is built

Explore More

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