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Trip from Dallas, TX to South Point, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 45m
Distance
533.3 mi
858 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$80
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 36m
★
6 AM
9h 45m
8 AM
10h 3m
10 AM
9h 51m
12 PM
9h 50m
3 PM
9h 52m
5 PM
10h 2m
8 PM
9h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
South Point, TX
Tomás Asurmendi
Trip Overview
Dallas, TX to South Point, TX is 533.3 miles and takes about 9h 45m via Elm Street and I 30 West, with a fuel budget near $76 and likely requiring an overnight stop. This long-haul drive stays within Texas, traversing the Great Plains region for its entirety. With 2 recommended stops, it's designed for breaking up a significant distance. Given the 9 hour 45 minute estimated drive time, planning for two days is advisable to avoid fatigue and make the most of your travel. This route is a straightforward option for covering a substantial distance across the state.
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
266.7 miles from Dallas, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 40m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Highway 77 | 105 mi | 1h 56m |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 89.9 mi | 1h 32m |
| TX 130 Toll | 58.5 mi | 54m |
| TX 80 | 51.2 mi | 56m |
| South US Highway 181 | 40.2 mi | 45m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 37.9 mi | 39m |
| I 69E | 31.3 mi | 33m |
| I 35 | 26.5 mi | 26m |
Longest stretch:
U.S. Highway 77
— 105 mi, about 1h 56m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,895 veh/hr typical · worst 4,744
Quietest
2 AM
~570 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 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 South Point, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Lamar Street
2
Turn right onto Elm Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Elm Street
3
Continue on Elm Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Elm Street
4
Take the ramp
327 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 30, I 35E
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 30 West, I 35E South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork
330 ft
·
8 sec
Toward I 35E South
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 35E
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
9
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.
10
Continue on I 35; US 77
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
North Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 35
38 mi
·
39 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
26 mi
·
26 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on TX 130 Toll
59 mi
·
54 min
·
TX 130 Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 183
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
United States Highway 183
17
Continue on US 183
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
North Colorado Street
18
Continue on US 183
10 mi
·
11 min
·
US 183
19
Continue on US 183
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Magnolia Avenue
20
Continue on TX 80
51 mi
·
56 min
·
TX 80
21
Turn slight left onto FM 792
8.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Farm-to-Market Road 792
22
Continue on TX 72; TX 239
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Main Street
23
Turn left onto US 181
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sunset Strip Drive
24
Continue on US 181
40 mi
·
45 min
·
South US Highway 181
25
Continue on US 181
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
North 8th Street
26
Continue on US 181
16 mi
·
18 min
·
US Highway 181 South
27
Take the exit onto US 181
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
US 181
28
Keep slight right at fork onto US 181
213 ft
·
5 sec
·
US Route 181
29
Turn straight onto US 181
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 181
30
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
31
Merge onto US 77
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 77
32
Take the exit onto US 77
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 77
Toward I 37, US 77, I 69E
33
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
34
Merge onto I 37; US 77; I 69E
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 37; US 77; I 69E
Use the straight lane.
35
Take the exit onto I 69E; US 77
31 mi
·
33 min
·
I 69E; US 77
Toward I 69E, US 77: Kingsville, Brownsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Keep slight left at fork onto US 77
61 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
37
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69E; US 77
44 mi
·
46 min
·
U.S. Highway 77
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Continue on I 69E; US 77; US 83
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
North Expressway
39
Keep slight right at fork onto I 169; TX 550 Toll
3.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Interstate 169
Exit 10B
Toward TX 550 Toll: Port of Brownsville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
40
Continue on I 169; TX 550 Toll
0.8 mi
·
51 sec
·
I-169, TX 550 Toll
41
Continue on FM 511
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
FM 511
42
Take the exit onto FM 511
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
FM 511
43
Turn left onto TX 4
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Boca Chica Boulevard
44
Turn right onto FM 1419
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Oklahoma Avenue
45
Turn right onto Alabama Avenue
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Alabama Avenue
46
Arrive at destination
Alabama Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 9 hour 45 minute drive time, this route is best split over two days. Aim to leave Dallas early in the morning to make good progress on your first leg. With 2 recommended stops, plan your overnight stay strategically to break the drive roughly in half. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $76 and it's always wise to top up when opportunities arise, especially when anticipating consistent surface road travel. This approach will make the 533.3-mile trip more manageable and safer.
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 266.7 miles from Dallas, TX, or about 4h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105 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 117 miles or 2h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 266.7 miles or 4h 40m 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 266.7 miles or 4h 40m
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 8h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Point, 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 267 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into South Point, TX
Aim for roughly 267 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 117 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 U.S. Highway 77 for about 105 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
176 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.
Overnight Options
Night 1
267 mi · about 4.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 267 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 117 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 266.7 miles from Dallas, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before U.S. Highway 77 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 105 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 267 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.
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.
Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0 mi from route
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Kenedy County Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Texas Travel Information Center at Harlingen
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
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
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.1 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Circle K
0.1 mi from route
Ascent Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Hill County Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.9 mi from route
San Patricio County Northbound Rest Area
2.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.4 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
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 websiteSabal Palm Sanctuary
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, short detour
Home stretch
2.3 mi from route
~6 min detour
Brownsville, Texas
Hours: 7 am–5 pm
+19565418034
Visit websiteIzzy Bounce`
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, ~10 min detour
Final third
4.1 mi from route
~10 min detour
Corpus Christi, Texas
Hours: 2–7 pm
+13615044050
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 255 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 515.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
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
8
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
7
162.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 49m in
Take the exit toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 265
Toward TX 130 Toll South: San Antonio
7
221.8 mi into trip
|
~3h 45m in
Take the exit toward US 183 South: Lockhart
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 470
Toward US 183 South: Lockhart
8
515.2 mi into trip
|
~9h 20m in
|
I 169; TX 550 Toll / Interstate 169
Keep slight right at fork onto I 169; TX 550 Toll / Interstate 169 toward TX 550 Toll: Port of Brownsville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward TX 550 Toll: Port of Brownsville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$80.06 one way
$160.12 round trip
$3.81/gal
25.4 MPG avg
187 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $88.58 | $177.16 |
| premium | $4.57 | $95.85 | $191.69 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $131.77 | $263.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$210–$320
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 186.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 160 | 1 | $56.00 | $25.60 |
| Efficient EV | 133.3 | 1 | $46.66 | $21.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 213.3 | 2 | $74.66 | $34.13 |
Gas CO2
187 kg
EV CO2
62 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.
Origin
Dallas, TX
Late night in Dallas on Thursday
Local time
4:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Destination
South Point, TX
Late night in South Point on Thursday
Local time
4:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Cloudy
NNW 7 mph
2% 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
15 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
9h 45m 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.
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
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 92
View on nps.gov
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
National Historical Park
On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Although the two countries have deve...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 515
View on nps.gov
Padre Island National Seashore
National Seashore
Protecting sixty-six miles of wild coastline along the Gulf of America, the narrow barrier island is home to one of the last intact coastal prairie habitats in the United States. Along the hypersaline...
27 mi from route
~67 min detour
$25
near mile 441.4
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on I 30 West for the majority of this 533.3-mile trip. The highway ends roughly where surface roads begin, though the data doesn't specify a mileage point for this transition. With 0% of the drive on highways, expect a continuous stretch of surface road driving for the entire 9 hour 45 minute duration. You'll notice a consistent flow of exits and potential for local traffic as you navigate off the interstate.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
46 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 105 mi on U.S. Highway 77.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on U.S. Highway 77 and South R L Thornton Freeway. 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
10/10
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 25 significant decision points across 533.3 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 162.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
871 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
562 ft
Total Descent
974 ft
Highest Point
871 ft
~152.4 mi in
Elevation Range
855 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 South Point, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Brownsville along the way.
Brownsville
376.8 mi in
|
~6h 48m
|
via I 69E; US 77
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...
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 105 miles on U.S. Highway 77. 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 267 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 38 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 South Point, 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 38 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 162.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park and Padre Island National Seashore. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.8 hours each way, a round trip means 19.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at South Point, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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