Bell County Northbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Edgecliff Village, TX to Austin, TX
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 16m
Distance
183.9 mi
296 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 5m
★
6 AM
3h 17m
8 AM
3h 41m
10 AM
3h 25m
12 PM
3h 23m
3 PM
3h 26m
5 PM
3h 40m
8 PM
3h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Edgecliff Village, TX
Action Construction Equipment Ltd. - ACE
Austin, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Edgecliff Village, TX to Austin, TX is 183.9 miles and takes about 3h 16m via South Freeway and I 35, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of Texas, offering a straightforward drive from one point to another. With a highway share of 77%, you'll primarily be on well-maintained interstates, making it a practical choice for a quick journey. Consider this route if you're looking for efficiency and a direct path to your destination without extensive 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
91.9 miles from Edgecliff Village, TX
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 39m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Freeway | 78 mi | 1h 20m |
| I 35 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| Purple Heart Trail | 40.3 mi | 42m |
| North Jack Kultgen Expressway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Edgecliff Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 6th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Chelsea Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| North Interstate 35 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Freeway
— 78 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Edgecliff Village, TX and Austin, TX.
1
Start on Chelsea Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Chelsea Drive
2
Turn right onto Brenton Road
98 ft
·
8 sec
·
Brenton Road
3
Turn right onto Edgecliff Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Edgecliff Road
4
Continue on Edgecliff Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Edgecliff Road
5
Turn slight right
177 ft
·
7 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Turn slight right onto California Parkway South
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
California Parkway South
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35W South: Waco
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 35W
78 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
South Freeway
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
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Purple Heart Trail
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Use the slight left lane.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto North Interstate 35
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
North Interstate 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn right onto East 6th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East 6th Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto Congress Avenue
357 ft
·
17 sec
·
Congress Avenue
18
Turn left onto East 5th Street
28 ft
·
0 sec
·
East 5th Street
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
East 5th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 16m duration and 183.9 miles, this is easily a same-day trip, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Aim to leave Edgecliff Village in the morning to make the most of daylight and potentially avoid heavier traffic closer to Austin. With a fuel cost estimated at $28, it's wise to fill up before you hit the road. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point, but the relatively short longest stretch of 78 miles means you won't be facing excessively long periods without services. Keep an eye out for the transition as you approach the Austin metropolitan area, as traffic can increase.
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 91.9 miles from Edgecliff Village, TX, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78 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 40 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.9 miles or 1h 39m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Austin, TX than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Edgecliff Village, 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 Edgecliff Village, TX
This is one driving day of about 183.9 miles and 3h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Edgecliff Village, 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 Freeway for about 78 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
92 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 91.9 miles from Edgecliff Village, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 78 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Hill County Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Walburg Travel Center & Food Court
0.1 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 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
Bell County Southbound Rest Area
0.4 mi from route
Austin Bat Tours
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, right off the route
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 183.9
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–10 pm
Visit websiteBotanical Gates of Paradise
4.1
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Near the end, short detour
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
mile 183.9
Austin, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
Village of Salado Visitors Center
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
1.9 mi from route
~5 min detour
mile 131.3
Salado, Texas
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+12549478634
Visit websiteCultural Activities Center
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
3.1 mi from route
~8 min detour
mile 118.2
Temple, Texas
Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm
+12547739926
Visit websiteDoris D Miller Park
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Around the midpoint, short detour
3.3 mi from route
~8 min detour
mile 78.8
Waco, Texas
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteBarton Creek Greenbelt
4.7
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~11 min detour
4.4 mi from route
~11 min detour
mile 183.9
Austin, Texas
Hours: 5 am–10 pm
+15129746700
Visit websitePioneer Farms
4.5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the end, ~12 min detour
4.6 mi from route
~12 min detour
mile 170.7
Austin, Texas
Hours: 10 am–2 pm
+15128371215
Visit websitePlay Street Museum - Fort Worth
4.9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Near the start, ~12 min detour
4.9 mi from route
~12 min detour
Fort Worth, Texas
Hours: 8:30 am–8 pm
+18179302577
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 183.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35W South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35W South: Waco
6
124.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
180.5 mi into trip
|
~3h 11m in
|
I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 32nd Street, Dean Keeton Street
8
182.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 14m in
Take the exit toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 234B
Toward 8th–3rd Streets, Huston-Tillotson Univer...
7
183.9 mi into trip
|
~3h 16m in
|
East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.79 one way
$55.58 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
64 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.20 | $30.42 | $60.83 |
| premium | $4.54 | $32.83 | $65.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $40.60 | $81.21 |
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: 64.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 55.2 | 0 | $19.31 | $8.83 |
| Efficient EV | 46 | 0 | $16.09 | $7.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 73.6 | 0 | $25.75 | $11.77 |
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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.
Origin
Edgecliff Village, TX
Late night in Edgecliff Village on Sunday
Local time
5:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Austin, TX
Late night in Austin on Sunday
Local time
5:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 to 10 mph
5% chance
Live forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued April 18 at 12:44AM CDT by NWS Norman OK
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 12:34AM CDT until April 18 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Amarillo 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
7 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
3h 16m 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...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 82.4
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 77% of the route utilizing major roadways like South Freeway and I 35. You'll experience a significant stretch of 78 miles on South Freeway, offering a good opportunity to maintain a consistent speed. The profile suggests a straightforward driving experience, largely uninterrupted by complex local roads or frequent town centers. Expect a consistent pace for much of the 3h 16m journey, making it easy to settle into a rhythm.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78 mi on South Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Freeway and I 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 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 13 significant decision points across 183.9 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 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 124.7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 180.5 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Austin, TX
Full guide →“City of the Violet Crown” · Founded 1835
Austin is a city of about 1,054,000 (2026) surpassing Fort Worth to become the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is on the southeast edge of the Hill Country region of Texas, making it the fourth-largest city in the state and the 11th-largest in the country. It is the capital of Texas and a college town, and also a center of an alternative culture away from the major cities on the US coasts, though the city is rapidly gentrifying with its rising popularity. Austin's attitude is commonly emblazoned about town on T-shirts and bumper stickers that read: "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is also marketed as the Live Music Capital of the World due to the large number of venues.
Top landmarks
- • Texas State Capitol — capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas
- • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum — presidential library and museum for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in Austin,...
- • Texas State Cemetery — historic cemetery in Austin, Texas, USA
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 16m. Total distance: 183.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 78 miles on South Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 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 Austin, 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 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 124.7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 180.5 miles (I 35; US 290 / Purple Heart Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Austin, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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