Origin
Dallas, TX
Late night in Dallas on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dallas, TX to Watauga, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
30.3 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dallas, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Watauga, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Dallas to Watauga, you are facing a quick 30.3-mile trip that typically takes about 35 minutes behind the wheel. Because this is a short journey within the Great Plains region of Texas, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Your fuel budget for the trek is quite modest, estimated at around $5. Navigating this path involves utilizing I-35E North, the North Stemmons Freeway, and the John W. Carpenter Freeway. It serves as a straightforward commute that is simple to plan and execute whenever you need to make the connection.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SH 183 TEXpress | 16.5 mi | 16m |
| North Stemmons Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| I 820 TEXpress | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| SH 121/183 TEXpress | 2.7 mi | 2m |
| Denton Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| John W Carpenter Freeway | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Shipp Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Lamar Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
SH 183 TEXpress
— 16.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dallas, TX and Watauga, TX.
1
Start on North Lamar Street
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Lamar Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Take the ramp
133 ft
·
3 sec
Toward I 35E North
3
Turn right
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward I 35E North
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 35E North
Use the slight left lane.
5
Merge onto I 35E
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North Stemmons Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183
0.8 mi
·
48 sec
·
John W Carpenter Freeway
Exit 433A
Toward TX 183: Irving, DFW Airport
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress
15 mi
·
14 min
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
10
Continue on TX 183 TEXpress
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
SH 183 TEXpress
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on TX 121 TEXpress; TX 183 TEXpress
0.7 mi
·
42 sec
·
SH 121/183 TEXpress
12
Continue on I 820 TEXpress
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
I 820 TEXpress
Toward I 820 Express West Toll
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 377: Denton Highway, Haltom Road, Beach Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn slight right
219 ft
·
5 sec
Toward US 377 North
15
Turn slight right onto US 377
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Denton Highway
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto Shipp Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Shipp Drive
17
Turn left onto Whitley Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Whitley Road
18
Arrive at destination
Whitley Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 28 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35E North
9
4.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway toward TX 183: Irving, DFW Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 433A
Toward TX 183: Irving, DFW Airport
6
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
TX 183 TEXpress / SH 183 TEXpress
Keep slight left at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress / SH 183 TEXpress
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
TX 183 TEXpress / SH 183 TEXpress
Keep slight right at fork onto TX 183 TEXpress / SH 183 TEXpress
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward US 377: Denton Highway, Haltom Road, Beach Street
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.
Toward US 377: Denton Highway, Haltom Road, Bea...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.58 one way
$9.16 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
| premium | $4.54 | $5.41 | $10.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.69 | $13.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.24 | $1.94 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Destination
Watauga, TX
Late night in Watauga on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
35m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a long-haul interstate grind during this 35-minute transit. You will be transitioning through urban road networks, which means the experience is defined by local maneuvers rather than long, uninterrupted highway stretches. Since the highway share is 0 percent, your focus will remain on navigating freeway transitions and local thoroughfares. The personality of this drive is practical and functional, requiring your attention as you move through the various interchanges connecting Dallas to Watauga. Be prepared for a steady pace as you navigate the turns required to reach your destination.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.5 mi on SH 183 TEXpress.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SH 183 TEXpress and North Stemmons Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 30.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles (TX 183 TEXpress / SH 183 TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Watauga, TX, road signs begin pointing toward Dfw Airport along the way.
Dfw Airport
4.6 mi in
|
~6m
|
via TX 183
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 Watauga, 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 35m. Total distance: 30.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.5 miles on SH 183 TEXpress. 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 Watauga, 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 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (TX 183 / John W Carpenter Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.3 miles (TX 183 TEXpress / SH 183 TEXpress): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Watauga, TX before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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