Trip from Escobares, TX to Rhode Island, TX

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 13m

Distance

505.8 mi

814 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$69

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

9h 5m ★

6 AM

9h 13m

8 AM

9h 30m

10 AM

9h 19m

12 PM

9h 17m

3 PM

9h 20m

5 PM

9h 29m

8 PM

9h 8m

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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Escobares, TX

Thomas balabaud

Rhode Island, TX

Beth Fitzpatrick

Trip Overview

Escobares, TX to Rhode Island, TX is 505.8 miles and takes about 9h 13m via Purple Heart Trail, United States Highway 83, and State Highway 31, with a fuel budget near $73 and ideal for an overnight trip. This route traverses the Great Plains region for both its start and end points, suggesting a generally open and expansive landscape. Given its length, it's best tackled over two days to allow for comfortable driving and rest. Consider this drive if you're looking for a straightforward, long-haul experience across Texas.

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

252.9 miles from Escobares, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 36m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Purple Heart Trail	299.7 mi	5h 12m
United States Highway 83	54.3 mi	1h 1m
State Highway 31	35.8 mi	38m
South Pan Am Expressway	21.5 mi	26m
I 45	19.8 mi	19m
North US Highway 83	14.2 mi	15m
Garcia Street	12.6 mi	14m
North Pan Am Expressway	7.4 mi	8m

Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 299.7 mi, about 5h 12m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 64 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

5 PM

~2,906 veh/hr typical · worst 3,347

Quietest

2 AM

~493 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.9×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 52 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 Escobares, TX and Rhode Island, TX.

Start on US 83

3.3 mi · 3 min · East Grant Street

Turn slight right onto US 83

13 mi · 14 min · Garcia Street

Continue on US 83

54 mi · 1 hr 1 min · United States Highway 83

Continue on US 83

14 mi · 15 min · North US Highway 83

Continue on US 83

5.4 mi · 8 min · South Zapata Highway

Turn left onto South Meadow Avenue

2.1 mi · 4 min · South Meadow Avenue

Turn left onto US 83

1.0 mi · 2 min · Guadalupe Street

Continue on US 83

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Houston Street

Turn right onto US 83

278 ft · 5 sec · San Dario Avenue

Continue on I 35; I 27; US 83

144 mi · 2 hr 27 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

9.3 mi · 11 min · South Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

1.7 mi · 2 min · South Pan Am Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35

10 mi · 13 min · South Pan Am Expressway

Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City Use the straight lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway

7.4 mi · 8 min · North Pan Am Expressway

Toward I 35: Austin Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

12 mi · 12 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

1.9 mi · 2 min · Interstate Highway 35

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

48 mi · 52 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35; US 290

96 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Purple Heart Trail

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 35

6.0 mi · 6 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 28 sec

Exit 338 Toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn straight onto North Jack Kultgen Expressway

0.3 mi · 30 sec · North Jack Kultgen Expressway

Turn right onto US 84

0.3 mi · 52 sec · East Waco Drive

Continue on US 84

2.6 mi · 4 min · Bellmead Drive

Continue on US 84

2.7 mi · 3 min · East US Highway 84

Continue on TX 31

17 mi · 17 min · State Highway 31

Continue on TX 31

5.3 mi · 5 min · Hubbard Bypass

Continue on TX 31

19 mi · 21 min · State Highway 31

Turn right onto TX 31

5.5 mi · 6 min · Corsicana Bypass

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto South Interstate 45

0.5 mi · 50 sec · South Interstate 45

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Merge onto I 45

20 mi · 19 min · I 45

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec

Exit 206 Toward FM 833 Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto North Interstate 45

307 ft · 10 sec · North Interstate 45

Turn left onto FM 833

1.3 mi · 3 min · FM 833

At end of road, turn right onto TX 75; FM 833

52 ft · 1 sec · North State Highway 75

Turn left onto FM 833

0.9 mi · 1 min · East FM 833

Turn right onto County Road 161

10 ft · 0 sec · County Road 161

Arrive at destination

County Road 161

Trip Plan

For this 9h 13m drive, an overnight split is highly recommended, making it a two-day trip. Aim to depart early on your first day to maximize daylight for the initial leg. Plan for at least two stops to stretch your legs and refuel, especially given the 505.8-mile distance. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as services can be spread out on certain portions, particularly along the 299.7-mile stretch of the Purple Heart Trail. Breaking the drive into roughly equal halves will make the experience more manageable.

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 252.9 miles from Escobares, TX, or about 4h 36m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 299.7 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 111 miles or 2h 8m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 252.9 miles or 4h 36m 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 252.9 miles or 4h 36m

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 6m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rhode Island, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Escobares, 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 Escobares, TX

Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Rhode Island, TX

Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 miles from Escobares, 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 Purple Heart Trail for about 299.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Natalia, TX

167 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.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

San Antonio, TX

334 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in San Antonio, TX

Overnight Options

Night 1

San Antonio, TX

253 mi · about 4.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near San Antonio, TX after about 253 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Laredo, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Antonio, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 252.9 miles from Escobares, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Purple Heart Trail if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 299.7 miles.

Overnight split

2.4 mi from route

San Antonio Botanical Garden

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 8 am–6 pm

+12105361400

Visit website

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 2 mi from route ~5 min detour

Austin, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

Visit website

San Antonio Museum of Art

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour Moderately

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+12109788100

Visit website

San Antonio Fire Museum

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 10 am–3:30 pm

+12103907236

Visit website

San Antonio River Lock & Dam

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour

San Antonio, Texas

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

+12102271373

Visit website

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 247.1 and 503.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

247.1 mi into trip | ~4h 29m in | I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

248.8 mi into trip | ~4h 31m in | I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christi, Johnson City

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

Use the straight lane. Toward I 37, US 281: Upper Level, Corpus Christ...

259.3 mi into trip | ~4h 44m in | North Pan Am Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto North Pan Am Expressway toward I 35: Austin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35: Austin

429.8 mi into trip | ~7h 46m in

Take the exit toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive

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 338 Toward US 84: Waco Drive, Bellmead Drive

503.2 mi into trip | ~9h 7m in

Take the exit toward FM 833

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 206 Toward FM 833

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$69.28 one way

$138.56 round trip

$3.48/gal 25.4 MPG avg 177 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.89	$77.38	$154.77
premium	$4.23	$84.13	$168.27
diesel	$4.80	$95.50	$191.01

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$69

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$199–$309

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 177 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	151.7	1	$53.11	$24.28
Efficient EV	126.5	1	$44.26	$20.23
EV Truck/SUV	202.3	2	$70.81	$32.37

Gas CO2

177 kg

EV CO2

59 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.

Forecast as of Jul 16, 2026

Origin

Escobares, TX

Morning in Escobares on Sunday

Local time

8:49 AM

CDT

Current temp

100°F

Partly Sunny

SE 13 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 5:23PM CDT until July 16 at 8:30PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 5:19PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

Destination

Rhode Island, TX

Morning in Rhode Island on Sunday

Local time

8:49 AM

CDT

Current temp

88°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SSE 5 to 10 mph 33% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued July 16 at 5:23PM CDT until July 16 at 8:30PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 16 at 5:19PM CDT until July 16 at 5:30PM CDT by NWS Shreveport LA

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

12 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

9h 13m 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.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Welcome to San Antonio Missions, a National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. Each mission in the park is a center of community and has been since the early 1700s. Th...

7 mi from route ~16 min detour Free near mile 246.5

View on nps.gov

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...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free near mile 440.1

View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

This route involves a substantial amount of surface road driving, with highways making up only 33% of the total mileage. You'll encounter a long stretch of 299.7 miles on the Purple Heart Trail, which will likely feel like rural cruising. After the highway sections conclude, expect a shift to more varied surface roads for the remainder of the trip. The transition points between these road types are key to managing your pace.

33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.

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

Longest single stretch: 299.7 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

At 9h 13m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 247.1 miles in near I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway.

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 17 significant decision points across 505.8 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 247.1 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 248.8 miles (I 35 / South Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 259.3 miles (North Pan Am Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

775 ft 182 ft

Total Climb

875 ft

Total Descent

664 ft

Highest Point

775 ft

~361.3 mi in

Elevation Range

593 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Escobares, TX and Rhode Island, TX, road signs point toward Corpus Christi and Johnson City.

Corpus Christi

248.8 mi in | ~4h 31m | via I 35

Johnson City

248.8 mi in | ~4h 31m | via I 35

About the Cities

Starting in Escobares, TX

Full guide →

Arriving in Rhode Island, TX

Full guide →

“The Ocean State” · Founded 1790

Rhode Island (RI) is the smallest state of the United States of America, tucked between Massachusetts and Connecticut in New England. Nonetheless, it has over 400 mi (640 km) of coastline, courtesy of Narragansett Bay and islands such as Aquidneck Island, home to Newport, the "City by the Sea". While Rhode Island contains the name "island" in its name, most of its area is not on an island.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Solo Traveler

9h 13m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-haul drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 299.7 miles on Purple Heart Trail. 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 253 miles on day one.

Yes — we found about 43 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 Rhode Island, 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 43 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Yes — San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 9.2 hours each way, a round trip means 18.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Rhode Island, 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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